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Macklemore, White Privileges and a Dying Culture?

It always gives me a sigh of relief when a white person recognizes their white privileges, there! When I encounter people like this, I don’t have to worry about explaining how the system of institutional racism works, I don’t have to worry about going into detail on how reverse-racism is nonexistent, or how prejudice predicaments work in various ways for everyone but worse for those who aren’t favored in society.

But what happens when someone from the majority group misses the mark when addressing these issues? Easy, it crashes and burns and has nowhere to go, but the subject still lingers nevertheless. Recently, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, hip-hop artist, addressed these issues in his new song called White Privilege II.

It was a bold move, calling out people such as Elvis, Iggy Azalea and Miley Cyrus for taking something from a black-American culture using it for profit and not caring about the racial issues blacks face in the west. Hell, worldwide! Various music enthusiast says Macklemore’s delivery failed because he’s not lyrically talented, therefore, won’t be taken seriously.

Now if someone wants to debate whether he’s a good artist or not go for it, but I have a different notion as to why his approach fell on deaf ears. One, he’s criticizing people who are partaking in the same activity he’s doing as well. Um… hello? Hip-hop is a part of the black culture!

Take jazz music, for instance, it was diminished by the majority when it first hit the scene. Then here comes some little white kid finding the beauty and going around mimicking it, then all of a sudden it’s freaking awesome! Even though it’s been around for years, now it’s fucking cool. Are you kidding me? Macklemore, you can’t call people out of this without making yourself look like a hypocrite.

Also, Macklemore picked easy targets to get his point across without any repercussion. Who were the easy targets? The women, the white women who famously love black culture. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a fan of them for various reasons, but notice how he didn’t call out Eminem, Yelawolf, G-Eazy, MGK, Mack Miller, Slim Jesus…

It’s bad enough having to be a conscious POC and seeing something your community created get exploited and glamorized all at once. Made out to be the villain in society only to be idolized behind closed doors. It is a damn shame! I only leave you with this reader, do you like your tea hot or cold?

xo,
To’Wednesday Sibley

About Boss Nails…

So a while back I was watching the premiere of the new television series called “Boss Nails” a Miami nail shop owned by Dana Cody, a twenty-something-year-old black woman trying to further her business to the top. I love seeing a woman I share a commonality with to me it is very inspiring seeing someone young like me doing it big. However, there is something I found troubling in one of the scenes that I just can’t wrap my mind around.

As I was watching it was revealed that Dana is married to George Tiechner, who is the seventy-seven-year-old father of Aviva Drescher, haven’t heard of her? Does the Real Housewives of New York ring any bell? Dana talked about the issue of people immediately perceiving her relationship to her husband like she’s his whore and do you know what this fool said? “You’re my whore you are my everything” I’m dead serious!

First off, you shouldn’t think of your wife as a whore even in a light-hearted sense, you just shouldn’t. It’s bad enough that there’s an overwhelming stereotype of a black woman being seen by a white man that she automatically a hooker, and do you know what Dana did? She laughs it off! Needless to say, no partner of mine would talk to me like that Dana, don’t tolerate foolishness like that especially if that is not your character.

xo,
To’Wednesday Sibley