Black people, who invented hip-hop, jazz, and rock and roll, have long been tastemakers of American cool. In many ways, fashion, music, and slang are dictated by black people no matter how little credit they get for it..
In fact:
“Our research shows that black consumer choices have a ‘cool factor’ that has created a halo effect, influencing not just consumers of color but the mainstream as well,” said Cheryl Grace, senior vice president of U.S. Strategic Community Alliances and Consumer Engagement, Nielsen.
Thus, presumably, if you want to be cool and sell records, you ought to start acting black. In fact, it’s great if you’re not black and act black because you get the benefits of being cool without the baggage and limitations of being subjected to racism.
Its what the Kardashians, Iggy, Justin Bieber, Ariana, and alot of other celebrities do in order to rise in popularity as well as be accepted into the black community.
Grande’s music is largely influenced by hip-hop and R&B, meaning that in order to build a fanbase, she needs to court listeners (ahem, black folk) with those musical preferences.
Grande, who is quick to shut down any perceptions about her ethnicity being anything but Italian. Most people presume Grande is Latinx, not necessarily black, when mistaking her race, but I am here to tell you, most Latinos are part black, sis.
Thus, for years, Latinx women have been sounding the alarm: Grande is doing brown face. Look at her tan!! Look at how she speaks! Look at her music!
The point is: Most of us don’t get to pick and choose which parts of blackness we get to have — only white folks seem to have that luxury. And we need to give her the SAME ENERGY we give the kardashians.
Thinking of the extraordinary and beloved River Phoenix, who was born on this day in 1970. Here he is giving one of his finest performances in Gus Van Sant’s My Own Private Idaho (1991), a moving look at unrequited love & life on society’s margins.
