There has been much commotion about the new Volkswagen commercial, where a white guy speaks with a Jamaican accent.
Many say the commercial is mocking black people; New York Times’ Charles Blow called it “blackface with voices.”
Though I personally wasn’t offended, my islander friends might have a problem with it.
My thing is: People quickly become outraged when the teeniest bit of insensitivity occurs from outside sources, but what about when one of our own is shamelessly racist?
Why is Kanye allowed to say, “You know white people—get money don’t spend it. Or maybe they get money, buy a business. I’d rather buy 80 gold chains and go ignant…blame it on the pigment.”
Why can A$AP Rocky say, “They say money make a nigga act niggerish. At last a nigga nigga-rich.”
Why is Lil Wayne entitled to decide, “Beautiful Black woman, I bet that bitch look better red.”
Sure, maybe the commercial was mocking a Jamaican accent. Sure, maybe it was a little insensitive. But when Kanye declares the pigment of his skin makes him ignorant— when Lil Wayne decides a woman lighter complexion is more beautiful than a dark skin woman —when A$AP Rocky says Black people act niggerish when they become wealthy, but it’s justified because they’re rich—suddenly, that commercial doesn’t seem so significant.
Perspective people—that’s all I’m asking for.
Is it because theses rappers are Black that they are allowed to say racist things? Is it not racist or less hurtful because they are Black?
I don’t think so. If anything it’s worse.
But the absolute worst part, though, is that they get away with it. We don’t call them out. How can we criticize companies for being insensitive when we do not shame people of color for their own blatantly racist remarks?
It’s hypocritical—don’t you think?
A Woman's Worth 
well said
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