Pretty Ricky & Hip - Hop's Feminization
"Find A Way" - Dwele
Peace,
This is a bit of an departure from some of my other entries, b.u.t. what's up with the lack of beards amongst men on TV? It seems that all the Black men on television are as clean - faced as a newborn child. Now I'm probably biased because I'm originally from Philadelphia where Orthodox Islam is so deeply embedded into the culture of the city that even youth who are not Muslim have long beards, b.u.t. you can't really find original men on television who have hair on their faces.
Part of the problem is that many of the stars in contemporary are in their late 20's - mid 30's, b.u.t. have to keep a teenage fan base, so they try to look 25 forever. The best example is Dr. Dre. Exactly how old is this guy? He's been in Hip Hop for almost 20 years and he didn't look like a spring chicken when he did "Turn out the lights." In turn, the kids mimic what they see, and try to outdo each other in being "pretty boys". Many of the young dudes today have bigger earrings than the girls!
Coming out of the Black Power Era, many Black men wore beards as a symbol of their manhood and culture. While it goes without saying that manhood is defined by more than your physical appearance, it is connected in some way. Many of the athletes and entertainers of the 70's were proud to wear beards and hairstyles that distinguished them as men. Additionally, in many cultures, a beard indicates wisdom, learning, and good stature in their community. While I acknowledge that we are a diverse people and represent ourselves in many ways, it would be good for the youth to see a balance in the media.
Peace,
This is a bit of an departure from some of my other entries, b.u.t. what's up with the lack of beards amongst men on TV? It seems that all the Black men on television are as clean - faced as a newborn child. Now I'm probably biased because I'm originally from Philadelphia where Orthodox Islam is so deeply embedded into the culture of the city that even youth who are not Muslim have long beards, b.u.t. you can't really find original men on television who have hair on their faces.
Part of the problem is that many of the stars in contemporary are in their late 20's - mid 30's, b.u.t. have to keep a teenage fan base, so they try to look 25 forever. The best example is Dr. Dre. Exactly how old is this guy? He's been in Hip Hop for almost 20 years and he didn't look like a spring chicken when he did "Turn out the lights." In turn, the kids mimic what they see, and try to outdo each other in being "pretty boys". Many of the young dudes today have bigger earrings than the girls!
Coming out of the Black Power Era, many Black men wore beards as a symbol of their manhood and culture. While it goes without saying that manhood is defined by more than your physical appearance, it is connected in some way. Many of the athletes and entertainers of the 70's were proud to wear beards and hairstyles that distinguished them as men. Additionally, in many cultures, a beard indicates wisdom, learning, and good stature in their community. While I acknowledge that we are a diverse people and represent ourselves in many ways, it would be good for the youth to see a balance in the media.
posted by I Majestic at 12:33 PM
1 Comments:
Peace,
And you can't forget the new color(ed) scheme for young black youth (damn pink and lavender). This is pushed along with the 'pimp' style which has an effeminate stereotypical root also (ankle length fur coats, OVER-emphasize on jewelry, high pitched voice, etc..).
Post a Comment
<< Home