When my big brother shared Azealia Banks' interview on Hot 97 in the video below, I cried. Banks clearly articulated the pain felt by black creatives when their art is misappropriated by white people who they then must watch become wealthy while they languish, be awarded while they are left empty handed. It was decided, I would conjure my Black Girl Magic to rally around Banks and ignore the problematic points in her argument (is she shedding tears for Bill Cosby?) because I cape hard for black women. I cape especially hard for NW45, Deep Dark outspoken, women artists. Skip to the 7:52 mark to hear the discussion pertaining to the effects of cultural misappropriation in hip hop and rap music.
Read moreThe Sufferation of Black Women On Screen
I got 500 words into the first draft of this when I realised I wasn’t getting to the point; I’m tired of seeing black women suffer on TV and in film. All good characters have to go through some sort of hell to overcome and conquer in the end but the hell black women traverse on screen feels a little more fiery, a little more brimstoney than the hell reserved for other women.
Read more