Read the Room
I was on a social media cleanse, as I usually do throughout the year. However, on Sunday, February 4, 2024, I decided to open Instagram to see what was going on at The Grammys. I haven’t watched award shows in many years. The last time may have been the 2018 Oscars when Ruth Carter won Best Costume Design for Black Panther and Jordan Peele won Best Original Screenplay for Get Out. This was about 3 years after the #OscarsSoWhite Movement. It felt like real change was happening. Ever since, there has been more diversity within the organization itself and the nominees and recipients, but nonetheless, racism prevails. See: Angela Bassett being snubbed year after year, only to receive a consolation Oscar last year and Gina Prince-Bythewood, Viola Davis, and the entire cast and crew of The Woman King not even being included. Arguably, it was one of the best movies I have seen in the last decade. And, I don’t remember Viola going off about how the Oscars snubbed her or their racism because she’s always known and so have we. Instead, when the NAACP Image Awards gave the film 10 nominations and two wins and the film won two African-American Film Critics Awards, she spoke about her joy and gratitude.
This leads me to Jay-Z’s speech at the Grammys. First thing’s first, he has a valid point. Although Beyoncé has the most Grammys out of any person since its inception in 1959, she has never won Album of the Year. Leading to a reasonable conclusion that the Recording Academy is basically saying, “hey, little Black girl, you may have more accolades than anyone else, but you’ll never have the top award” as a means to remind her of her place. Something that many Black people, especially Black women, know all too well. And, it is extremely troubling that the last time a Black woman won, it was Lauryn Hill for Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, which happens to be my favorite album. This year, Album of the Year went to Taylor Swift, again. She beat out several artists, who, might I add, DID deserve to be in that category, including Sza for SOS, which was a perfect album and should have won. And this is why we say, in this society, White Mediocrity, more times than not, overshadows Black Excellence.
However, his speech is also where he lost me. Beyoncé has 32 Grammys. For perspective, she has more than “The Voice” herself, Whitney Houston, who received 6, more than Mariah Carey, who has 5, more than Michael Jackson, who received 15, more than Stevie Wonder, who has 25, and last but certainly not least, more than Prince, who only received 7 in his lifetime. That right there is a triumph in and of itself. Instead of celebrating the fact that it is a Black woman who holds the most Grammys of anyone ever in 65 years, this Black billionaire got up on stage to complain about discrimination from a well-known discriminatory organization. Sir, where have you been? Even the artist formerly known as my favorite rapper, Mr. West, who was once your bestie, has been saying this about most White-centric entertainment organizations for well over a decade. And never once did you back him up. Why was that? Because in order to be a Black Billionaire you have to sell some of your integrity and morals. Which is why we say, there is no such thing as an uncorrupt billionaire.
In those 3 minutes and 33 seconds, he chose to speak on problems that really only affect the Black Elite. And here is why I say this. As a Black billionaire you have the option to not take part in the same society that we do. You can opt out of racism if you so choose. You don’t have to interact with any person you don’t want to because you have enough money not to. You have enough money to completely change the game. However, he sold his controlling shares in Roc A Fella Records to Island Def Jam, which is owned by Universal Music Group. Surprise! Black people do not own UMG. He does own Roc Nation, but as those brunches make very clear, it’s exclusive and exclusionary. “Well Lauren, what about Tidal?” He doesn’t own that any more either. The majority owner is now Jack Dorsey, the former CEO and founder of Twitter. I mean, even when Jay-Z did own it, do y’all remember who he had working there? I do.
In those 3 minutes and 33 seconds, while his daughter stood next to him at his side, with her beautiful braids, he could have spoken about all the books being banned, including my personal favorite, Hair Love by Matthew A. Cherry, which is also a wonderful series on HBO Max, please check it out, even if you’re grown like me. In those 3 minutes and 33 seconds, as a Black man from New York City, he could have spoken about the fact that the rats running amok in the city are still living better than the human beings at Rikers Island, especially those that got caught up in the drug game like him, who unfortunately didn’t make it out. Or, in those 3 minutes and 33 seconds, as a Black man with dreadlocks, he could have mentioned Darryl George, a 17-year old Black boy, who has constantly been suspended for his beautiful locs and is now fighting a discrimination case in court. Maybe these issues have registered with him, but maybe he’s so far removed, he didn’t even think to speak up for those who don’t have a gigantic platform.
I know some of y’all will say, “Well, it’s not their responsibility to speak up,” or “But, where are the politicians?” You’re absolutely right. It’s not their responsibility. But then, what is the point of being a Black billionaire if you’re not going to help and support your people? In my opinion, it’s because it was never about us. It was about validation or rather proving something to the White Elite. Like, “see, we can do this too.” And, as far as the politicians, when have they ever really done something to help alter this twisted systemic issue of racism? I mean look where we are, this is an election year and we’re back with the same lame choices we had in 2020. Mostly because after they really let us outside in 2022, everyone forgot about what we were fighting for in 2020 and buried their heads in Meta and TikTok. We had 4 years to find a reputable candidate and all we did was uplift people like Ice Spice and Sexyy Red, shade, no shade, but the latter is a Trump lover.
And, for the record, if influential Black people in the past didn’t use their money for good, people like Jay-Z and Beyoncé wouldn’t even be where they are today. Let me give you a brief history lesson. In 1968, James Brown, the multitalented, -faceted, -troubled entertainer, bought WJBE-AM in Knoxville, TN, which was the first Black-owned radio station in the nation. In the 60s, especially in the South, our music wasn’t getting the airtime it deserved. So, Mr. Brown bought one to play our music. And, lest we forget, he is also the creator of “Say it Loud - I’m Black & I’m Proud” and “Don’t Be a Dropout,” which encouraged young Black students to focus on school and understand the importance of an education. One could say that songs like his and Miss Nina Simone’s “Young Gifted and Black” walked so Black is King could run – on Disney+, not BET, ONE, OWN or maybe even a Roc Nation TV, just saying. In 1960, Berry Gordy created Motown Record Corporation to give young Black musicians a safe haven and home, which included artists like Diana Ross, Gladys Knight, The Jackson 5, The Temptations, and “The Prince of Soul” himself, Marvin Gaye. Speaking of Marvin. In 1970, his brother Frankie returned home from the Vietnam War. Marvin noticed that his brother was not the same and he wanted to do something about it. However, Berry Gordy kept pressuring him to make more love songs like he had been doing with Tammy Terrell. However, Marvin wanted to make an album in order to give a voice to the people; so, in 1971, when Berry said no to his concept, Marvin took his money and self-produced the album, What’s Going On. The song “Mercy, Mercy Me” spoke of environmental destruction. “Inner City Blues” tackles poverty and police brutality in our communities. And, the title track from the album speaks to his brother’s experience during the Vietnam War, which was a sentiment shared by many. So, was it their responsibility to do any of this? No. But, I believe that they felt like it was their duty to help their community.
What really disturbed me was to see #JusticeForBeyoncé and #JusticeForRenaissance. Is that where we are as a community? A community in which we use hashtags to bring attention to those who have been wronged by this racist society. It shouldn’t be used to raise awareness for a wealthy person who did not receive an award. It’s asinine. Just an FYI: Breonna Taylor still hasn’t received her justice. Regarding Elijah McClain, one officer was found guilty of criminally negligent homicide and the other was acquitted. Did y’all know that? Oh, by the way, Sandra Bland’s birthday was yesterday, February 7. She would have been 37 years old, a year younger than me. What about Aderrien Murray, an 11-year old who called 911 and was then shot in the chest by a Black Mississippi officer, who was never charged and has returned to work. Demonstrating that internalized and systemic racism go hand in hand with the current state of policing. This is what the #Justice is for. It is not to be used as a mockery.
The problem I am having is I have seen more think pieces about this speech and banning together in solidarity for this trivial moment, instead of what’s going on for us here in the real world. Dr. Claudine Gay, the first Black and only second woman president of Harvard University was accused of plagiarism by racist White conservatives. Even when Harvard said that they couldn’t find any instances of this, it still wasn’t enough, forcing Dr. Gaye to resign her historical position. And now, Sherri Ann Charleston, the Chief Officer of Diversity and Inclusion at Harvard, is also being accused of plagiarism by these same racist haters. The kicker is, she is being accused of plagiarizing LaVar Charleston, her own husband. And, on January 8, 2024, only 8 months and a week after landing the position of Vice President for Student Affairs, Dr. Antoinette “Bonnie” Candia-Bailey died by suicide after being abused and mistreated by her White co-workers at Lincoln University, a Historical Black University. We are literally not even safe in the institutions created for our safety. Black women constantly fall victim to the cycle of going from pet to threat.
This isn’t just a Corporate America issue. This happens in the customer service industry as well. I actually wrote about my experience as a Black woman server in the restaurant industry for Eater Magazine. From the level of below poverty to the working class to Corporate America to those in the upper class, we are feeling it. It is as if the elite forgot about it or think less of us because we didn’t get to where they are in spite of it. But, it’s almost as if they forgot how they got there.
My point is that, with all this going on, I am refusing to use my voice to speak on the struggles of billionaires. I am using it for issues that are actually affecting our community every single day. I can’t relate to the problems of the wealthy, but they should be able to relate to ours. There are many examples of celebrities doing just that. Colin Kaepernick chose us over his job and also created Know Your Rights Camp. Noname created a book club celebrating BIPOC authors. Megan Thee Stallion followed Prince’s advice, “own your masters or your masters own you” by owning her masters and publishing. This is her paving the way for the other rap girlies. She also created Bad Bitches Have Bad Days Too, which provides resources for mental health. Taraji P. Henson created the Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation, which also focuses on mental health, especially in the Black male community. Currently, she placed herself in a jeopardizing situation by calling out the industry and their treatment of Black women because as she says, “... If I can’t fight for them coming up behind me, then what the f**k am I doing?”
Many of you commented in the social media sphere about how we need our own awards. Well, we have them. We have the BET Awards, the NAACP Image Awards, and the Soul Train Awards. But, ironically, the same people saying this, are the same ones who say, “Well, you know Bey and Jay aren’t going to show up because they’re too good for it.” Why is that? Why are they too good for their own community that got them to where they’re at? And secondly, if they're too good for their own people and not good enough for the predominately White establishments, then what are they going to do about it?
In my opinion, don’t talk about it, be about it. I think Jay and Bey should take their combined $3 billion and use it to create the first inclusive and truly diverse entertainment awards we have ever seen. Have a panel of unbiased, multicultural people from the music, film, television, publication, and radio/podcasting industries and even include some fans well-versed on music. Otherwise, what f**k are you doing?