Stop Gentrifying Our Things
Why can't we have nice things? Why must everything we come up with or create be taken, made popular and we (black women in particular) are never given credit? It's not just dances either. It's music, style, phrases, and slowly, but surely, even food. I'm talking about Black Culture. The culture that makes us who we are and defines us as a race. You couldn't tell by looking at it but our style and overall way of living is the most sought after, profited from, and copied more then any other race. You wouldn't think so because unless Becky or one of the Kardashians are rocking it, it's considered ghetto or down right cheap.
Of course not Gabby because they never do. From the Nae Nae, gold hoop earrings, cornrows, and gold teeth, all things that were deemed ratchet (they're using that now too) are cool and popular because Khloe Kardashian started calling them hoochie hoops MA'AM!!!! Don't you know we've been wearing hoop earrings from the beauty supply store for years? I guess they feel like they have to play the role in order to impress the black men they date (we will be getting to that at another time). But seriously, there is nothing worse then seeing something we came up with, mostly out of boredom or pure fun, be taken and considered hip all because white people discovered it. What's worse is that the rightful people are never credited.
Who can forget that one time that Miley Cyrus decided to rebel and become a hip hop star? You know when she was twerking on stage and everybody lost their mind because where on earth did this new, provocative dance come from. Every black person alive had the Emoji confused face because clearly people didn't realize that "Back That Thing Up" was a hit and the Twerk Team had been dominating Youtube for years. It was so bad that Beyonce' started twerking on her tour just to prove a point. WHERE HAVE YALL BEEN THIS WHOLE TIME? So of course when nobody took the bait, Miley abandoned her Hip Hop roots and went back to her peaceful, white woman life. According to her, the rap life is way too vulgar for her liking. Oh girl, save it.
It really bothers me that Peaches Monroe will never be given her just do for creating the popular phrase "On Fleek". Who would have known that a random cell phone video she took of herself complimenting her eyebrows would take off and make so many people so much money? People were going around using this phrase and not even knowing where it came from. Prime example, Khloe K, a repeat culture vulture, said it on camera and when asked where it came from, she gave a blank stare and made up something. But who cares? Peaches is black woman which makes her fair game for profit, right?
These days, whenever a challenge takes off on social media or black people are spotted creating dope things, there is a rush to protect their creations and their brand. People are quick to tell creators to copyright their products, get business licenses, and hire lawyers. It's time we get credit for the content that we create. It's not right. Even when we do get our credit, it's always watered down to make people feel more comfortable.
In the future, let's make sure to do our part and help protect our content creators. Even if it's just shouting them out on Twitter or Facebook, it's important that they be recognized for their creativity. I refuse to let another gem like "Bye Felicia" be watered and gentrified so much that people can't even remember what movie it's from, why it was said, and who said it. You can thank the Kardashian's for that as well.
