Ghost

Sept. 18th, 2018

“When [Travis] comes along and sells a tour pass that has nothing to do with his fucking music and says he’s sold more than Kanye West and Nas — no you fucking didn’t, keep it the fuck real. I know I’m that bitch, I know I’m Number 1”. Nicki Minaj 8/21/18

BLACK IS IN. No other time in American history has black culture been more mainstream than the era we currently live in. From fashion to music, from art to food, the biggest brand in the world is the Black brand. That’s a powerful truth, a truth that can serve as the escape from 400 years of institutionalized disenfranchisement, a tool that can rewrite the narrative for the next 400 years of what it means to be Black in America, and a beacon that can unite a community ravaged by institutionalized oppression.

In spite of all these things, what happens when some of us rise above the level forced upon us by “mainstream” America ignites a “crabs in a barrel” effect. According to Nicki Minaj, there can only be number 1. Now this piece is in no way meant to defame Nicki Minaj, a black woman thriving in an industry where black men have monopolized and held ground in since the birth of hip hop in Harlem. Having the ability to hold defense of her success in the face of the odds she is against is amazing. However, the message conveyed by her in regards to her success brings about the questions of how unified we are as a community. Do we support each other enough when given unequal capacities to succeed? The end all be all for the success of our communities is not found in merely being #1, but by the capacity by which we can improve the lives of those around us that may not have the means to attain that same level of success. Our roots show us that it takes a village to accomplish anything for the collective good of the whole; and competition is possible without diminishing another’s success. So next time you encounter a fellow brother or sister, actively challenge yourself to support them because until we eliminate the idea of success as a singular accomplishment we are all going to remain crabs in a barrel…