Justin Timberlake wasn’t wrong. I mean we’re all, technically, humans. Unless we’re really living in a world like They Live!, which the people who think Gucci Mane is a clone will totally tell us. I’m open to that conversation, by the way. But he wasn’t right, either. After tweeting he was “inspired” by Jesse Williams rousing speech at the BET Awards he was jumped on the way out to his Twitter car by several commenters who needed to casually remind him that he appropriates black music and that he left Janet Jackson’s nipple festering out in the nuclear winds of the American conservative media. One of those points is more fair than the other.
Justin Timberlake responded because he’s an emotional soul whose childlike appreciation for things gives him an air of innocence that is preternatural even for white males.. But he shouldn’t have clapped back. Not with, “Oh, you sweet soul. The more you realize that we are the same, the more we can have a conversation. Bye.” You just can’t say things like that after Eric Garner got choked out for some cigarettes and Sandra Bland was left to die in jail like a dog. You can’t. But he did because he forgot, for a moment, that not everyone lives in the world of Justin Timberlake. Not everyone is a musically gifted, overwhelmingly liked white guy with mean dance moves and incredible amounts of fame. We’re not the same. This country has proven that over and over again, and there are many more proofs on the horizon.
History tells us that Janet Jackson was a disgraceful artist who deserved to be blacklisted following the Super Bowl XXXVIII Nipplegate while Timberlake endured a “wardrobe malfunction.”
And it is ironic because that is precisely what the main tenet of Jesse Williams speech was about. You can have money and fame and you can be up there speaking eloquently about inequality at the BET Awards but you are still black. You can still get it. You can, because you are black (and that is all the reason most anyone needs) have your life and your body be taken from you without redress. And that hasn’t changed. Not after the 13th and 14th amendments. Not after Brown v. Board of Education or the Civil Rights Movement. Not after the deaths of MLK Jr. and Malcolm X. Not after racially motivated massacres in St. Louis and Tulsa. Not after George Zimmerman sold the murder weapon to his killing of an unarmed black teen. Or after the New York Time’s claimed Mike Brown, “was no angel.” Neither, still, after Barack Hussein Obama the second became the 44th President Of The United States.
“The more you realize that we are the same…” The arrogance in those words are deafening. That there is something about humanity and America that I don’t understand, although, it is my body that is under siege. And this is the at the crux of the rebound. The idea that we can’t have a conversation until we understand that everything that I’ve seen experienced by people who look like me and experienced with my own body is mistaken is awash in supremacist thinking. And that it’s JT doing the talking is maddening. The backlash was swift and on going. And although I like Justin Timberlake very much, he deserves this power check. He deserves to have his words analyzed for meaning here. He deserves it the same way Post Malone did when a video emerged of him saying the word “nigga.” The same way Slim Jesus did when the origin of his 15 minutes of fame involved tough talk and fake guns over a trap beat. The same way Donald Trump does as he continues to claim that all brown people do are rape and murder and be terrible human beings. Vic Mensa recently doubled down on the sentiment that Timberlake benefits from reverse affirmative action and albeit he’s not exactly his generation’s Wise Intelligent but the statement is loud and clear.
It begs the question, would these artists have been so fascinating, so alluring had they not been considered “foreign” entities in the Hip Hop world? The short answer is no. The majority audience in the United States seems to like their black music just fine, especially when they don’t have to deal with any kind of cognitive dissonance about who’s singing or rapping what.
In Britain, we saw racial prejudice, xenophobia, and nationalism rise to the forefront to bring that nation into an uncertain future sans the EU. Roughly the same thing is occurring with this election cycle. On the one hand we’ve got Hillary “I Get Money” Clinton, and on the other we have a buffoonish android sent from Alpha Centauri to destroy us. In the middle, we’ve got Justin Timberlake, demanding that if we could just put our racial disparities aside, we could all just live in a world where we can talk about one person having slightly more right to be alive than the other.
“I forget this forum sometimes … I was truly inspired by @iJesseWilliams speech because I really do feel that we are all one … A human race. I apologize to anyone that felt I was out of turn. I have nothing but LOVE FOR YOU AND ALL OF US.”
I believe you, Justin. Just do me a favor and lower those requirements a bit.
God loves you anyway, mr grant.
i love Janets tit!
enjoyed that moment back in the day 😉
You can’t fight against racism using racism. People have different preferences, and many of them (including blacks) love JT and JB. Hate brings hate, man, stop this shht.
I’m really deeply sorry for you. Yall got a fkkked up state of mind. I know you’re gonna censor this. This is P0rn-movie-logic kinda article, not journalism.
but why does black america have to clapback on JT though? Last I checked – dude loves the black culture. we got donald trump running for president of the country and 100 million racists that are actively trying to put black men in jail but JT is the problem??? SMH
Just because one instance is deeper than the other doesn’t mean we should ignore it. All should catch equal backlash
He didn’t do anything wrong, you race sting, hipocrytical racist entitled piece of shit. What ever happened to freedom of speech? Does anyone really believe JT is a racist? GTFOH with that bullshit.
Dumbasses. We are all the same. Justin is right. Stop all of this race baiting bullshit. Dude did nothing wrong.
No Justin isn’t right. If he was right then we wouldn’t even be having this discussion. Why are people so fucking stupid.
Unfortunely we are at war with those who believe we aren’t the same, Justin is a great artist but his his comments reminds me of those who think Travon Martin was in the wrong or the incidents DX mentioned above.smh
Unfortunely we are at war with those who believe we aren’t the same, Justin is a great artist but his his comments reminds me of those who think Travon Martin was in the wrong or the incidents DX mentioned above.smh
He is right. As in within his rights. Have you ever heard of the first amendment? You race baiting ignorant MF? You are going to honestly say that you think JT is racist? GTFOH dummy
He is right. As in within his rights. Have you ever heard of the first amendment? You race baiting ignorant MF? You are going to honestly say that you think JT is racist? GTFOH dummy
He is right. As in within his rights. Have you ever heard of the first amendment? You race baiting ignorant MF? You are going to honestly say that you think JT is racist? GTFOH dummy
At no point does Justin Timberlake CELEBRATING the comments of a black person talking about systematic injustice have anything closely related to the Trayvon Martin tragedy. You think JT wouldn’t condemn the Trayvon Martin shooting, the Tamir Rice shooting, etc? You are a closed minded moron. Get your head out of your own anus and find the real problem. JT is not the problem.
An excellent and well written article. Currently laughing at the comments calling DX racist for calling out racial ignorance. Keep doing what you’re doing.
Was just about to say the same thing. Enjoyed the read. The same people always bytching about talking about race are the ones that want things to go back to good oh days.
Appropriating black culture? If that’s the case I want all black people to stop apporpirating white culture. Stop wearing Gucci, Versace, all designer clothes, stop wearing Nike and Adidas shoes. Why isnt nobody calling out on these racist black people?
Honestly don’t know why I continue to come to this site. I need to start looking else where for music.
Please “Oliver” feel free to search with all your might for a musical sanctuary void of all pop culture and political topics that go against your individual views. While you’re at it, stop listening to hip hop all together and further bond with those of your mutual demographical interests such as country and dubstep
Says Brandon. Most kracker ass name ever. Dork. STFU
I think it’s a little funny that group of people preaching about equality are telling a man he can’t be inspired by a speech because of the color of his skin….racism is real all across the world and the people who empower the racists are the people who get offended and outraged by them. Don’t allow simple minds to affect your life.
people arent happy unless they are crying about something.
I like how y’all are saying “people”. “Racism is real all across the world”? Of course, scholar……but show me where blacks were ever prejudice/tyrannical towards any other race, history-wise……..we used to RUN this sh!t. Me and “MY PEOPLE” ‘gwan talk our sh!t until YOU MF’S (the REAL animals) put down the guns and go back to your caves……….straight like that.
Wow. How stupid are you, idiot? Ever heard of the Egyptian Pharos? Do you think they where White with blond hair and blue eyes? They where black, dummy. They enslaved forceable fukked and murdered the Hebrews (J E W S). You should not even attempt to speak on race or history of you don’t know that simple fact, you ignorant MF. Al of this race baiting who can say what BS is a joke. Stop self segregating and keeping racism alive dummy. We are all the same. Don’t fight it. Innocent lives matter, not black, Latino or alien. #ALLlivesmatterblackincluded. SMH
Poor Justin. Dude didn’t even do anything wrong. Everyone is so sensitive with this race baiting self segregating BS. Slavery has been over for over 100 years. Equal right for over 50. We have a black president. As a black man I am personally worried about Trump, bullshit race baiting insults like affirmative action and terms like “black on black crime” and “black lives matter.” All innocent lives matter. Crime is crime, it is not somehow better or worse because of your victims racial background. GTFOH with that BS. I am happy with my family, career and the opportunities I have. Stop bitching and make a better life for yourself they hard work. Ain’t no one holding you back but yourself. I was born and raised in Southside Chicago. I made it to college on a scholarship and own my own business. No one gave me shit. No handouts. No affirmative action. Do I can do so can anyone else. Idiots. Then you wonder why our prisons are full of morons trying to make a quick buck with this trap bullshit. Thinking “whitey” is out to get you. The person out to get your dumb ass is in the mirror. Work. Stop being a pussy.
Are y’all seriously clapping at JT? Talking about appropriating black culture? This isn’t making sense. First dude got shitted on for being in N’Sync and nothing but teeny bopping girls liked him. Homie then comes out and shows the world his chords have soul. Then brings the house down at a country music awards show and people are saying he’s STEALING FROM BLACK CULTURE!!! If anything, this fucker’s extorted music as a WHOLE! He’s done it ALL!!! And people are shitting on him about the Janet Jackson thing??? Her fucking TITTY had a Gawd damned ring on it. You think she didn’t mean for that to happen??? Like she’s a “victim”??? Oh and Monica Lewinski’s some poor innocent soul that was taken advantage of by the president. Pppfffttt… GTFO!!! These are grown ass people, white or black, and they need to own their actions. Which Justin did for doing NOTHING!!! People so fucking sensitive these days and can’t say shit. And people are so ignorant to the WHOLE story that they comment on one thing and forget everything that surrounds a person, place or thing. Why??? Because it fits their agenda! JT is a real dude, who can sing and has given back to many people: black, white, etc… Matter of fact, he was showing support to his friend, whose a black man. And people want to get mad at that? Jesus! Nobody can win with nobody! Pu$$iessss!
Racist Shtt and Hater Shtt all over DX. This is the 2016’s biggest #DXisBS moment.
The old ‘appropriating our culture’ rubbish is so hypocritical. Blacks in America have become more racist than whites.
Sorry Andre, but “we are the same” is a different statement than “we are TREATED the same” and relating to this topic means practically the opposite. You treat his comment as Timberlake would have used the latter wording, which he didn´t.
So ask yourself, why did you do so?
Newsflash to you black racists. Justin Timberlake was in N’Sync which has nothing to do with “black culture” or whatever that means. N’Sync was and is bigger than any black rnb group you can mention. Black peple did not help him get this far, it’s his white fans. That’s a fact.
You are spot on. I wish you’d gone harsher, but I get it. All the folks who’ve given Justin Timberlake a “black pass,” congratulations, you played yourself. This man has used black music, black imagery, and black PEOPLE to further his career, and has never said a peep about the black lives that are being destroyed in this country (whether through systemic imprisonment, police brutality, or institutionalized prejudice), yet has the nerve to tell us “We’re all the same.” Fuck that, and fuck Justin Timberlake’s weak sauce ass.
Also, looking at the comments, I see DX has become overwrought with salty white boys who don’t want to acknowledge or are too ignorant and dismissive to consider the systemic racism blacks have faced and are continuing to battle. Fuck ya’ll white boys, too. You’re lack of education and compassion is a huge part of the problem.
Are you kidding me? Hahaha. Have you ever been to jail or prison?? Speaking as a white man who has and has been drug down by police, treated the same if not worse in jail and has come out from under that lifestyle, WE ARE THE SAME WHEN IT COMES TO “systematic imprisonment, police brutality or institutionalized prejudice”! Gawd you’re a fucking idiot. What does ANY of that have to do with JT making a comment asking for unity or love for all? And lack of education? Only reason I’m commenting again is because since I have been a part of everything you said us “ignorant white boys” are uneducated about. You my friend are the ignorant and uneducated one. When behind bars, let me tell you from experience, police can careless if you’re white or black. I was talked to, treated and punished the exact same way if not worse behind bars. I was addressed with racism and oppression there and yet I don’t judge the skin color of a person. I belonged there as well. I own everything I did that put me in prison. Trust me, if you doing the time, you did the crime (99% of time; there are a few innocent people but FEW and far between lol). Either way, what JT spoke on is exactly the opposite of your comment and you saying the difference between white people and black people in your statement shows how truly ignorant and uneducated you are. Your comment of “fuck white people” really shows how judgemental and lack of experience in the real world you have. You’ve literally singled out a whole race because like the author of this piece, just doesn’t get it and thinks that someone who speaks on inspiration, love and unity is in some way being a racist or has no idea what it’s like to feel oppressed. We’re all human. We’ve all felt bashed by someone. Grow the fuck up and own that everybody goes through and get past whatever it is you “think” you’re going through and celebrate the positivity. Fucking PU$$IE$$$$$ ????
Andre Grant, your racism is showing. Black and White people are not the same, that’s your statement. But it doesnt excuse the fact that the biggest threat to a Black Man/Woman is another Black man/woman. Blacks are about 15-17% of the American Population BUT commit over 40% of Violent Crimes. Nobody talks about that! Black people are killing each other every single day and nobody says anything about it, but as soon as someone that’s white kills a black man all of you make an Uproar like they killed the whole black Community. Its the blacks that are killing the black communities, not the white man. But keep writing Andre Grant, all your doing is exposing your hypocrisy and racism towards white people. People of all color are not stupid and they realizing what is going on.
Can’t wait until Andre here writes an article about the murders in Chicago!
People calling for equality but won’t let Timberlake get inspired by a speech ? What type of ignorance is this? Hip hop needed/needs white people and everything other race. FOH