Amandlha Stenberg, Kylie Jenner and Cultural Appropriation

A short time ago, there had been quite the buzz surrounding actress Amandla Stenberg’s comments on appropriation in the African-American community. Amandla has posted videos, blogs and has openly tweeted her sentiments on the topic.

Most recently, a comment direct towards Kylie Jenner over Twitter about her cornrowed mane generated some controversy, backlash and some strong opinions from patrons all over the globe.

So what exactly is appropriation? The definition that Google provides states that appropriation is, “the action of taking something for one’s own use, typically without the owner’s permission”. On the other hand, Stenberg provides a much more culture specific definition in stating that, “Appropriation occurs when a style leads to racist generalizations or stereotypes where it originated but is deemed as high-fashion, cool or funny when the privileged take it for themselves”. Being of African descent, I happened to concur with Amandla and think that she is absolutely correct in her statement.

Now, let’s stick to what fuelled this feud and examine cornrows and the average African-American professional black man. It’s irrefutable that the professional black man is scrutinized and stereotyped when they have cornrows. Also, to this day dreadlocks are considered “unclean/unkempt”.

For instance, my cousin Sharon – who wears dreadlocks – was hired to teach English in Japan and in the email they had composed to her informing her of her successful candidacy they somehow felt it necessary to convey that she make sure that she keeps her hair neatly groomed and clean. I found their comments to her distasteful, demeaning and damn near prehistoric.

Furthermore, appropriation is perceived everywhere, and every day, since almost the beginning of time. White people tan, get butt and lip injections etc. features that we are born with as black people, as Amandla pointed out. Yet our people, (Jamaicans and especially the African community) bleach our skin.

The way white people have been attempting to emulate Black features through artificial enhancement, they should be the ones sending out the message to the masses that Black is beautiful.  After all, they do these things in order to become more beautiful, no?  So if it’s beautiful on them, why can’t dark like midnight skin and full like the moon lips n’ hips be beautiful on a person of colour? How it is that society praises our culture when appropriated by Caucasians but not when it’s done by the originators?

Whites used to put black woman on display because our curves were considered an oddity or even an eccentricity if you will. Nowadays everyone wants booty and will stop at nothing to get it. Ignorant as it may sound: We are NOT the minority when/if we ever figure that out we are unstoppable. In my opinion that is.

On to Ms. Jenner’s new coif: I think that it’s just a hairstyle. Not only black woman braid their hair. White people have done the “French Braid” in their hair for ages. I don’t think Kylie meant any harm by it, and I think that Amandla and her fans should give Kylie a break. Let the girl live! Not taking away from the plethora of valiant points that Amandla has made on appropriation, (I also watched her video last month on Facebook before this Kylie feud) but I think Amandla took it too far and is lashing out on Kylie.

It is very apparent that Amandla seems to feel very strongly about her opinions surrounding cultural appropriation, and by putting a face/person to her antagonism and distain took things too far. Being able to directly address someone about how she has been feeling on the topic, Stenberg got a little carried away.

There’s a fine line between discrimination and hypocrisy and in my opinion by going after Kylie for her cornrows Amandla surpassed the very line she was trying so hard to define.

Team Kylie on this one, rock them braids gurl!

Keisha N. Knibbs

“BOMBSHELL TONIGHT!” (In my best Nancy Grace voice)

So Kockroach – oops – I mean Karrueche took to Twitter last night expressing that she is “done” with singer Chris Brown and that there will be “no baby mama drama” for her.

Since that tweet my Instagram timeline has been blowing up with posts from girls and woman expressing their sympathy and condolences to Kockr-uh-Karrueche and their disdain regarding how Chris Brown has treated her.

Now, I fully understand that it is human nature to relate, empathize, sympathize and socialize and I for one am all for women empowerment. But let’s be honest, is this “news” really that important?

I mean who cares if Miss Koochie and Brown aren’t together? Who cares if she slept with or is sleeping with Drake? Point is, tabloids and celebrity media have been around for decades but since social media came about things have been taken to a whole new unnecessary extreme.

These days people – especially the younger generation – pay far too much attention to and care way to much about regular sh** – allow me to reiterate – REGULAR SH**  that happens within the lives of these celebs.

People break up, cheat, make up and have babies outside of relationships every single day, (yes, believe it or not it’s true)! When is the last time you publicized your break up or had friends bash an ex for treating you oh so terribly via social media? I’ll bet seldom to never.

So why is my timeline on fire with a plethora of woman posting about “poor Karrueche”? Here’s another surprise for a few of you, “poor Karrueche” is rich. Yes y’all rich!! You mean you didn’t know?!

“Poor Karrueche” knew that Chris Brown was an abuser before they dated; “poor Karrueche” knew that CB had been unfaithful to her in the past and yet still made a conscious decision to continue to pursue a relationship with him. “Poor Karrueche” got lucky and fell into a celebrity’s bed which equals trips, fine dining and a Ferrari… Yes y’all poor Queen Kouchness.

What about the poor children in Africa still experiencing famine in unlivable conditions? What about the poor single mothers trying to get by while raising children on their own in a system created to keep them at a stagnant level of mediocrity? What about the working class like you and I being taxed waaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyy too much while these celebs continue to live lavishly off of freebies and our hard earned money? What about this poor society that has been conditioned to push aside real life topics that should really matter, to instead dwell on these regular people we call celebs, (yes, they too hail from planet Earth).

If Kim K gets a new outfit, I hear about it. If baby North cuts a new tooth, I hear it about. Hell, if Blue Ivy falls and scrapes her knee that’s considered “breaking news”. Come oooooonnnnnnnnnn!!!!! Why is society so concerned about these elites who don’t give a damn about us? They just want to make sure their next album sells or that the movie they are starring is nominated for an Academy Award.  Someone please tell me the last time Karrueche did something for you or something that impacted your life. Something other than: fashion fads and “giving you life” by sleeping with your “dream man” Chris Brown? Don’t rush… I’ll wait….

To further my point, who really breaks up via Twitter or any form of social media for that matter? In my humble option, if you see this as fit means to end a relationship quite frankly you shouldn’t be in one, and should stay out of them until you’re able to deal with things like a mature sound minded human being capable of rationale. To be honest, tweeting a break up is quite juvenile and should only be expected and accepted from children 12 and under; maybe 13.

On top of that, whether good or bad; news is news to these celebs and it helps generate their popularity. This also adds desperate to my list of things to describe Miss Karutches.  Desperate for attention; which sadly too many of you have given her. This means she’ll probably never stop, and if/when she decides to get back with Brown I’ll be timeline spammed once again. Does Kakaface not possess enough of her own “star power” and charisma to generate a crowd on her own? Must she so desperately play on Chris Brown’s notoriety and fame in order to fan her rapidly diminishing flame? Can someone please tell me, what does Kockroach do? Someone please let me know. Apparently she’s a fashion designer, (her along with a million other Social Media Enthusiasts; except she slept with her sponsor). You ever see anyone on the red carpet talking about how their gown is a custom Karrueche dress? Nope; never heard of it.

Lastly, it really saddens my soul to the core to see just how far some of these girls and woman who do not know her will go!! This afternoon my cousin made a comment underneath one of the Kooch and CB posts on Instagram. She simply stated that there are much more prevalent issues at hand going on in the world, only to be bashed, called a hater, blocked, and unfollowed. Hell, I wouldn’t be surprised if they even reported her IG page. Apparently she seemed “Hella mad” and inquiring minds needed to know why she was so “mad”. I think it’s hilarious!!!!

The last time someone had something to say about or to you Miss @healthy_hair_journey was Kooche and her posse there to step in for you? Lol. Didn’t think so.

Social media is about sharing. There is a comment section for a reason. Don’t get offended. Just have a level-headed debate and/or sometimes just agree to disagree. Don’t get upset. Why you are you mad Miss @healthy_hair_journey ? If you ask me, sounds like @healthy_hair_journey is the ones who was mad, (literally and figuratively speaking) and for all the wrong reasons. Perhaps @healthy_hair_journey and her crew were/are far too narrow-minded and/or ignorant to comprehend.

In other real news, soldiers are still dying in a war we really don’t know much about, innocent children around the world are dying, famine still exists and the Earth still rotates around its own axis from West to East as it turns counter-clockwise.

Yes, social media is about freedom to voice ones thoughts, feelings etc. but is it too much to ask for some substance?

– Keisha N. Knibbs