What Do Naomi Campbell, Kelly Rowland and Lupita Nyang'o Have in Common?
Beyoncé dropped an album which means the world is bound to be in a frenzy, especially because her last few projects have been unapologetically Black.
Wypipo might be confused by the intentionally coded references like “Becky with the good hair” or entire documentary performance specials dedicated to Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Yet, with this last Afrocentric album, “The Lion King: The Gift”, Black people, in particular, seem confused on one of Bey’s perhaps subtle but very clear cultural references.
I say, “seem confused” to be generous although I think the large majority of y’all are choosing to ignore the OBVIOUS as a result of FOMO or INSECURITY or anything else that might cause a skewed sense of reality. If you haven’t guessed by now, I’m referring to the colourist debacle surrounding “BROWN SKIN GIRL” featuring Wizkid, SAINt JHN, and Blue Ivy. Although, I’d encourage anyone who hasn’t figured this whole thing out yet not to fret, for I’m willingly to spell it out for you lovely Black people, using great skin complexion learning tools…skin-toned crayons.
In my humble opinion, everything darker than Burnt Sienna (Burnt? dang, maybe I shouldn’t have trusted in Crayola) is applicable here as not brown.
Apparently,
“BROWN skin girl, your SKIN just like pearls “ left far too much room for interpretation.
I mean really, who’s to know whether Beyoncé BROWN is like “paper bag” brown used during the Jim Crow era or BROWN like the 400 Fenty Beauty shade range brown? The answer to both those options is YES! If you aren’t any of those colours or shades, I hate to break it to you but you aren’t the females Beyoncé is praising on this song.
Although, you already knew that because…
“Pose like a trophy when Naomi’s walk in
She need an Oscar for that pretty dark skin
Pretty like Lupita when the cameras close in
Drip broke the levee when my Kelly’s roll in
I think tonight she might braid her braids
Melanin too dark to throw her shade
She minds her business and wines her waist
God like 24k, okay”
Black women, I love y’all dearly but we’ve got to let each other have our moments, individually whilst still celebrating us all, as a collective unit. This #Blackgirlmagic, Black women movement isn’t going to work if we don’t allow others to take the lead and shine sometimes. This moment is specifically for darker-skinned women, who society has shunned and overlooked for centuries.
So when a superstar LIGHT SKINNED woman, acknowledges her privilege and chooses to use her platform to uplift Black women on the often “othered” end of the spectrum, please don’t throw shade on the one’s with Melanin too dark to throw shade towards (Beyonce’s lyrics, not mine) or choose to make this moment about you. It’s petty, distasteful and well incorrect because lyrics as clear as day should not be so easily ignored and misconstrued.
