MICHAEL JACKSON: HOLLYWOOD TONIGHT MUSIC VIDEO

I still never know how to truly feel about the new Michael Jackson songs and videos, but here is Hollywood Tonight. At the end of the video it looks more like they’re going Bollywood though. Don’t steal my skit idea either.

Dem A Bleach...

When I think back to my childhood, I remember always feeling some type of way about my dark complexion. I was the darkest person in my household, was darker than all my cousins, and was one of the darkest kids in my class. There was one boy much “blacker” than me though. I remember joining in on the laughter we gained at his expense by calling him names and finding new black things we could compare him to because tar and night were played out. I wasn’t happy about making fun of him, but I was glad I wasn’t the target of the attacks. I used to hate being in the sun during the summer for fear of getting “too dark,” whatever that means. I would look at my skin and wonder why I couldn’t be light like my beautiful cousins. Although I envied their skin-tone, I didn’t hesitate to make fun of them for being “high yellow” or turning red at the drop of dime.

I came across an article on Rollingout.com about Vybz Kartel bleaching his once dark brown skin, like some other celebrities we know, and thousands of people all over the world we can’t name. In an interview Kartel said: “This is my new image. “You can expect the unexpected. I feel comfortable with black people lightening their skin. They want a different look. It’s tantamount to white people getting a sun tan.”

I must say that bleaching one’s skin is not “tantamount” to white people getting anybody’s suntan. Although the bleaching process may not be forever and a day permanent, I’m pretty sure it’s not as temporary as a suntan.  While the thought process behind it—“I want to change some feature about myself”—may be similar, the psychological motivations behind white people tanning and Black folks bleaching their skin are probably a little different.

Like conversations about good hair versus nappy roots and going natural versus indulging in the “creamy crack,” discussions about skin tone and complexion have haunted the psychological history of Black people all over the world. For centuries Black people have been valued or degraded based on our physical characteristics. Light skin, although claimed by many to have “gone out of style” has always been desirable, based on the White standard of beauty. We can look to the history of colonialism and slavery and place blame, but what is our excuse today? Why hasn’t the psychological damage been undone?

What makes a successful man like Vybz go to this length for a “new image”? If you listen to his music, you would believe that he has nothing short of a healthy ego. But does his recent image change say otherwise? What happens when he wants a new image? I’ve heard stories about Black women in African countries and the West Indies trying all kinds of skin damaging products in hopes of getting lighter and brighter. Unfortunately, I doubt that the damage caused by being told you are unattractive gets reversed once you lighten your skin.

What makes this issue more interesting is the male face attached to it. Michael Jackson, Sammy Sosa, and now Vybz Kartel are all men with great success in different areas. Each were called out by the media for bleaching their skin, yet each denied the allegations to some degree. What keeps famous women from bleaching their skin? Maybe they leave that to the magazines and the all-powerful Photoshop.

Either way, self-hatred manifests itself in the Black community in so many ways. From where I sit, I don’t see an end in sight. Sure, there have been attempts by notable Black people to openly embrace our diverse beauty and culture, but jokes still get made and self-esteem still gets built or destroyed by White-driven media.

What’s a dark-skinned girl to do?

Editor’s Note: You can read more from Miss Jenkins on the tweets, or her site ThreeWaysToTakeIt.com.

The Music Industry Exposed (Part 6 Of 11) Destroying DMX.

My boy Mikey T put me onto this clip that claims that the music industry is out to destroy DMX –  or worse. Is this bigger than just one man’s actions? Or is he purely irresponsible and thus responsible for his own demise? Comments below, please.

Willow Smith is compared to Rihanna and A Young Michael Jackson…here’s her song “Whip My Hair,” in case you haven’t heard it.

Fans were out in abundance.

BCTV: BROOKLYN CELEBRATES MJ from Broccolicity TV on Vimeo.

Wish I could have been there. The vibe looks nice. Do you see yourself?

TLF