Black culture is always cool, until it’s time to be black. The tale of the non-black artist who co-opts black culture, paints themselves in blackness, accepts praise and admiration for it and then leaves the black community in the dust, is far too familiar. These are the Iggy Azaleas and Mackelmores of the world — riding their way to fame on the coattails of a community whose creativity is celebrated but existence is not.
Before these current perpetrators, J. Lo (Jennifer Lopez) and Justin Timberlake paved the way. Surprisingly enough, both have been dragged on Twitter for tweets that echoed #AllLivesMatter sentiments. Justin Timberlake’s moment came during the 2016 BET Awards when he tweeted: “Oh, you sweet soul. The more you realize that we are the same, the more we can have a conversation,” in response to a question about his appropriation of black culture.
Funny how quickly blackness becomes disposable when it’s no longer beneficial, huh?
Tuesday, Jennifer Lopez announced her “Love Makes the World Go Around” collaboration with Lin-Manuel Miranda, a tribute to the victims of the Orlando shooting. In the now-deleted tweet, she included #AllLivesMatter, a seeming renouncement of the #BlackLivesMatter movement.
And Twitter had the time for her.
Jlo said #AllLivesMatter but her whole singing career is based on stealing work from black women? K
— nae4prez (@neyshajasme) July 12, 2016
JLo said AllLivesMatter like the black community didn’t help put her on? pic.twitter.com/MgQfIg7XSn
— Talia M (@TaliaAlana) July 12, 2016
She was ‘down’ until she really had to be down for the cause.
The same @JLo who was a dancer on “In Living Colour” with a majority of black cast mates? Nah pic.twitter.com/Mlei7Zi255
— WNA (@wordsbywanna) July 12, 2016
Jennifer Lopez turned into Jenny from The Burbs. https://t.co/vsDcmIeFCg
— Shennessy. (@ShenaeCurry) July 12, 2016
Dear J. Lo, Jennifer Lopez, Jenny from the Block or whatever you call yourself these days – blackness is not a costume, and we aren’t having it.
Our existence is not a persona that you can take on and off as you choose. You are not welcome to pick and choose when you want to associate with blackness. It is not an option. For years, your career was comprised of being this “urban” girl, the pop girl that the ‘hood loved.
Tweeting something as reckless as #AllLivesMatter, which takes away from the declaration that black lives do matter, is unacceptable after you have profited from black culture. Justin Timberlake, Macklemore and Iggy Azalea — this applies to you too.
J. Lo, consider yourself officially uninvited from the cookout.
If you didn’t think your card was revoked before, it’s def over now. @JLo pic.twitter.com/GaZtIeLQi7
— Shennessy. (@ShenaeCurry) July 12, 2016
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