Black White Kids and White Black Kids

"New blacks" and select white people
have been under fire lately,
mostly for saying they live in a post-racial America
or that race isn't the problem.
As tweeter/blogger Crissle has said,
"Words mean things."
I understand what they might be trying to say,
but they're stating it in a completely false way.
Culturally, we may be heading towards a post-racial society,
but we are far from achieving it.

What I do believe is that the mixing of cultures
has affected today's youth in such a way
that they no longer sees divides among each other.
They feel free to be themselves, try new things, explore.
That's how you get black kids into goth or punk,
but they're not "real black."
That's how you get white kids trying to twerk and rap,
but they're "appropriating black culture."
[Do I think appropriating black culture is a thing? Yes.
Do I think most white people do it consciously? No.
Are managers and producers profiting off it? Absolutely.]

What I'm saying is I don't hate Miley Cyrus
for wanting to twerk with a big ass.
I don't think Macklemore and Iggy Azeala are the worst;
they're fans that think they're the only good rappers are.

For as long as I can remember,
black and white culture have been affecting me.
White people are always on TV and the radio,
so that's how they get to black kids.
But for a solid five years or so in the 2000s,
black recording artist ruled top of the Billboard charts.
At least 60% of the songs heard in clubs now
are either by black singers, rappers, or producers.
So it's no surprise that eventually white people
will like it and emulate it.

While we have Mac Miller in one corner,
we have Odd Future in the other.
We have FKA Twigs and the Weeknd
making music that is so different and Alternative,
but people often label them as R&B or "Alter-R&B."
Why do black singers always have to be R&B or Pop?
Look at Macy Gray.
If she isn't Alternative, I don't know what is.

It is clear to me that in 2014,
we have a melting pot of identities,
and my generation and younger
have not felt shy about switching it up.
Shit, a bunch of black teenagers in a metal band
were just signed to Sony and have a documentary in the works.

I know I've used music as sole reference in this post,
but to me, music is culture.
It's the most frequent influence in our lives.

We are a generation of just "trying to be ourselves."
Drake is a product of his environment.
Jaden Smith is a product of his environment.
Robin Thicke is a product if his environment.
(You know he had black nannies playing soul music;
that's how he ended up sounded like that.)

But as we become more integrated with each other,
it's important to remember we still have a long way to go
until we are all actually equals.
There are still old people, middle age people
stuck thinking in a way of oppression
that have taught their children to do the same.
That's why race is still an issue.
That's why he have to remind each other of what we are.
That's why we can't be blissfully ignorant.
Pretending to not see the problem is not dealing with the problem.
And that's why "Black-ish" is a terrible show.

I'm joking. I still haven't seen it.
[I will say I liked it better when it was called "My Wife and Kids."]
But a show like that will either help show how kids today are progressing,
or it'll be a mockery and sweep all of
Black America's real problems under the rug.

All this to say, let people be who they are
as long as they aren't hurting anyone or being offensive.
Be respectful to one another and help each other prosper.
You know, judge each other not "by the color of their skin,
but by the content of their character."
Word.