THE QUESTION OF RACE IN HIP HOP
From music videos to the catwalk there has always been a tendecy to hire black models with a light skin complexion, the side effect being that it rein-enforces the notion that `beauty` is something that is only applicable to those who don`t have dark skin.
While you would generally assume that this practice is something that only Fashion houses and advertising agencies are guilty of, it`s rampant within Hip Hop.
...but then.... it goes much deeper than that.. it is something that is firmly embedded within black culture, and the thinking spans over continents .. from the South Americas to Britain ..( I will post a documentary showing how this situation plays out for black people in Latin countries later) It is something that I have heard being discussed within the West Indian communities, but rarely have I heard about it from the American perspective.
In this doc, the programme makers talks to women who appear in Hip Hop videos and work within the entertainment industry the rap artists to see how it`s affected them as a person and as someone who is looking to make a successful living from their appearance. Being attractive with a `perfect` body isn`t enough, if your skin tone is too brown .. you can find yourself being pigeon-holed into supporting or comedy roles .. or just not hired at all.
Where did this come from , and is there any way to address this problem?
ARTWORK BY: David Fréchou
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