Jay-Z, hair colonizing and history at home

By Aswad Walker

Jay-Z Grammy Speech Flack

In the modern-day world of 24-hour news cycles, Jay-Z’s Grammy speech is ancient news. Still, I really think we should pause to reflect on what went down. And I’m really just talking about one aspect of Hova’s words. Brotherman stood up in front of the world and said what darn near every Black person I know has said a thousand times – Beyoncé has won more Grammys than any other human being ever, but has never won Album of the Year, and that makes no sense. Some have criticized Jay-Z for other parts of his speech. Others had issue with his words about his wife’s missing Grammy. But why; especially when there have been cries for Black men to step up and defend the honor of Black womanhood? With every attack or slight or disrespect of the brilliance and excellence of Black women (former Harvard president Claudine Gay, for example), the chant has been, “Where are the brothers to defend her?” Well, Jay-Z was right there, on an international stage, standing on business for the sister in his life. Can we just appreciate that, and keep it moving?

Hair Colonizing Tradition Continues

The world has actress Bo Derek to thank for “introducing” us to braids via the 1979 film “10.” Global citizens were blessed, a few years ago, to “learn about” corn rolls via the cutting-edge trend-setter Kim Kardashian. And in 2016, Gilan Sharafani, a vlogger based in Norway, gave us a new hairstyle and did so via a video tutorial she posted. Sharafani called them “big heatless curls.” Them “innernets,” however, schooled her to the truth; they were/are bantu knots. And if you thought you could retreat to the world of sports to get away from all this hairstyle gentrifying and colonizing, you quickly found out this past week, no area of life is safe from folk trying to Columbus our flow. The New York Times wrote a whole-a article on the “Travis Kelce Cut” and how it has inspired an army of white boys to see to rock Kelce’s unique doo. The problem is, that so-called “Kelce Cut” ain’t nothin’ but a fade – the oldest hairstyle in Blackworld. No shade on Kelce. He never claimed to invent to cut. Rather, it was/is the clueless hair colonizers at the NYT who are keeping this shameful, white-washing tradition alive.

Black History Close to Home

The other day I heard social commentator Jeff Johnson share with the Rickey Smiley Morning Show audience a powerful idea for Black History Month, and one I’ve shared with my students and others for years – start at home. Have conversations with the older members of your family. Take notes. Record their stories. We often overlook the incredible acts of bravery, valor, grit, and determination displayed by our own people. But just because their names aren’t in the history books doesn’t mean their contributions and impact are less valid. Our parents, grandparents, aunties, grandfathers, Uncs, and others made a way out of no way – in ways big and small, ordinary and extraordinary, known and unknown. Let’s collect those tales so we can pass them on to generations to come of our families.