Source: Phillip Faraone / Getty
Now with over 4K Retweets and 43K Likes under her original tweet on the topic, earlier today (May 25) Grammy-nominated singer SZA called out an undisclosed publication that she’s says refused to hire a Black photographer for a photoshoot they wanted to do with her.
“I requested a Black photographer for a cover [and] the mag told me no lol,” SZA’s now-viral tweet read. “It’s 2021… and almost Juneteenth. Respectfully I can’t do it 🙄 🤷ðŸ¾â™€ï¸.”
In the replies, many users asked the “Love Galore” singer to expose the name of the publication that didn’t want to hire a Black photographer for the proposed shoot, assumably so that they could follow through with giving the outlet a thorough drag on the social media platform for its problematic editorial choice.
Responding to a user who bluntly asked, “Who is this magazine? Expose they a*s,” the singer replied back, “Das not my vibe but there’s TOO many elite Black creatives rn to not allow it.”
Later, she followed up with an additional tweet that read, “S/o @RollingStone @Cosmopolitan and @wonderlandmag btw for all using black photogs in our recent covers 💜 gotta celebrate when it’s RIGHT too!ðŸ™ðŸ¾ðŸ’›.“
SZA has been none to champion up-and-coming Black creatives throughout the course of her career. Most notably, 24-year-old Sage Adams was the creative director behind the concept of the promotional photos and cover of the singer’s 2017 chart-topping album “CTRL.” As per The New York Times’ reporting, Adams and SZA also created “Ctrl Fishing Co., a clothing line that uses sustainable fabrics like recycled tie-dye.”
On a positive note, underneath SZA’s tweets many talented Black photographers commented with their websites and snapshots of their work — all shooting their shot in the hopes that the next time SZA needs a photographer and wants to highlight some fresh talent, they might be her pick.
