Last night Pharrell’s new album “Girl” streamed on iTunes radio, much to fans’ delight. By morning, though, any excitement for the producer’s new project was dimmed by concerns over his album cover and its lack of color — and by color we mean Black women. No matter how you feel about this particular situation, Pharrell is far from the first Black man to be called out on this issue. Check out this list of artists who offended plenty of fans by not featuring black women in their videos.
Pharrell
Pharrell hasn’t even gotten to the music video portion for his new project and there’s already drama. There may be color by way of Latina women, but the omission of black or dark-skinned women from the album cover for “Girl” has pissed off many today. Most notable is author Dream Hampton who said this on Twitter:
Couldn’t be more disappointed by @Pharrell’s album cover. I was so looking forward to it too. Just, wow.
When I wrote the BETHonors tribute to Carrie Mae Weems I fought to have the line abt her fighting for Black visibility, against erasure.
But I’m not spending this morning of what is true mourning for me wishing 40 yr old Black men/rappers considered Black women.
I’m absolutely not fighting some whitegirl telling me how I should handle perpetual erasure of Blk women. Nah. Not today.
I’m sure Pharrell’s album is great, he’s been making the best music of his life. Cover was disappointing. Google Chokwe Lumumba.
Jay Z and Kanye
Remember when “Otis” dropped and everyone was enthusiastic about “Watch the Throne” and then the accompanying music video debuted and everyone was like, wait, what? Something about watching four white girls in open button-down shirts and short shorts being spun around in a burning Maybach to the tune of Otis Redding just didn’t sit well with many.
Tyrese
Black Ty’s music video for “I Gotta Chick” wasn’t very Black at all and when people called him out on it he offered this explanation on Twitter:
“I had a 2 day audition. I welcomed ALL women and went with the BEST. I don’t do favors… Doesn’t matter the race!! I’m Black as sh!t!!! Love my sisters!! You do auditions and go for the BEST! Not race! Love u!” Mmmhmmm.
A$AP Rocky
A lot of people say they could’ve done without this ratchet white girl, who happened to be the only girl period, in A$AP Rocky’ “Purple Swag” music video.
A$AP Ferg
Like his A$AP mob counterpart, Ferg opted to surround himself with nothing but white women in the video for “Shabba” and they get more than their necessary share of air time.
Akon
Just this past November a few models called out Akon for discriminating against them during a casting call. According to the ladies, the Konvict Muzik record label owner was only interested in “half-cast,” a.k.a. mixed women being in his videos. He denied the claim whole-heartedly claiming “that doesn’t even make sense.” Which part Akon?
Davido
Davido is a Nigerian recording artist, but looking at his video for his song “Skelewu” it’s a little hard to tell because he’s surrounded by nothing white people dancing in the street with him.
Timaya
I’ll just let the first YouTube comment on Timaya’s video for his song “Ukwu” explain people’s issue with him:
F**k this video, F***k Timaya, F**k the damn producer, F**k everyone who gave this video a thumbs up. When will our artists stop making videos abroad? Making videos abroad means exporting our modeling, costume designing, acting and dancing jobs. I thought i was going to see some “black” Ukwus in the video, if i wanted to see “white” people’s Ukwu i know where to look goddamnit! Once again F**k Timaya and his gaddamn producer.
Bracket
If you thought the slander Timaya got was bad, check out the comments section on Bracket’s video for his song ironically titled “Beautiful Baby,” which features a tall, white brunette.
“Stop using white women as beautiful…you let white people use their women, u use your African women-the original woman! stop propagating the slave mentality! free yourself of “massa” and what he dictates to you as a standard of beauty. you will think as artists you will know this.”
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