As always, related videos are in the description box! Also, costume designer Ruth Carter recently put up an IGTV video where she talks about ‘rewards’ as an artist- that while the Oscars and golden globes are nice, seeing her vision as a costumer brought to life onscreen is, in fact, it’s own reward and the reason why she does what she does. Just something to think about WHY we do what we do - especially as Black artists - moving forward. To view her video: instagram.com/p/B7ElX13Fdll/
We're in this weird era where everything is performative. We are performing self and life instead of actually being. There's a huge disconnect with self. Love your videos. I look forward to reading your essays
Dez Racine I totally agree. The whole 2010’s decade was super performative with pop culture imo. So many artists trying to recreate the iconic style of the 90’s but it just ain’t stick. So much was very inauthentic and it showed.
Let me also give another example with my friend that is a writer: we had lunch recently and she told me about how she wrote this longggg (like 12,000 words) essay on a band she loves. It wasn’t commissioned, it wasn’t for any reason except she loved the band and she felt like writing. When the essay was done she pitched it around and everybody acted like the essay was weird as hell for months but THEN she ended up not only selling the essay but was invited to lecture on her in depth ideas about the music of this band. And that wasn’t something she intended when she wrote the piece, she just wrote the piece from her heart and the accolades followed. Writing or creating or getting into politics or anything else specifically FOR the accolades will never not be weird to me. Do the work first then let the accolades follow, not the reverse!
Classics from the 90’s and early 2000’s didn’t proclaim that they would be. It was done out of love for telling black stories (drama, romance, comedy) then we the people decided they were a classic!
@ You're entitled to your opinion, but for a different perspective, I loved the ending and thought the realism was extremely satisfying. Especially in the #MeToo era, I also thought it was important that they left in that the person who falsely accused Fonny of rape was not white, but a woman of color. They adapted it from Baldwin's novel pretty faithfully, and he deliberately wrote the ending that way. I would've been very disappointed if they had changed it. I wrote a review of it, if you haven't read it you might really enjoy it: www.riotmaterial.com/if-beale-street-could-talk-where-love-not-enough/
@@SenseiAishitemasu I couldn't agree more with you. The ending is a reality for so many of us black Americans. Also there was no white saviour because there are none.
This is astonishing...ly great! As artists, we have to ask ourselves what purpose the art we make serves, and whether that is the reason we made it. Sometimes you gotta stop chasing the need to be loved and look at whether you love you when you go home and eat Rice Krispies and no one is there but you.
I think a lot of the public figures of this era have a total blind spot when it comes to connection, that's why everyone and everything is so disappointing. The reason any artwork is even called a cult classic is because tons of people were able to connect to it on a very deep level, and its literally impossible for your content to have that kind of effect if it has no depth. We have a lot of self-centered creators shelling out projects, and marketing them as a "love letter" of sorts, when all they've actually done is identify a sensitive topic and throw an artistic dart in hopes of hitting the bull's eye, which in this case is fanfare and clout, but that is the most disingenuous, and by default, the most unsuccessful approach to making anything. A part of me does appreciate this very bad trend of creating "viral moments," because its provoked an even deeper passion in me for great work period, but especially from Black American creators; I must say, I've really enjoyed digging for them and being pleasantly surprised with who/what I find.
You're right, my friend. I think the keyword here is authenticity. Nothing is or feel authentic anymore. That seems to be a rare quality in this "all balls out" for attention, "likes" and followers culture these days.
You are so smart! I've been watching you videos for the past few years - its so refreshing to hear someone vocalize my thoughts; so many people are so much of the same. ps. I'm from DC too :)
I know for me personally, that ego stuff is a double edged sword. I have times where it saves me. Times when I'm full of self doubt and I hate everything I'm doing or have ever done. Then my ego kicks in and I go from "God I'm trash" to "No pen on this planet can really see me, how dare I let the world see me crying. They don't deserve that." On the other hand it can sometimes take control and keep me from giving the full effort I need to be putting in because I can't recognize my own mistakes with my head so far up my own ass. So it's really just about balance I guess. To another point you made though, I don't really feel like anyone actually stands for anything anymore. It's just "what can I say that will get people on my side." People want to be liked and cheered on now, and until we get over that and people are more willing to go out on a limb and start being really honest about how they actually feel and what they actual believe we aren't going to get anywhere.
As someone who grew up in an artistic family, PASSION has to be in everything you do as a creative. Being part of black american culture gives a unique perspective of the world around us and how the world tends to react with us. If you are creating something in that space and aren't authentic it comes off... just grotesque in my opinion. Award chasing doesn't make a legend nor does it make art, the heart is in the wrong place. Art is a mirror, it can at it's best reflect beauty, joy, happiness and triumph of the human existence and at its worst reflect pettiness, hardships and the overall ugliness that can be within someone or the community around you. True legendary art in all forms hold this mirror up to the audience and show us there are more than just one dimension to the human experience. You as an artist have to not only be able to face the world as it is but face yourself and what makes you human, I think alot of these so called creatives cant face themselves let alone the world they exist in, so you get alot of "insta moments" as I believe you put it which aren't honest to the audience you want to pull in. The more someone chases these awards that have no value on the art you produce the more you're art suffers and you willingly participate in the demise of your art being masterful and meaningful. By the way, I love your channel and your honesty, art at its best.
I love this topic ! I honestly feel like in the case of Queen and Slim it was probably pitched that way and then the machine hyped it up that which led to the tragic press tour. Folks really have vintage Wale energy when it comes to recognition and certain types of art. I personally feel like because capitalism has made us all try to monetize our hobbies to survive certain folks feel entitled to a level of fanfare for creating but as you mentioned intentions play a part in how much folks connect with what you produced.
Man spot on interesting thoughts! Especially in principle...I will say though Bey and Jay are the forerunners of the "icon stat" self proclaiming celeb. Pre proclaiming godhood and introducing it into the social zeitgeist. I never heard Michael Jackson refer to himself or his work as Iconic, nor have I heard 2pac refer to himself as the greatest rapper alive...or creating a narrative about how hard they work. Having networks refer to a performance of theirs as a special appearance after only two solo albums... This was an entire marketing strategy by the camps of Bey and Jay. And it often comes at the expense of other black artists. Yall remember when Kanye went on that rant saying he was hurt that she said she wouldn't perform unless she won album of the year or whatever the award was.
I think it's all about preservation. Ppl are aware of their mortality now more than ever before. No one has time. The funny thing is ppl are filling their time with more work. Work ethic is one thing. The concept of now is being pushed. Why wait? We can have it right now. It's not a matter of when something will happen or how it will happen. Our focus should be on the journey it took to get there. Some works are recognized instantly. But that doesn't mean the work was created last night. Create! You'll be amazed at the chain of events you can set in motion for the future.
I feel like this is Linked to your Do Your Work Video. These people dont want to do the work they want the rewards for having done the work, this can succeed like with the Drake example or your last video about the Grammys but it rings hollow. So the same people that are firm in not doing the work get mad when thier not taken as seriously as people who have. But i t also doesnt always work like Queen in Slim the work is trying so hard to be liked instead of trying to say something so it says nothing. These same people don't self reflect it the audiences fault for not liking it and not them for making something bland. Using legitimate concerns like sexism and racism as being the sole cause it wasnt liked so they dont have to look inwards.
So intentions of notoriety will rarely cultivate meaningful works unless there is some sort of duality in thinking...or so it seems the historical formula/nature regarding legends. I've thought about this too slightly differently. Especially since a lot of things I love had horrible conditions in the making. I've looked at things I LIKE and been amazed at the fact it was so popular, so maybe there's magic to it 🤷🏽♀️ I also think people want bragging right over a time period, well the creators
I think they believe since they speaking on all the hot topics of today they automatically think they legends they can make all the blackly black movies all the woman lead movies but if the core isn't genuine its not gone speak to people. queen and slim storyline could have been a good movie I tried to watch it the other day I was bored the dialog dragged I turned it off.
The Social media blue check movement.. or whatever you call it...has made everything that has once had meaning mean nothing because now people are just doing whatever just for a certain amount of attention, just to look pretty, just for aesthetics, just so it can be called “pretty” but the true work has no value, the true message is not up to par to people’s real beliefs.. all fluff
About your view on not saying you are something and just doing it: Although I feel you’re partly right, I feel like that ideology denies the power of self-affirmations. The more I say and think I am something the more I become that thing. It’s a really powerful thing that, under your ideology, has no meaning.
Sensei Aishitemasu Also, I don’t think I fully agree with that. Sometimes you need to be reminded about all the great things you do. Self-affirming is a great way to remember that you can do anything you put your mind too. IMO.
@@victorysampson Again... if all you do is self-affirm with no actual work, you are not, in fact, doing anything you put your mind to... because you're not doing anything. Talk has to meet action somewhere.
