This aint black vs white, my nigga we off that
Granted, this is not an actual lyric from the Alicia Keys hit “Unthinkable, but rock with me for a while and you’ll see where I’m going with it.
Seems like everywhere I turn, people are softly humming or loudly playing the song written by Drake (this guy is everywhere). It’s a lovely song, and I find myself sitting in my driveway listening to it in its entirety. Alicia has lost me on the last couple of albums and I have been strongly warned not to think that this one is any different, which has kept me from purchasing it time and time again. This track however may have me doing 75 on the freeway at 9:45pm trying to get to Best Buy before 10:00pm
Aside from the song being awesome, the video is even better, it features a racially charged chain of events, that evoke some kind of emotion from me. It raises questions in my head, the main one being “Are we Ready?” We like to pretend that we’re an evolved culture of people, dating outside of our race is the norm and no longer frowned upon, but I have a feeling that we aren’t being honest with ourselves.
I feel like we’re cool, so I can be honest with you. I would like to say that I don’t stare in wonderment when I see a black guy with a white girl, but then I’d be lying. Be clear, there’s no hate bubble that forms inside of me, but there is a nagging question of “whys he with her?” Its embarrassing to say the least but unlike others I can admit it. I don’t WANT to feel this way, and it was more of a nature thing for me. I’m trying to change, I’ve even vowed that I will not discriminate when it comes to the next guy that I date, seriously.
Okay, so I’m done with that, heres the video. I’d really like to know what my readers think of the Pandora’s Box that is interracial dating. Are We Ready?
Why give up before we try
Feel the lows before the highs
Clip our wings before we fly away
Follow me @iKeish
iKeish 
Are we ready to see Alicia Keys with a white brotha…NO, i’m not ready to give up hope yet (although you should give up hope on this CD.)
I teeter the fence on this one, I will say since college I am less bothered by interracial couples, and on the bright side they are responsible for beautifulness like Alicia Keys, Halle Berry and Paula Patton. We need to above all encourage people to find LOVE. I think black folks disdain for interracial couples comes from individuals who exclude on some false notion of a particular race being riddled with issues they care not to deal with. Until we undo years of, “Black Sista’s have too much attitude and independence. Or the infamous, “I got sick of trying to find a good brotha.” We will always have that sinking feeling in our guts when we see it.
On the other hand. Keisha you have become my little soulful 106&Park
Wow Jayar, I totally disagree. I don’t have hope that Alicia is with a black guy. Her mom is 3types of white. She grew up in Hell’s Kitchen, not Harlem. She was raised to be with a white guy. Her first boyfriend was probably white. And futhermore, I still stand by my idea that Alicia Keyes is gay. Yep, I said it.
I can’t say that I am bothered by a interracial couple. I knew alot of them. Being Southern, my first thoughts are why are they with each other; what kind of things do they have in common; how will they raise their children; and how do they deal with rude people? I know that those issues are none of my busy, but my mind wanders(especially when black women date white men).
Also, all of those ladies you named have white mothers. Therefore, they will be inclined and taught to go after white boys. It’s not a big deal, but I’m just saying. Also, I don’t particularly find them beautiful. To me, beauty transcends and surpasses outward vividness. One of those ladies in particular makes my stomach churn when people praise her because of her character. Maybe, I don’t totally disagree; for I do think that people need to find LOVE. The problem is and will always be that love is different to everyone. Not only does it come in different sizes, but variances as well. Black folks disdain ir dating because of slavery. Slavery is what made a white woman a so-called trophy, a black man a so-called sexual deviant, and a black woman “sassy”. Alot of black women do have too much attitude and Beyoncitis. Some even have what I dubbed the MidWest Syndrone(guys can get infected too). Some of us have that sinking feeling only because of the feelings of unworthiness and shame as a result of slavery. I think that we also have to teach people to love themselves, thus being able to properly love others.
Where do I even begin?
Just out of curiosity, and this has nothing to do with anything besides the fact that I’m Curious, why do you think Alicia Keys is homosexual?
Whats the midwest syndrome?
Which one of those women make your stomach churn?
Have you ever dated outside of your race?
Teaching people to love themselves is important, but hard to do when you have all these videos, movies, commercials, magazines, etc. Constantly force feeding us whats beautiful.
Nappy Hair is no longer beautiful, hasnt been for awhile, people are still ignorant enough to do the “brown paper bag” beauty test (which I hate, makes me want to spit). Locks are a sign of dirt, a dreadful state to put your hair in, there is just so much, we are judged so harshly, we look at each other knowing that this really wasnt built for us (their terms of beauty) yet we still call someone darker than the “norm” ugly, or we refer to our hair as “good” or “bad”. CLEARLY the Spike Lee joints were made in vein. To tie this all into black/white couples, sometimes we go that way to be “accepted” and thats what I frown upon, thats what makes me wonder.
Please see previous entry titled: My Black Girl Features (Featured)
Jayar, I know you’ve warned me time and time again about purchasing this CD, but this song just does something to me. I am fighting the temptation, and I’m not apart of the burn nation so its either miss out on good music, or waste 9.99 but kill the curiousity.
Anywho, back to the lecture at hand. I think that LOVE is the main vein here you are correct, and until we take off the blinders its going to be hard to accept black/white couples. I will honestly say that if I see you walk in Soul Sessions with a white woman on your arm I would be astonished, taught from childhood up that love doesnt come in that form its hard to break free of your environment and truly step outside of the box. I figure that if I open up my dating realm to all races, I may have a better chance at this love thing. Stubbornly, though…I dont even put an effort into doing so. I think I’m hopeless, does that make me racist? I hope not, because I love white people. I love black people, I love people!
My BEST friend is white…ok, that was a blatant lie.*curtsies @ the 106 & park comment*
She half white so why not? Even if she was all the way purple black why not? I say love who loves you back. I dont have the luxury of dating within my race cause there is only one other beige guy in switzerland and he is married to a beige lady. There is another guy on my twitter who thinks he’s beige but I havent stamped his application approved yet. I said all that to say I am currently dating a black man, ive dated white and my dad even tried to get me to marry a mexican (financial purposes). The white man told me I wasnt black enough cause I liked NASCAR so now im giving black guys another chance. I got one thats got a job, a car and his own place. He’s in school and he treats me decent for the most part. He likes me and I like he…thats all that matters.
“Love who loves you back”.
!FIN!
Its never really THAT simple though, so many times we worry about what “looks good” rather than what “feels good” for fear of being labeled a sell out. Its crazy that such an issue still causes….an issue in 2010, it should be excepted, looked past, and forgotten about, but its not, and I dont get why. I guess thats my question.
HA! when you are my age and older it IS that simple. All that other shit is just shit. lol
I don’t know if I can attribute the whole disdain for inter-racial relationships to slavery. I think that’s a bit obscure and dismissive. Some peoples warped sense of reality comes from their personal experiences becoming generalizations and that has nothing to do with slavery.
My hope that Alicia is with a black guy is purely vicarious & wishful thinking. (A bit playful I suppose.)
The massive flaw in interracial dating either way is the notion that race is or should be a contributing factor. When you think of soul mates, they generally share cultural experiences and interest that bring them together. While some of those things can be indicated by our “racial” upbringings they are not exclusive to any one race. (Side Note: Race is a misnomer used to justify racism. Nothing more than a social construct feeble minds use to define themselves. http://www.gossamer-wings.com/soc/Notes/race/tsld002.htm)
Loving Self is the best advice Anyone could give
(oh and P.S. Don’t even DOWNLOAD this damn album!)