Beyonce's Blackface
 

http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:A...ij7UQOeF94MMichttp://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:A...-6tEJxVCuI0KAg

So, I saw the pictures and footage of her photoshoot and immediately asked myself "self, is her darker skin an attempt to pay homage to the 'tribal' markings in Africa" and "self, is her darker skin an attempt to do her 'alterego' as she pays homage to Fela Kuti (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fela_Kuti)?"

Then I told myself "quit doing what Black folks often do, which is try to rationalize and explain stuff that are sometimes exactly what they look like."

Blackface.

Now...I've read some interesting articles on both sides of the issue. For starters, it doesn't matter that Beyonce is Black. After whites started wearing blackface, Black entertainers began wearing blackface in order to profit from the darkie image that whites were so comfortable with, and so entertained by. So, Beyonce and her crew don't automatically get a pass because she's Black.

For seconds, as a Black woman, does Beyonce need to darken her skin to be more African? There are Africans, including Nigerians, of various shades of Blackness. Moreover, darkening one's skin perpetuates the myth that being lighter means you 1) can't be African and/or 2) can barely be Black. Couldn't she have just been Beyonce paying homage to Africa and Fela Kuti? I swear we'd understand the context, especially since she's wearing African garb and always has on makeup, anyway. The rest of the photo shoot was wonderful...without the blackface components.

For thirds, it doesn't matter whether YOU (individuals) are personally offended by this. The history of blackface still is what it is. I'm not personally offended or alarmed. But, I still believe that "fat meat is greasy."

For last, http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?...morephotovideo the two people who made these comments are special to say the least. The white woman who isn't offended by the Wayan Brothers' "White Girls" needs to sit down. It is very cliche` for whites to compare what they would be offended by to what "others" should be offended by. Also, (if we must do a comparison) regardless of how dumb the Wayan Brothers were for being "White Girls," and even if some white women were offended by it, the history of white women's structural oppression is different than that of racial and ethnic minorities. That includes how racial superiority was and still is successful in buffering some of the effects of gender inequality. I'll save my rants on that for another venue.

Anywho, Beyonce's blackface. Extra, extra.

I just watched the video. I thought her chest being lighter was an error. Looks like they did that on purpose.

If you're going to "darken up," then do it all over. You can't be in blackface and not realize it's going to stir things up. Like you, this isn't really shocking to me, but I can see it's going to cause a shitstorm whenever it goes viral.

S/N: If Iman and Alek Wek had a baby, it would be that first picture. /random

For the record, I don't consider Will.i.am's outfit for that award show to be blackface. I think he was literally going for an all-black look but not in the "chocolate brutha" sense. Black suit, black hair, black body. Think X-Men. But don't quote me on his real intentions.

I think I remember an ANTM shoot where they wore makeup to darken their skin. Is that different than this? Perhaps, perhaps not. It is perhaps the case that the randomness of Beyonce's darker skin would be seen as more...random and misdirected. Is it because it's Beyonce? Well, I will say that there are beautiful darkerskinned Black women who could've done a photo shoot if darkness is what they wanted for a couple of the photos. They aren't Beyonce though...so we're back at square one.

They had a shoot where the girls had to portray two races that were not their own...so some of their skin colors/eye colors/hair colors were changed. No opinion on whether it's different or not.

Everything in the following post is contingent on these photos being JUST for a random photo shoot.

From the photos posted, it looks like a certain image needed to be portrayed for a fashion shoot and they wanted someone famous and beautiful to create that image. To paraphrase the above, a beautiful darkerskinned Black woman could have been used but she wouldn't have the marketing power that Beyonce has. So they (whoever "they" are) took Beyonce-the-money-making-powerhouse and darkened her. Not a big deal. I'm more mad at the tacky coat and non-matching pants than the color of her face.

The fact that there is a history of blackface does not mean that no one can ever paint their bodies to be a darker skintone than their original without it becoming an issue. Blackface was done to disparage and mock an entire race while making money doing so. If the intent of this shoot is to emulate and/or glorify (albeit while making money off the clothes or magaizne sales), then the two don't hold enough similarities to be comparable.

Intent to disparage is irrelevant.

Exactly. Besides, what exactly is she supposed to be emulating and glorifying?

Alumiyum, thanks for that explanation. If people do a search engine for ANTM blackface they will find articles like this http://community.livejournal.com/ohn...09.html?page=2. The backlash about ANTM came after Lara Stone had done a photoshoot in "blackface" http://nymag.com/daily/fashion/2009/...ara_stone.html

Beyonce's browner skin didn't make her look like Fela Kuti (google image him...LOL) and I don't see "Africa" when I look at her browner face and upper neck. So, I call a FAIL on that end if they are going to pretend that they were clueless as to how random her browner face/neck and yellow chest are.

Co-sign

I remember the "switch races" episode of ANTM, but I think the makeover with Xiomara is close to this situation:

Real Pic:

http://www.bigbtv.com/Images/Reality...omaraFrans.jpg

Model Pic:

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_r_LaunRLuM...0/Xiomara5.jpg

This is an obvious homage to Grace Jones, so I don't see it as sporting blackface (blackbody?), but I remember people being upset about it. I just looked at Lara Stone's spread and didn't find it offensive either. I think that they're playing a specific character and the makeup fits. It's not like they're tap-dancing in a minstrel show.

While I'm not offended by Beyonce, I think it's odd because of 1) the half-makeup and 2) the fact that she doesn't look like the person she's supposed to be paying respects to.

I love Grace Jones and that's a kick-ass depiction. A kick-ass depiction in that context is not automatically "blackface" in the historical sense that it is used. However, I also know that it is a thin line. I damn sure wouldn't be as cool with a white model wearing black makeup just because she looks like Grace Jones.

Her photos were beautiful. Buuuuut, why get Lara Stone's white self to play a specific character when there are nonwhite women who could do it? If a specific character who is of a specific race and ethnicity (which isn't the same as being of a specific skin hue or complexion) is what they wanted.

Oh yeah...they wouldn't be Lara Stone. So...the photographers, et al. probably weren't clueless of the potential pros and cons (blackface was/is an international phenomenon) but perhaps felt the pros outweigh the cons.

Blackface was/is not limited to tap-dancing in a minstrel show.

I call shennanigans and bullshit on Beyonce.

Some things are a FAIL based on outcome and regardless of the intent; and regardless of how cool/funny/awesome/clever/whatever it was when it was thought up. Case in point:

http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:A...-iJtY1ArEL4jRR

This is (a little) more in line with what I was getting at. I'm not saying the photo wasn't a fail because it was, despite the masterpiece of awesomeness it was intended to be. The intent does not change whether or not it's a fail but rather the type of fail it was. This shoot did not in any way reflect the spirit of blackface for me. But it's still a fail for lots of other non-racial yet completely valid reasons that have been listed.

While I'm not offended by Beyonce, I think it's odd because of 1) the half-makeup.[/QUOTE]

Same here, to say I'm offended would be too strong, but it makes no sense to me that they didn't paint all her exposed areas. Why is her chest lighter? Did she need to remind us and self that she's not really that dark?

I hadn't paid much attention to the controversy till now, but when searching for more info/articles, I came across this statement: "A return to her African roots". Well where the hell did they (the roots) and/or she go" that a return was needed. Last I checked, blackface or not she had African roots that didn't go anywhere.

And psssh to the hommage to Fela Kuti.

I see what you mean but I also think that is contingent upon what you consider to be the "spirit of blackface."

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1155/...af6831.jpg?v=0
http://straightfromthea.com/2007/08/...s-controversy/

Google images has some great blackface photos. Some done tastefully in the world of blackface and some not. The tasteful ones don't appear to be in the "spirit of blackface" if people think blackface requires Sambo and a minstrel show.

I laughed when I saw Robert Downey, Jr's images. LOL. His character was obviously blackface in Tropic Thunder because they were imitating and mocking for a purpose. (That's honest and Tropic Thunder was hilarious. And Downey, Jr. is a hottie.)

When these types of disclaimers are offered, the reasons sometimes boil down to race once you get beyond the surface level. :) Her photo seems random, her makeup wasn't particularly well down, they kept her chest light, a lightskinned Black woman doesn't need to wear darker makeup to depict Africa...that boils down to race and its correlates, as far as I'm concerned. This wouldn't even be a Blackface topic that needed disclaimers if it had nothing to do with race. Basically, what Ch2tf said.

and don't forget the hair.

Blackface with 'blonde' hair...wow.

I have this feeling that not a lot of research was put into this venture for this to be a tribute.

In that ANTM photo shoot, the girl HERSELF was upset that she had to portray Grace Jones because she had a hangup about being dark skinned. Tyra pretty much read her the riot act. Tyra does a lot of stupid shit but she was right on where this incident was concerned.

As far as that Beyonce pic, IMO it's not an "homage." It's blackface. I don't care if she is wearing tribal markings or leopard print, in fact that makes it even more offensive, like "ooh, see, she is wearing jungle print so it's OK."

So question would it be an issue if it was person of a darker complexion that is painted lighter except certain parts?

I ask because sometimes I wonder where does offense end and art begin?

(I know I'm already laughing at even asking that question.)

My comment to my own question anybody that takes offense to the photo has a right to take offense, art has been known to be offensive.