I know this is going to sound like some ridiculous archaic, dated commentary that set race relations a few decades back, but I’ve gotta ask, is light skin coming back? LOL!
Follow me on this one. For a minute there, not only in R&B, but in entertainment in general brothas with darker complexion have made quite a foray into pop culture. Tyson Beckford, Tyrese aka Black Ty, Morris Chestnutt, Bill Bellamy, Derek Luke, Biggie, Diddy, Black Rob, Loon and many others have made darker skin not only desired but sought after by agencies, marketers and casting directors. This comes after decades of the brown paper bag test, having light skin and "good hair" ruined so many lives.
Taking a look around, the rise of popularity with Chris Brown, Pharrell, Ryan Leslie, John Legend, T.I., Ludacris, Bow Wow, Terrance Howard and the upcoming Lil Fizz pulled me out of my purple haze this past Friday as Lil Fizz debuted his new video featuring Missez on “106 &Park.â€
You’ll recall Lil Fizz was one of the members of the now defunct B2K. He’s migrated from singing to rapping on his solo effort. In addition to his new solo project, he is also on the official remix to Omarion's “Entourage†from his upcoming CD, 21.
Listen to "Entourage" Remix featuring Lil Fizz
Then after really getting a look at John Legend's new video for “Save Room,†which obviously pitches him as a sex symbol to women of all races, I have to wonder… if Justin's bringing "sexy back"… is “sexy†somehow connected to fairer complexion?
Tyra always preaches that in any business the face is the money. I wonder how much of the popoularity of T.I., Chris Brown, John Legend, Terrance Howard, Ludacris and others have to do with that lighter complexioned mug.
Oh shut up, I’m just asking…
But bigger than all that, let’s just remember not to forget we are all affected by the events of 9/11.
Light skin never went anywhere!
Good morning Soulman and others!
Light skin never went anywhere!
Posted by: Sparkle* at September 11, 2006 10:04 AM
^^^
Yea I know...
Good morning all! Sexy comes in all shapes,color, and sizes
Good morning all! Sexy comes in all shapes,color, and sizes
Posted by: Layla at September 11, 2006 10:07 AM
Waddup Layla? How you this morning?
Waddup Layla? How you this morning?
Posted by: SOHH Soul Man at September 11, 2006 10:08 AM
SoulMan, I said good morning, you didn't reply to me :( (Jealous)
I wonder how much of the popoularity of T.I., Chris Brown, John Legend, Terrance Howard, Ludacris and others have to do with that lighter complexioned mug.
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The answer is it doesn't! Well speaking for myself, color is not a deciding factor in judging one's talent or good looks. Yes T.I. (my personal favorite) is yellow but at the same time look at Omarion, Usher, & more entertainers who will continue to get love from fans and I'll seriously doubt if it's b/c of the color of their skin. Sexiness comes in all sorts of shades, it just depends how you carry yourself. You also have to think about all the light skinned brothers who still can't catch a break. color has nothing 2 do with popularity now days.
I'm a make sure these lightskinned niggas don't never ever come back in style.
-Kanye West
This is fucked up to be talking about.
I am embarresed for you soulman. You are looking at niggaz too much.
Mama Afrika wouldn't like this shit.
We all black.
How black you are has nothing to do with color.
Amen Layla!
What up yall?
I've always hated that debate. There is a lot of historical validity in the topic itself, but as it relates to this, thats about as valid as the whole sexual orientation nonsense. Matters not the shade of brown, or IF its even brown. Just give me something I can bump, clean or moan to and a nigga is straight.
LOL! Y'all know I know it ain't that serious. But y'all also know that I ain't completely off in this lil assessment.
Darker skinned people seem to have longer lasting careers and more success than the light skinned people up there. Black is back and light ain't right! Sorry! No offense to anyone. I don't consider Bow Wow light skin.
This is fucked up to be talking about.
I am embarresed for you soulman. You are looking at niggaz too much.
^^^
Essex-
Don't be embarassed for me. I know many of you are progressive enough to be past this.
@Brandi
No offense taken b/c I love my complexion but if that's your actual feelings & not just something said to stir things up then I feel sorry for you b/c you are a lost soul.
HA!
Now, I have more people to add to the panel at the next lightskinned brother's convention.
But lets keep it real, the lack of melanin in the celebrity brothers holds no bearing on the average cats like yours truly.
But I also realize that we kinda fell off after the Janet "Love Will never Do without You" video. Once some of these sistas realize that although the coffee got a lil more cream, it's just as strong we'll be back-LOL
All jokes aside though, Sexy is sexy no matter what the shade, I think it's a beautiful thing that our race can have so many shades-if you're only picking one, you're missing out.
What up suspects?
Whaddup to all my blog peoples?
Onto the topic:
Personally, color doesn't matter.
In the business/entertainment world I think it does matter nwadays...but only to a point.
Anyone think Bey would be as large as she is if she were dark skinned? How bout Mariah? JT? The only person that sticks out as being an exception here is Lauryn Hill...maybe India.Arie (don't know offhand what her sales figures are like)
With rappers I really don't think this applies as much. Rappers don't necessarily try to sell "sexy" like singers do...so you can be ugly as all fuck and still sell plat, no problem.
yea, you setting us back with this one... the blog that lauched a thousand RIOTS!!!
for real, its does seem like entertainment biz has been more frequently casting lighter skinned blacks within the last two years.
Hey..it took me about a year to realise Alicia keys wasn't white!!
QTip's first record was on the Jungle Bros. debut album Straight outta the jungle. The song was called Black is Black. After Katrina and all other things that show white people see us all the same, why can't we.
With rappers I really don't think this applies as much. Rappers don't necessarily try to sell "sexy" like singers do...so you can be ugly as all fuck and still sell plat, no problem.
Posted by: Cic at September 11, 2006 10:29 AM
If T.I. was dark skin there is no way he would have the same appeal.
Herpes scar and all... hell to the nah.
GET OUT OF HERE LIGHT SKIN PEOPLE AINT BEEN IN STYLE SINCE WHAT THE EARLY NINETYS. RIGHT NOW THE DARK SIDE RUN IT. I GOT LOVE FOR LIGHT SKIN FOLK BUT US CHOCALATE MEN ARE THE ONES YA LADY WANTS.
We all know You can't trust light skinned blacks
-Barborshop the series.
funny indeed.
I was in love with a lightskinned girl with green eyes for 11 years. I think she is the most beautiful girl on earth, but Lightskin is in no way better than dark. Dark skin is actually healthier for you as we all know
When did lite skin go out of style. Well i can understand for men b/c there is nothing like a black man. But for women there are too many lite skin women in the industry.
If T.I. was dark skin there is no way he would have the same appeal.
Herpes scar and all... hell to the nah.
Posted by: SOHH Soul Man at September 11, 2006 10:34 AM
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No offense but bullshit! T.I. is sexy as hell to me not only b/c of his lyrics, but his swagger is ....(I can't even fien the word)...but I will say I love Lil Wayne just as much as I love T.I. and he's far from light....it's all about the person to me, which I stated before.
Da darker da deeper. lighter skinned women tend 2 believe that they are prettier than sistas darker than them.
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I meant "find"....but Soul Man you wrong as hell 4 the "herpes" comment, noone knows for sure.....
Da darker da deeper. lighter skinned women tend 2 believe that they are prettier than sistas darker than them.
Posted by: Jedi at September 11, 2006 10:41 AM
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Not true....maybe younger girls but women know different.
No offense but bullshit! T.I. is sexy as hell to me not only b/c of his lyrics, but his swagger is ....(I can't even fien the word)...but I will say I love Lil Wayne just as much as I love T.I. and he's far from light....it's all about the person to me, which I stated before.
Posted by: slimgoody at September 11, 2006 10:40 AM
Waddup Slim-
LOLOL! I got you. You might be one of the few exceptions. And trust me I know that peeps that comment on this blog are enlightened and evolved enough to know. But there are far more peeps that read than comment and looking at the world we've moved ahead but not as far as we'd like to.
AS someone said earlier about actors getting movie roles, I'll disagree with that, brothers and sisters across the spectrum are receivng roles.
But WE as a people continue to be hung up on shit. No shade is "better" than the other, OTHER races and nationalities do not see that. Until they start placing an extra box on appplications under race for "light skinned" and "dark skinned" we are the only ones really trippin off that shit.
@Soulman
That may (or may not) be the case for T.I., I'll leave that debate for KSH & Slim (whaddup yall). My comment about rappers was more of a generalization...no homo but B.I.G. would've told you himself he was ugly...dude still did the numbers...plenty other examples out there.
Us lightskinned brothas never went away.That paper bag BS from the 50's was just an exuse for to hate on us.What goes up , must come down.Sorry Loon , Diddy,T.O,Chad Johnson,Young Dro , ETC. LOL
no homo but B.I.G. would've told you himself he was ugly...dude still did the numbers...plenty other examples out there.
Posted by: Cic at September 11, 2006 10:45 AM
There aint another rapper that can do that. Big was an exception to the rule. He had to get you past how ugly he was in order for his lyrical supremacy to truly shine. If he called himself out, it left little room for others to call him out.
Never again will you see a rapper floss their dark complexion and his so called ugliness the way he did.
What goes up , must come down.Sorry Loon , Diddy,T.O,Chad Johnson,Young Dro , ETC. LOL
Posted by: freakzilla504 at September 11, 2006 10:46 AM
I knew there were some that thought this way. And just because fewer of them speak out doesn't mean the evolution is a revolution.
YES LIGHT SKIN IS BACK GOOD CAUSE YOU ALL DARK SKIN BROTHAS WAS HOOGIN THE SPOTLITE. BUT I HOPE THE DARK SKIN SISTAS ARE HERE TO STAY!!!!!
THIS IS JUS A SILLY COMMENT SO DONT TAKE IT SERIOUS.
PS EXCEPT THE DARK SKIN SISTA COMMENT, CAUSE I LOVE YA!!!
PEACE
I finally saw Idlewild and i loved it. They used songs from the speakerboxx/love below. I got to get it on bootleg so i can watch it all the time and then on DVD when it come out.
Da darker da deeper. lighter skinned women tend 2 believe that they are prettier than sistas darker than them.
Posted by: Jedi at September 11, 2006 10:41 AM
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I think thats a misconception perpetuated by the shit this country has put black people through.
Dont feed into that bullshit.
But there are far more peeps that read than comment and looking at the world we've moved ahead but not as far as we'd like to.
Posted by: SOHH Soul Man at September 11, 2006 10:44 AM
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Co sign, but those people are ignorant on most issues of the world unfortunately.
As far as Biggie, I hate to call someone ulgy but he was and would have been regardless of skin color. Don't get me started but I can name a whole list of folkes, light skinned, that are ooogly...but I won't b/c it's not nice:-)
@ Cic, yes leave the T.I. debate for me & KSH, we got this, LOL...
Sorry I'm late but what up 2 my peeps, u know who u are....
Light skin will never go out of style. Look around the globe. Many cultures that come in shades from white to pitch black have their own internal issues with this topic. Light skin will always come out on top. I think a lot of black women are thinking of dark skin as a highly desired trait, but black men still look at light skin as more desirable in a woman. So much so that up north they are actually claiming hispanics as "our people" so that they can get with their even lighter women. In the work place and in all dealings with whites, I have actually seen light skinned people be given preferential treatment. So yes, chocolate men are still the tastiest to us, but to those white folks? Light skin all the way. Hollywood has done nothing to change that.
I think thats a misconception perpetuated by the shit this country has put black people through.
Dont feed into that bullshit.
Posted by: Dig at September 11, 2006 10:55 AM
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This public service announcement was brought to you by the Don't Feed Into the Bullshit Coalition of SOHH.
@Wisdom Body
If you really loved the movie, why not wait till it comes on DVD and support the artists & entertainers who worked hard to give you a movie that you love b/c if you don't support you'll end up with no movies written by blacks for blacks....
I'm not saying I don't bootleg anything but if I really love the cd/movie or think the artist deserves it, I'll pay full price.
This is one really , really stupid debate , is it jus me or was this just planned by ur white bosses jus so that u guyz can see black ppl cussin one another on this blog?
I dunno Im jus curious?
if so plz stop!!!
yeah whatever!!
"but black men still look at light skin as more desirable in a woman."
Posted by: Bird at September 11, 2006 10:59 AM
Nah Bird. Not this black man.
And y'all know light skinned dudes is played out.
The game shifted when Wesley Snipes chumped Christopher Williams out in New Jack City.
Pretty Ricky with the good hair ain't getting no play no more.
Dumb topic, I can't believe your talking about the color of skin in the year 2006, I'm a light skinned female and I just think the whole color thing is just stupid, we come in all different colors dang!!!!!!!! and Chris Brown and Terrance Howards popularity has nothing to do with their color, Terrance has been around for years and is just now making a name for his self, so his work ethic has everything to do with his success not is color, and Chris Brown is just talented.
forget being light skin...If you look like Lil Fizz does in that picture ....light skin goes out the window....
yeah whatever!! stick a fork in your butt nigga!! YOUR DONE!!!
We all black.
How black you are has nothing to do with color.
We all black.
How black you are has nothing to do with color.
We all black.
How black you are has nothing to do with color.
i dont think light skinn went anywere.the girls love nelly,the girls liked loyd banks over 50 cent,everybody nos the laddiess love ll cool j,,beyonce been the hottest chick in r and b for awhile,,cassie is sexy as hell,that host on mtv trl is sexy as hell their all lightskin,laddies like ti hes light skin. light skin was never out,and will never be,i dont mean to sound mean but lightskin looks better bottom line lol.and plus all the puerto ricans out . when was dark ever in style?? were the hel do you live in africa?? peace to all my good looking lightskin people.and if your dark dont hate.
Bird:
"So much so that up north they are actually claiming hispanics as "our people" so that they can get with their even lighter women."
No genius we "up north claim specifically Puerto Ricans and Dominicans as our people because many of their ancestors were also Africans. This is especially true of Dominicans. I happen to be Half Puerto Rican. My spouse is Trinidadian and Dominican. Two groups of Black people. Maybe if you traveled a bit more and lived in a more diverse place you would know that. The Black diaspora extends further than just here to Africa, buddy. Don't be so damned ignorant. This was a silly blog that you just ruined by true ignorance. And Black men love Black women. You logic in why we claim Latinos as our brothers and sisters isn't logic at all. It's foolishness.
This is one really , really stupid debate , is it jus me or was this just planned by ur white bosses jus so that u guyz can see black ppl cussin one another on this blog?
I dunno Im jus curious?
if so plz stop!!!
Darker skinned people seem to have longer lasting careers and more success than the light skinned people up there. Black is back and light ain't right! Sorry! No offense to anyone. I don't consider Bow Wow light skin.
Posted by: Brandi ---------------------------------------
haha brandy you can suck my light skin nut sac u perpetratin ass biatch stop spreadin descension among ya own people ya dam fool. Things will maintain the same if you keep thinkin the way white people want you to; as to bicker between one another over stupid shit instead of, getting the ball rolling on some important shit like droppin these wack ass uncle toms(some rappers and public figures) like the bitches they are.
And me personally, my penis told me it doesn't care if the chick is light r dark because its blind. I dont know why women get so dam emotional for some ole dumb shit sometime this a prime example. Stop bein some azzholes to one another and move the fuK on, fuK the petty drama and just be united.
o and malcolm x was lightskin!!! so take that shit mothaf****