A Black Girl Ranting

acknowledge success, acknowledge flaws

You can like someone's song without supporting their ideals, beliefs, and/or the way they act.

I see many people who are Instagram activists and speak strongly against white supremacy, white feminism, culture appropriation, racism, and oppression but still listen to Taylor Swift or like some of Selena Gomez's songs while Swift is a well known white feminist and Gomez is a well known culture appropriator. And while I don't listen to them, I listen to some rappers who I noticed have a bit of sexist lyrics, like some rappers over the years have had. That isn't new. But if the rapper or singer is openly racist, openly sexist, openly anti-black, I'm not gonna support their ideals or beliefs.

"Oh you listen to this song? So you like the racist/sexist/oppressive person?"

No. I don't. But if a song has a good beat and it's actually a good bop, I'm gonna listen. But other people, who I don't really know of, because I really only listen to The Weeknd, I bop their music.

I bring this up because I saw a person unfollow another because they posted a post that acknowledged Cardi B's success (apparently this was part of a "dragging spam"). 

First off, if you enjoy "dragging someone" but you proclaim yourself as an activist and a person who wants to educate other person, then just log off Instagram or Twitter and stop educating people. Your purpose doesn't go hand in hand in what you're doing. You can't drag someone for not knowing something but yet you have a whole page dedicated to educating people who don't know something. Yeah okay.

Second, unfollowing someone over something like that is petty asf. Like seriously all you had to do was write your post on why people shouldn't forget what Cardi B has said in the past and go. Not dedicate a whole post on why you should unfollow that person and why they're a fake activist. Like seriously shut tf up.

Cardi B has made it far. I'm not gonna say she hasn't when it's clear she did. I'm not going to lie and say she's still at the bottom, trying to make it when she obviously isn't. Bodak Yellow hit #1 on Billboard, beating Taylor Sssswift. 

But I'm also not gonna ignore her colorist remarks, her culture appropriation, and slurs. I most definitely don't support that.

Just because I bop Bodak Yellow, doesn't mean I support Cardi B appropriating culture or using "tranny" as a slur. I bop Bodak Yellow because it's hella catchy and because it's a good bop. Listening to an artist's music doesn't mean I stan for them ya know? And even then, if you stan for a celebrity you should know that celebrity isn't perfect. Don't defend an artist when they're wrong as shit. Just don't.

You can acknowledge success while at the same acknowledging their mistakes and flaws. You don't have to choose one or the other.