Friday, August 12, 2011

In Tyrese’s New Video, Black Women Don’t Make the Cut–Especially with Dark Skin

tyrese gibson, black women, african american women

by Shani K. Collins, Your Black World 

After years of pursuing a career in acting, Tyrese Gibson has returned to the music scene and is preparing to release his new album “Open Invitation” later this fall. Gibson, who recently shot the “I Got a Chick” video which features R.Kelly and Tyga, has come under a barrage of criticism from Black women who are not very visible in the video. The majority of the women in the video are not Black, and of those who are, they arevery light in complexion.

The video features many scantily clad women, in stilettos massaging each other with oil, and serving as objects to be desired. Irrespective of the ethnicity of the women inthe video, such female objectification, many would argue, is enough grounds for criticism of Gibson. In response to the

criticism, Tyrese posted on his Twitter page that he “held a two-day open audition for the video, and simply went with the best women.” Furtherspeaking to the video he added, “Doesn’t matter the race; [I] love my sisters.”

Regardless of Tyrese’s purported love for Black women, the evidence is clear: in the case of his new video, the “best women” werethose who were non-Black and light-skinned, but also those who were most willing to be objectified.

You may visit Shani K. Collins at www.shanicollins.com

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

Who cares? Only insecure Black women would even care about a dangon music video. Real sistas (of light and dark complexions) are too occupied with loving their families and community, and working hard to uplift humanity and insure bright futures for their babies.

Anonymous said...

Wow, Anonymous (above). Your comment is as sexist as the video.

stlempowermentpage said...

anonymous is correct. Its a music video. If we put as much energy into loving and nurturing our families, silly videos would not any place in our personal lives. Whatever is motive was or his, lets not get hung up on it. If this conversation unites the sisters, then that is the only good thing that comes from a silly video discussion

Anonymous said...

I think we as sisters should not buy his cd...We have to put our brothers in their places if we are going to get work...The unemployment margin for Black America is 16 percent...If white people are not going to hire us which pretty much own everything then it is up to our people to hire us...As black as he is and as hard as it was for him to get his start, I would think he would give another black person a chance...I will not be purchasing his cd nor will I be watching the video...If the song comes on the radio in my car then I will enjoy it that way but I am not going to support it...I loved/love Tyrese but I am not going to support another community but my own...He is already getting a tax break...LOL

Anonymous said...

We have allowed this to happen from the beginning of the hip hop movement. LLCool J was known for not having black females in his videos. Prince never had anybody darker than a ice cream cone in his videos. People still flocked to go see his 20 concerts in Los Angeles.

If you make a point than don't purchase anybody products unless it doesnt have black women on it. We do this with hair products why not music and magazines?

Anonymous said...

We should all know by now, that sex sells. If the women want to become famous by showing their nakedness, let them. If it had been Black women in the video, we would then complain about them exploiting Black women. It needs to quit, there are much more important things going on in the world, like Black on Black crime, and schools shutting down!

Anonymous said...

Are you guys forgetting that Maia Campbell starred in two of his music videos? Goddamn get over it.

Becky said...

Get over what? I think the posters are just stating the obvious. It's our opinions and our observations. There is nothing for us to get over.

Kosha said...

Why would any any women want to be in that video anyway black or otherwise. We don't think much of ourselves anymore!

It's soft porn ladies!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Really Fuh real do really care?

PEPPA said...

I GET SO TIRED OPF PEOPLE ALWAYS CALLING SOMEONE INSECURE BECAUSE THEY SEE THEIR RACE BEING DONE A DISSERVICE TO. TYRESE HAS BEEN SUPPORTED BY BLACK WOMEN, SO INSTEAD OF HIM ACTING LIKE DARKER WOMEN WERE NOT THE BEST, HE SHOULD TRY TO UN-BRAINWASH HIMSELF AND SEE HIS COMPLEXION AS BEAUTIFUL. IS IT ANY WONMDER WHY HIS CAREER IN THE MUSIC GAME HAS NOT SOARED. I REMEMBER WHEN HE FIRST GOT HIS BREAK IN THAT COMERCIAL WHERE HE WAS SINGING ON A BUS. A BALD HEADED DARK SKINNED GUY WHO HAD PROMISE. BUT LIKE OCHI DINGO AND ALL THE OTHER REALLY DARK SKINNED CELEBS, ONCE THEY MAKE IT THEY FORGET HOW BEAUTIFUL BLACK WOMEN ARE. HE CAN CANCEL CHRISTMAS BEFORE I EVER BUY ANYTHING FROM HIM OR GO TO SEE ANY MOVIE HE IS IN. LET THE SCANTILY CLAD WHITE GIRLS SUPPORT HIM. AND THIS IS COMING FROM AN EXTREMLY PROUD AND SECURE BLACK SISTER. AND I THANK YOU!

Anonymous said...

Who cares that he didn't put dark skinned women in his video to girate on each other. Good for the dark skinned women!!!!!!! It's more to life than shaking your ass for men. Besides, we all know Tyrese prefers fair skinned individuals. Nobody has actually seen him with a black woman yet!!

Mrs Renee said...

You know I am glad about it. I don't want the world to think of black women as merely objects with nothing better to offer than know how to shake our assets on cue. They already think we are low class. I don't want to give them more fodder to think so. Sorry. Let these silly rappers have those chicks who are willing to be objectified. Light skinned or of another race... it doesn't matter. Those women don't represent me and I am glad about it. We will always be beautiful and sought after, we don't need some silly rapper pouring alcohol on us and squeezing us to validate that.

Anonymous said...

Glad this was bought to the light, I will no longer support him or buy any of his products.

Anonymous said...

You know all of you may a a valid point. But what I like to know, were any of you at his selection process to determine if he preferred light skinned, white or other wise. In order to provide a constructive comment on his selection you have to be there. We are the author of our own lives, if those women what to do whatever they're doing, then that them. Check out yourself. If he would have come to you directly, you would be up there shaking your asses too. Grow up and the man upstair handle what right, wrong or indifferent. Those woman do not make a reflection of what I am or who I am. This is an individual thing, trust me.

Drea said...

What gets me is Tyrese will turn around and try to "minister" or preach to folks on Twitter about how to live right and holy as if he's a Jr. TD Jakes. It's enough he objectifies women, or rather that women allow themselves to be objectified by him. But it's disgusting when he then goes from playing pimp to playing preacher.

Royaume said...

Why are people throwing their toys out of the pram over this? As though being scantily clad, showing off and popping your goodies is supposed to be some kinda accolade? Please, spare the column inches for something that actually matters.

KEBA said...

Hahaha,,,all these salty chics. Always complaining...and u wonder why our woman have the highest rate of being single!? Oh really? This man is in Southern Cali...how many of us live there? There are a ton of Asian, Hispanic, and white chics. so there u go! get over it! U r never satisfied...ever. Me, I gave up years ago. Trying to satisfy u is a waste because u will always find something u dont like. Hence all the "single ladies". I had a Brasilian girl way back...who was black by the way. And she changed my world...now Im international to the core. I even know black chics from othere countries that come here and cant even relate to the sistas here...they think we are crazy! Always complaining, mad, bad attitude, act like somebody owe us sh-t. Please wake up! #1) there are other chics in the world besides u...do u travel??? #2-im used to being catered to by exotic foreign chicks...so if I made a video...who u think I would put in it? A chic who never has respect for me? But hey...thats just me. Funny how u only pay attention to brothers with fame and money. And funny how arrogant our woman can be: thinking that, "oh...hes with some other chic...thats self hatred". How arrogant are u!? So if I dont choose you....I hate myself!? Woowwwwww black woman....you need to come to reality.....U HAVE COMPETETION!