Comments on: Blackness 101: 10 Things All Black People Should (At Least) Be Aware Of…

By: Steven

Steven — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 00:21:49 +0000

Very smart? I sure can’t tell by reading this, you should proof read before you post something claiming to be smart, there are several typos, I don’t have time to point them all out. Double space after a period. The word for pronouncing words correctly is annunciate. Read a book and pay attention to your teachers grammar lessons before you make more of a fool of yourself then you already have.

Through out my life I have found that the people who claim to be smart are usually the dumbest.

I don’t know how this ended up in my email but please don’t send me stupid stuff like this anymore

By: Maya

Maya — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 05:30:43 +0000

This is very stupid. Just because you don’t know something on the list doesn’t mean you’re not really black. I’m not in love with kook-aid, it tastes nasty…I don’t love watermelon, I hate fried chicken, I’m a vegetarian, i don’t listen to rap, and I don’t even know what spades is. Just because I don’t fall into the black/African American stereotype WHATSOEVER, doesn’t mean I act white…Just because I dot only like black guys doesn’t mean I hate black guys. Just because I’m a nice good kid, and I pronounce my words correctly doesn’t mean I act white… Just because I will not get “ghetto” on you when you makes me mad doesn’t mean I act white. I will never start a fight, and I will not say a curse word at all. So basically, all the ghetto black kids in my grade think I act white because I’m smart, nice, and the majority of my friends at school are not black. Does this make sense to you? When you’re a mean person, I’m not going to be your friend…so call me an Oreo all you want, because I don’t care whatsoever. I’m not going to apologize for not being a ghetto (insert your bad word of choice here)

By: Cici

Cici — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 19:41:00 +0000

Damn. I kind of fail as a black person.

By: MsMuhammad

MsMuhammad — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 02:40:13 +0000

First off: maaad props for including the NOI in this list. (<—- Obviously, that is a biased statement. *smile*) Anyway, I think the list about covers all the important stuff. MJ, spades, Coming to America– major cosign. Good job

By: Steve K

Steve K — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 01:48:32 +0000

Everybody (black/white) should give the king (Michael Jackson) his dues and should know all those songs by heart but how are you going to leave Billy Jean out that is his best song by far… Moon walk it on out!

By: ndavis

ndavis — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 23:01:13 +0000

As a black person I am offended at the idea that we are all culturally alike and therefor we should all (generally) know and like the same things. If we want people to stop stereotyping black people we need to move away from ideas that “all black people need this, or do this, or like this or know this.” I am a black person who is genuinely not interested in the medias portrayal of ‘black culture.’ People like Malcolm X and musicians like the Roots are important for ALL people to know because of their contribution to overall American culture, not just black culture.

I am an African American woman and I don’t like Kool-Ade and I have never even heard of the game spades, and even though I appreciate Michael Jackson, I certainly don’t know the lyrics to Off The Wall. Does that make me less black? Does loving Wong Kar Wai, Spike Jonze, foreign films, experimental films, Art Deco, black and white Photography, tea, painting, interior design, nature, the circus, burlesque and Harry Potter make me less black?? No, because when I fill out my census form I check the box marked African American. I am proud of my individuality and I don’t need some half-assed blogger telling me what black people NEED to know.

By: John Brown

John Brown — Mon, 31 May 2010 21:39:06 +0000

I thought that this was a legitimate and intelligent site, I suppose I was wrong. Whoever writes this need to grow up, get out of your ignorant stereotypical mold, and stop embarrassing the entire ethnic group. You’re only confirming what racists bigots and ignorant morons already think of us.

By: Stuff Ghetto People Like

Stuff Ghetto People Like — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 02:10:12 +0000

8th Wonder is The Champ’s personal foil….

By: GabbyTime

GabbyTime — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 22:28:32 +0000

You mentioned Kool Aid and Soul Food, but you didn�t mention Diabetes and Heart Disease…. Black people are too aware of the former two, which is what helps contribute to the latter. Hmph.

By: Seeing_Red

Seeing_Red — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 22:08:12 +0000

I agree with the list because you put “at least aware of” in parentheses because I don’t play no card games, not even UNO- I don’t even like going to a Casino and play Black Jack or Poker- none of that. Bid whist, tonk and spades are great for black social gatherings, I’m sure but I’ve never been interested in them. I do know quite a few black people who play Chess though (if that counts for anything).

Everything else I’m on point with, especially the two films that gave black people entertainment for years to come. However, I would like to add some films to the list that maybe you did not think about or just didn’t feel the need to add.
1.) Boomerang- “Bang,bang, bang, bang, bang = Classic
2.) Waiting to Exhale- almost rivals The Color Purple for being the contemporary black woman’s go to “sista-girl” movie and also based on a bestselling book by a black female author(well, you know who).
3.)What’s Love Got to Do with It- I’m ashamed to say that I laughed @ the majority of this film- because the fight scenes were HILARIOUS! I’ve tried to watch it straight through and not LMAO @ Fishburne’s Ike Turner being completely INSANE! I feel bad but I LOL! anyway- Angela Basset did WORK in that movie cuz Tina was getting that azz WHOOPED! I know, I’m horrible. (giggle)

4.) Any blaxploitation film but I would say Supafly(If not for the Curtis Mayfield soundtrack alone), The Mack and Foxy Brown being the trifecta of the that genre. Did not include Shaft cuz his character was a PI and working for “THE MAN” aka-snitch. Runner up goes to Black Ceasar( I think James Brown did the soundtrack for this film).

5.) The Early Hip Hop films: a.) Style Wars b.) Wild Style c.) Breaking (just the first one) d.) Crush Grove
e.) Hype William’s “Belly” f.) “New Jack City”

6.) Late 80′s, Early 90′s Black Films (when Black (Male)Directors broke into mainstream Hollywood

Mo’ Better Blues- Spike Lee (I know, why not Do the Right Thing, IDK- never really cared for it, a bit overrated IMHO)

Jason’s Lyric- predecessor to all Tyler Perry films besides his blatant thievery from the Color Purple.
Gangsta (no, not Gangster) Films
Boyz N’ The Hood- if not for anything but Ice Cube giving the best performance of his acting career (because he was basically playing hiimself-LOL!) and when Cuba Gooding, Jr. was still a good actor(I’m not kidding).
Runners Up- Hughes Brother’s Flicks, Menace II Society and Dead Presidents
Plus, you have to include Pacino’s Scarface and Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas/Casino just for the fact everybody in the Hip Hop industry swears by them and helped them spin a fantasy lifestyle in their music for all black youth to be destroyed/corrupted by
(yeah, I said it).

The BUPPY Films
The Best Man, Love Jones (Nia and Larenz) and Brown Sugar and any film with Gabrielle Union and Morris Chestnut in the lead roles.
Runner up goes to Love and Basketball.

I would add earlier films with all black cast like Cabin In The Sky (Lena Horne and Louie Armstrong), and “Hallelujah” but I know that’s reaching.

I’m not saying every black person should have seen all 20 something of these films but AT. LEAST. BE. AWARE. THEY. EXIST. so you’re Black Card does not get revoked and just ask that all black folks try to watch these films before they die.

I know, I’m a film-geek. – Seeing_Red