SC:TV: WALE INTERVIEW RE: NIGERIA, NEW ALBUM + LIGHT SKINNED LADIES
20th August 2009
|In Music
Earlier this week one of Washington’s finest – Wale – dropped into London town for some promo so SoulCulture caught up with him for a follow-up chat, having already featured him in last month’s Chocolate City Special…
What did we talk about?
Nigerian pride and ‘inter-black’ racism.
You know, the usual.
Interview by Marsha Gosho Oakes
Filmed&Edited by RizeOfTheRobotz
Photography by Fotonay
Mmmm, any fear he was going to say something insightful or profound about inter-cultural racism was quickly put to rest. As a dark skinned woman – at least from the little I know about the current state of play- I have to beg to differ that the situation has improved much (as far as media representation is concerned), I’ve just had to adjust myself to it and try not to let it bother me as much as it did when I was younger. Dark skinned men never stopped being aesthetically popular, it’s the darker-hued females who were overlooked or perceived as being at the bottom of the pile and judging by Wale’s vacuous comments this media perception isn’t changing anytime soon. Good thing women (of any ethnicity or complexion) shouldn’t hang their self-esteem on what rappers think of us eh? I should expect nothing better from someone who’ll work with Lady Gaga, anyway.
Plus if he’s so proud to be Nigerian, he’s got no excuse for not having visited the country. I’m sure he’s good for the money. Fashionable patriotism is just another part of the stage-persona-cum-gimmick. Whatever, dude.
Shalom, T x