Some Things You Hear

"Walking on the Moon" by The Dream

...cause I'll pull down a cloud for you / i'll circle the stars and bring you one back...

I would like to preface this whole blog entry by professing my romantic love for The Dream. You know, the girlhood love you had for El Debarge or New Edition? And you knew you were going to marry insert name of your lover here no matter what? That is how I feel about The Dream: as though I am 12 years old and everytime I hear a song of his I daydream about our life, a house, and kids.

Well, this time around, it is better than just a schoolgirl crush. I think The Dream is kind of a genius. Both albums that he has released were some kind of magical. I love all that 80s infused music. And not even good old 1980s R&B and soul, some straight 80s rock.

Why do I admire it so much? It is something different. His music and his sense of style is different but obviously somewhat natural to him (he is still from Hollyweird and there is a sense of inauthenticity about all of them in the fraternity of celebrityhoood).

It's exciting, however, because I often hate what I hear on the radio from rappers and singers alike. A handful of artist have appeared with better music and some artist of previous fame are coming out with different, more aesthetic, more artful sounds as well.

I just want Black men to see the artfulness of their existence. I am so tired of baggy jeans, saggin', t-shirts, kicks...my goodness. It is totally fine to dress like that sometimes. It is part of a culture that we should be proud of. However, why not mix it up with some slacks? A button up? A cardigan maybe?

I am not saying being Black or subscribing to hip hop culture is a problem. But I want Black people to diversify their expressions of identity. We let the media perpetuate a very monolithic presentation of us. Our Black men are always presented as 'gangsters', dealers, deadbeat dads, pimps, athletes, financially irresponsible, bottle poppin', stuntin', kind of annoying, ignorant to the issues of the world, materialistic, uneducated coons. Yes, this is how I feel our wonderful Black men are erroneously depicted, with a frequency that far outshines their innumerable qualities.

And, so as not to lose my mind, I cannot discuss how Black women are depicted by the media. Jesus, take the wheel.

Black men, Black people, can be whatever they want to be. We do not have to be uniformed. Of course, Black culture (culture in general) connect all who subscribe, but it does not dictate. We should all be individuals and be accepted in whatever condition we come in.

So, The Dream, do what you do no matter what they say. Kanye, you too. Don't let them silence your art. Don't let them stop seeing you as Black men, but change, for the little Black boys after you, what it means to be a Black man so that we include everyone's style and expression.

Back to reality, regardless of what anyone says, I'm going to marry The Dream, or at least have a summer fling with him. Or he could just give me a hug and read this blog son.