Members of NWA and the cast and crew of forthcoming biopic
"Straight Outta Compton"
Recently, a horrible casting call went out for women
to appear in the forthcoming biopic "Straight Outta Compton" about
the California rap group NWA. The ignorant, self-hating descriptions
in the casting call left many people offended. It is as follows:
A GIRLS: These are the
hottest of the hottest. Models. MUST have real hair — no extensions,
very classy looking, great bodies. You can be black, white, asian,
hispanic, mid eastern, or mixed race too. Age 18-30.”
“B GIRLS: These are fine
girls, long natural hair, really nice bodies. Small waists, nice
hips. You should be light-skinned. Beyonce is a prototype here. Age
18-30.”
“C GIRLS: These are
African American girls, medium to light skinned with a weave. Age
18-30.”
“D GIRLS: These are
African American girls. Poor, not in good shape. Medium to dark skin
tone. Character types. Age 18-30.”
When I was a teen, I read an article in an African
American magazine about the term "colorstruck." It is in reference
to some, not all, black people, who glorify light skin and curly
hair and disparage dark skin and kinky hair. At its root are
ignorant stereotypes and prejudices within the black community
worldwide, held by some, not all black people.
What's ironic is black people who believe light skin
is better than dark skin and curly hair is better than kinky hair
are deluded and self-hating. Any black person, I don't care how
mixed the individual is, who lives or has ever lived had ancestors
with very dark skin and kinky hair. Anyone with even a drop of black
blood in them had such ancestors. It's sad that men and women, who
come from a long line of black women are engaging in this self-hate.
Recently, I ordered an electronic skincare product
for hair removal. The telephone representative, who was white,
talked about different skin tones best for the product and described
Halle Berry, Alicia Keys and Rihanna as "dark" people the product
would work on, when most black people deem them light. He wasn't
being prejudice, but to him, a white man, they are dark (some white
people are "porcelain" hued). Yet in the black community, there are
ignorant prejudices regarding light and dark skinned blacks, when at
the end of the day, light or dark, black is black.
Recently, I was looking at the fashion line of a
black man and everyone of his models for every fashion campaign,
both male and female, were mixed race or white. Not a single dark
skinned black man or woman. This is ironic as the person behind the
fashion line is not mixed, but a dark skinned man with African
features. Yet, here he is repeatedly sending out the message that he
worships mixed race and white looks, while denying and disregarding
people of his own dark skin tone. Not to mention, he only dates
mixed race women, who almost look white or white women. He doesn't
like women who look like him in skin tone or facial features.
I have nothing against interracial dating. I would
date and marry a person of another race. Though I am black, if it
weren't for interracial marriage, I wouldn't be here, as many of my
ancestors are of different races (three of my great-great
grandfathers are white European males and one of my
great-grandfathers was a Portuguese Indian man, among others).
However, at the same time, I respect, appreciate and promote every
race, including my own, via my columns and other work I have written
and copyrighted.
People need to learn to respect and appreciate every
look. For example, women such as Halle Berry, Lupita Nyong'o, Megan
Fox, Gisele Bundchen, Tamron Hall and Jessica White are all
beautiful and cover every color/skin tone spectrum.
STORY SOURCE
Rochelle Riley: N.W.A. casting call defining beauty backfires,
reveals ugly side of Hollywood
12:54 PM, July 22, 2014 - There are still
grown-ups who believe in Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny. They’re
the same people who believe that violent, sexist rap music and
blood- and murder-filled video games have absolutely no effect on
kids. But let’s not talk about all kids for a second. Let’s talk
just about the girls, especially young black girls. And let’s
consider a Hollywood casting call that has caused outrage in circles
across the country — because definitions of beauty affect kids, too.
A Los Angeles agency issued a call for Universal
Picture’s upcoming “Straight Outta Compton,” the most anticipated
rap film since “Eight Mile” and next to John Singleton’s upcoming
“Tupac” biopic. “Compton” will recount the rise and roils of the rap
group N.W.A. (look it up), whose members included the film’s
producers Dr. Dre and Ice Cube.
Slated for an August 2015 release, the film has
begun production. But the recent casting call for women broke my
heart. It asked them to send in photos and information in four
categories that you have to read for yourself:
■ “A GIRLS: These are the hottest of the hottest.
Models. MUST have real hair — no extensions, very classy looking,
great bodies. You can be black, white, asian, hispanic, mid eastern,
or mixed race too. Age 18-30.”
■ “B GIRLS: These are fine girls, long natural hair,
really nice bodies. Small waists, nice hips. You should be
light-skinned. Beyonce is a prototype here. Age 18-30.”
■ “C GIRLS: These are African American girls, medium
to light skinned with a weave. Age 18-30.”
■ “D GIRLS: These are African American girls. Poor,
not in good shape. Medium to dark skin tone. Character types. Age
18-30.”
I read it and shuddered. I ached for those young
women who would eagerly read the directions, then try to find
themselves in those descriptions. I wondered, near tears, how girls
who placed themselves in the D category would feel. I couldn’t
decide whom to be madder at — Universal Pictures and the casting
agency, which both have since apologized, or Ice Cube himself...
You see, I never liked Ice Cube. I didn’t listen to
gangsta rap. Ice Cube was not a part of my world until he co-starred
in John Singleton’s “Boyz in the Hood” and showed me he was capable
of so much more than what I knew...
