"The Reason #BlackTwitter Exists (And Is Totally Awesome)" 2019 video & comments

Say It Loud, May 30, 2019

....From seemingly choreographed takedowns to hilarious commentary on culture and current events, Black Twitter continues to be a source of endless debate, research, and of course endless cackles. In this episode, we deep dive into how Black Twitter exists on the platform and the unspoken (but somehow still agreed upon) rules of engagement. #SayItLoudPBS

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Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part I of a two part pancocojams series about Black twitter.

This post showcases the 2019 YouTube video entitled "The Reason #BlackTwitter Exists (And Is Totally Awesome)".

Selected comments from this video's discussion thread are also included in this post.

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2023/02/articles-about-black-twitter-after-elon.html for Part II of this pancocojams series. Part II presents excerpts from four online articles about Black Twitter since Elon Musk bought Twitter.

The content of this post is included for socio-cultural purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Say It Loud's YouTube channel and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.

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SELECTED COMMENTS FROM THIS VIDEO'S DISCUSSION THREAD

Numbers are added for referencing purposes only.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTRNptAvBIQ

2019

1. taylormj96
"Steps to being apart of black twitter

 

Step 1: be black

Step 2: have Twitter

 

Done."

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2. Gail Becker
'And Hashtag."

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3. The BRIDGE 54
"Ding ding ding I’m qualified 🙌🏿🇭🇹"

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4. Atiba Chike Williams
"Even if you're not American?"

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5. money bxndz
"Atiba Chike Williams yes"

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6. Lucas Mendieta
"Instructions unclear, now I'm white. What do I do?"

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7. Miss Dee
"you forgot: Step 3: follow and interact with other black people on twitter"

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8. nevayuh, 2020
"Atiba Chike Williams there’s different back twitters. There’s Black UK Twitter, Black American Twitter, Nigerian Twitter...etc"

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9. Bianca Redifer
"Wow so informative! I love black twitter. I had no clue people were studying it so much. I think of Black twitter as the online cookout. This is what we do/say at the cookout/reunion but no one else hears it. Now everyone can see our thoughts lol it's called black twitter."

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10. Jess J
"I'm part of quite a few Twitters. Black, progressive, black concious, black feminist, and black academia. All these communities fill up my timeline. I can spend all day on Twitter without self control. Either way Twitter is a great platform to spread ideas and connect with individuals we can't with Facebook or Instagram."

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11. Jei Herald-Zamora
"I'm on #NativeTwitter that seemed to emerge recently. it shares a lot of aspects you've discussed. it took me over two years for my @JayGrrl handle to gain traction to the point of not tweeting for weeks and come back to the same state i left it in. we're smol but proud community."

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12. Deja-Monique
"Black a Twitter is a great place within Twitter where Black people can relax, converse, and share information with one another. It’s like we’re all family or a tribe in a way. ❤️🥰"

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13. LittleGothGirl, 2021
"Pretty much. ☺"

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14. Ashanda At Large
"I use #BlackTwitter for social activism. It's about education, building community and influencing our people to shift toxic systemic thinking patterns so we can truly unify.

Excellent breakdown."

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15. SmoovArt DesignLab
"Black Twitter saved Twitter"

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16. becca1783
"#FACTS"

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17. Ahsoka Tano
"See this makes me want to create a Twitter so that I could join #blacktwitter (I follow #blackboyjoy and #blackgirlmagic on insta and love it, omg) but I'm a black brit so I dont know how that would play out 🤷🏿‍♀️

I'd love to hear African Americans opinions on non African Americans joining that space seeing as from and outsiders point of view, black Twitter mostly consists of African American culture and its influence."

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18. Kevin Lecointe
"Don't get me wrong. I liked the video, but I felt they told too much. It's like they broke rule number One. You don't talk about Fight Club."

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19. luchiane
"Lowkey 👀😳😬🙃"

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20. Amber Galea
"I read black twitter for a free education. I’m so grateful for this window to the world outside my WASP bubble"

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21, Mrnovanova
"I thought black Twitter was an abstract notion like love or freedom. Thanks for the edumacation👍 As always, you sisters are🔥🔥🔥"

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22. Jak
"Black Twitter dragged me in '13 😂😂😂 I laughed"

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23. Oshinofa Lakoju
"LMAOO sis what happened?"

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24. im ani
"@Bridgee Bridge  we need a reenactment"

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25. Jess J
"She probably said something about Beyonce 😂😂😂 2013 was when she performed the superbowl halftime"

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26. Imani
"I got excommunicated from Black Twitter back in 2012... dont feel bad"

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27. Ms. LaRue
"@imani  lmao for what??"

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28. imani
"@Ms. LaRue  i was just problematic for no reason."

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29. LittleGothGirl, 2020
"@imani  🤦🏾‍♀️😂😂"

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30. Lee Silva
"Black Twitter gives me LIFE honey!!!!! 😍😍😍"

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31. Nicole preissl
"Black Twitter has also inspired other sectors of social media for marginalized groups/POC! Where would Native Instagram be if Black Twitter hadn't existed!?"

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32. Out of Focus
"Black twitter keeps some people responsible."

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33. Ramen Analysis
"I highly recommend checking out /r/BlackPeopleTwitter if you're not a fan of Twitter.  I think it's a cool place to check out some of the highlights. Plus, it's funny af. I'm not black. Just cheering you on from the stands as a fellow minority."

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34. Zakiya Bambozzle
"Its not full of black people, its majority white kids pretending to be black. Check other subs on reddits for black men and women ."

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35. Chim Cham
"Zakiya Briggs Facts. /r/BlackPeopleTwitter is where white kids go to get clued in on the culture and slang they try to infiltrate and claim. There’s plenty of better subreddits that are for black folks, BY black folks but just like black twitter, you kinda have to be in to know where to look."

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36. Mike Tacos
"sits at a park bench

the contact sits down

i pass a note

"How do I find Black Twitter?"
-snip-
This comment was written in bold font on that discussion thread.

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37 .Laura Spoonie Vlogs
"Literally black twitter is wherever there are black people on this planet with a twitter account Lol

The UK be popping off too

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38.Angelic TroubleMaker
"#CreatorsOfKool #blackPeople"

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39. Grace K.
"that one headline "why are so many Black people on twitter" was so gross. like damn WE use social media like evvvverybody else can and will...we just make it pop."

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40. Lynn Harr
"Sugar in grits? Just, no!"

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41. artsylovelylady
"Um, sugar grits ARE the correct ones."

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42. Margarida Baldini
"I wish we had a black Twitter in Europe... 😞"

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43. Trevor Pote
"No u dont lol"

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44. Margarida Baldini
"@Trevor Pote  yes i do 😑 proud of my culture"

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45. LittleGothGirl, 2021
"@Margarida Baldini  You should be able to find black twitter hashtags even in Europe. If not, create your own #EuropeanBlackTwitter"

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46. LKBeastGamer
"Is this not kind of segregation? Not hating or anything tho just a question"

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47. LittleGothGirl, 2021
"How? Black people in America literally share every aspect of our culture. Black twitter is literally just a cultural hub where black people communicate online. Its not some exclusive club. Lol"

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48. aqua fina
"What is black twitter? Is there a black facebook and ig too"

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49. jordy Aaaa
"aqua fina hashtags black ppl use.. once you click the hashtag you now enter the discussion amongst thought of black ppl who may have commented about that specific tweet. It’s the same twitter platform but the hashtags is what creates a space just for black ppl who talk about any and everything."

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50. jordy Aaaa
"aqua fina, example Thanksgiving time. I know you’ve seen those hilarious memes with the hashtag “Thanksgivingwithblackfamilies” or some hashtag that are similar..well it’s a space where black ppl share their experience as a black person during the holidays with tons of memes, pictures, and comment section be lit. That is black twitter"

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51. Miss Telly
"A black OWNED Twitter would make more sense..."

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52. Gail Becker
"She meant "Shorten you're to 'u r', not you are."

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53. Princess Diana Rollerskating
"LGBT Twitter operates in much of the same way"

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54. M Linda
"Thanks for explaining, i had thought black Twitter  was a twitter account namw"

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55. trentbateman
"It exists because communicating in less than 120 characters fits black Americans perfectly"

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56. Ngasii
"I am and it's lit🔥. South Africa got its own and from what I've seen between the two it is just as crazy only in 11 different languages at once😂"

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57. Akas Baakop3, MD
"Bruh... South African Twitter.. Yall do the most.. I just wished I understood the other half of what was being said. Yall just be typing in English and then suddenly switch language. Maynn.. 😂"

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58. Taku K
"Haha I love south Africa Twitter"

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59. Young Flex
"South African twitter is so cringe. You guys use memes incorrectly and the things yoy guys find amusing are questionable. So no,you guys do not compare,not even close."

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60. N Ndlovu
"Ncese Thulani..... 😂😂😂 we all skipped Memology 101. Our bad🙆"

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61. Young Flex
"@N Ndlovu  awubheke nje,ukungasi konke lokhu"
-snip-
Google translate from Zulu to English: "Just look at, not all this"

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62. Ngasii
"@Young Flex  hayi wethu, let a people be a people. Asizofana sonke😂"
-snip-
Google translate from Zulu to English

"hayi wethu" ="not ours"

"Azisofana sonke" ="we will not all be the same"

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62. Evonne77, 2020
"My youtube is diverse. I watch content from people of all races, etc., and yes I'm black. I like variety."

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This concludes Part I of this two part pancocojams series.

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