Rivah TV, July 28, 2023
****
Edited by Azizi Powell
This is Part II of a two part pancocojams series on the Essence Festival (also known as "the Essence Fest) that has been held annually in New Orleans, Louisiana since 1994.
This post showcases a YouTube vlog about the backlash that singer India Arie received when she posted an online comment about her concerns with the lack of decorum that was displayed during two performances at the 2023 Essence Festival.
This post quotes India Arie's online comment about those performances and presents an excerpt from an article about this subject. This pancocojams post also presents selected comments from the discussion threads of three YouTube vlogs about the 2023 Essence Festival.
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2023/09/the-history-of-essence-magazine-and.html for Part I of this pancocojams series. That post showcases a YouTube video and presents general information about the Essence Fest from several online article. An excerpt from the Wikipedia article about Susan L Taylor is included among the quoted information about the Essence Festival.
The content of this post is presented for historical and socio-cultural purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the producers and publishers of this embedded video.
-snip-
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2023/09/essence-festivals-2022-2023-black-girl.html for another perspective on the Essence Festival. That pancocojams post is entitled "Essence Festival 2022 & 2023: Black Girl Magic Fashions & Fun".
****
INDIA ARIE'S INSTAGRAM COMMENT ABOUT SOME PERFORMANCES AT THE 2023 ESSENCE FESTIVAL
(quoted on multiple YouTube vlogs about that festival)
"The issue is what is CONTEXT. Humanity does EVERYTHING. But
does EVERYTHING BELONG IN A STAGE, No, is
everything for KIDS? No, is everything for EVERY BODY? so when we as a culture
make something like this main stream ~ it shows a lack of discretion [and]
discernment.
To those in the comments who laugh at anyone who wants these things for our
culture you certainly have that right. Just as many folks have the right to
want our MAINSTREAM International export – out Music – to show us in a
respectful light. “Id like to go on the record saying : this wont age well and
thats my issue. i LOVE Janelle AND Meg the way i love us all — AND i dont like
this moment. Dont bother debating me lol idc and I DO this. for 25 yrs i’ve
done THIS. so. read ponder or don’t.”
****
EXCERPTS FROM AN ONLINE ARTICLE ABOUT INDIA ARIE'S COMMENT AND ITS BACKLASH
From https://thegrio.com/2023/07/06/india-arie-comments-on-janelle-monae-megan-thee-stallions-essence-fest-set/
Arie said a sexually charged portion of Monáe’s Essence Fest set is part of what should be deemed “adult entertainment” becoming more mainstream.
TheGrio Staff, Jul 6, 2023
"India.Arie voiced her opinion on Megan Thee Stallion and
Janelle Monáe’s performance at this year’s Essence Festival. She commented on
Monáe and Megan Thee Stallion’s sexual presentations at the festival, calling
it a “lack of discretion.”
On Tuesday, Essence Fest posted a video clip of Megan’s performance on its official Instagram page. With the caption, “Hot girl bootcamp was in full effect last night. It’s @janellemonae with the encouragement for us,” the video featured several women twerking on stage for the crowd, with Monáe cheering them on.
Arie expressed her feelings about the clip in the post’s comment section. The four-time Grammy Award-winner wrote a lengthy post about Megan and Monáe’s performance and what they portrayed to the Essence Fest attendees.
[…]
The “Strength, Courage, and Wisdom” singer said while there
may be many people in the culture who want see the type of performances and
presentations that mirror Megan and Monáe’s performance, there are just as many
people who want to see Black music displayed “in a respectful light.”
[…]
The singer-songwriter’s comments went viral, prompting
criticism on social media. The backlash compelled Arie to respond via her
Instagram Story on Wednesday. She clarified her statement, insisting that she
was talking about the context of Monáe’s performance only, saying that what she
considers more “adult entertainment” was becoming more mainstream."
“I HATE defending simple logic, so I’m going to just say
this,” Arie posted. “THIS IS NOT AN ISSUE WITH ANY OF MY SISTERS. PERIOD.”….
****
SELECTED COMMENTS ABOUT THE ESSENCE FEST AND/OR THE 2023 ESSENCE FEST AND OTHER RECENT ESSENCE FESTS
These comments are numbered for referencing purposes only. All of these comments are from 2023.
Discussion thread #1
From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trn9U_dEGEA
[This is the discussion thread for the vlog that is embedded in this pancocojams post.]
1. @sharonwomble-davis6117
"I am a 65 year old Black Woman from New
Orleans and I attended Essence year after year and it's obvious that the
positivity of the Brand has shrunk. PERIOD!!! The twerk lessons were not
appropriate for what that Brand use to stand for. However these new owners have
missed the mark. PERIOD! No CLASS, NONE.
**
Reply
2. @YT4Me57
"You spoke truth! I was a young girl when
Essence magazine came out. I poured through every one, from cover to cover. It
helped me define and navigate Black womanhood. I'm now 68. When I saw that
video, I was appalled! My parents trusted their daughter to the messages
Essence once laid at my feet. If i had been present at that concert, I would
have gathered myself and mine up and left...and demanded my money back. These
young people don't understand that whatever enterprise is behind the brand
today isn't interested in the uplifting of our people. They're literally
selling their bodies on the auction block. When our ancestors went through
that, it was traumatic and the shame was a generational curse. Now, do we
willingly give ourselves away in that manner? WAKE THE H🔥LL UP!!! 😡"
**
Reply
3. @MoonLightOnWater1
"I totally agree with India Arie: the
Essence Fest was NOTHING like this when I was growing up. But let’s be clear, The Essence Fest is
reflecting the culture today. It is
clear that the brand of Essence and the festival is not for folks my age
(60). I was shocked when I saw that
video at the Essence Fest….what the hell has happened to our culture?? it’s a
freaking race to the bottom.😢"
**
4. @user-sf6xn5rv8o
"She was right...PERIODT! That Essence
Festival video was a whhhooolllleee mess! I was disgusted watching that video.
Essence should know better."
**
5. @yvettewhite4107
"I totally agree. I blame the agents and
the executive show producers that signed off on that performance. I would kick
them off my branding team and recruit recent
marketing graduates who can say,”this is the message we send when we do
this…. this could impact future revenue… or disqualify us from future
prestigious events…” I guess you don’t put money in something you don’t know
you need."
**
6. @felicia393
"I have loved India Arie since I was
introduced to her FIRST Album. She has always been a genuine soul and I will
forever be a fan. I personally agree with her, there is a time and place for
everything. I have always wanted to go to the ESSENCE festival but that clip
was a turn off for me. I'm glad I didn't get my tickets because I also didn't
know that they had been sold. Honestly, if I had seen that clip alone not
knowing where it came from and had to guess the ESSENCE festival wouldn't have
even made my list. It's giving Freaknik or Girls Gone Wild"
**
7.@cheriefields372
"How did we get to this place of
classless, disrespect, and vulgarity? None of this represents essence. India,
keep sharing your music of self love. Sadly, the decadence will burn."
**
8. @sabrinastallworth6443
"India Arie, is correct,and I support her comments. The Essence Festival,isn't the same it's been brought out by the big industry,and it's
exploiting the culture of our people."
9. @eebb7112
"I’m so glad I saw the clip, I’ll never waste my money going to the Essence Festival. While the females were twerking on stage, what was the clapping for??? As India stated….this was not the place for any of that. WOMEN we have more to offer than twerking and exploitation. You’re so much better than what I just viewed😏😫"
**
10. @twarren20
"Well, just cancel the Festival because that's what's going to happen if you don't like change. Let's be honest, I don't care how many pretty words you speak to uplift the Essence festival...how many tickets has it been selling in order to keep it going? At the end of the day, India and others have their opinions and they should be able to express them..JUST BE READY FOR PEOPLE TO HAVE THEIR OPINION OF YOUR OPINION. I absolutely hate when people think that having an "opinion" immediately makes people not have an opinion of your opinion. If you're speaking YOUR truth, why be bothered that people don't accept YOUR truth? HAHA. You're getting mad because you feel like you're getting canceled when in actuality they're just doing the same thing you're doing, expressing their opinions and executing the right to not support you any longer. At the end of the day, I guess Africans who have been twerking for centuries shouldn't be in the limelight as well. So, I guess only people like India Arie who sing certain songs and have certain messages are the only people who love our culture should be the only people seen and heard on this platform. That's like saying church people should be the only people praying for you or going to church when church people can be some of the most HATEFUL people out there. Lady, get off your high horse. If you're a certain TYPE of woman, stop trying to judge others. That doesn't make you right or better than anyone. I've met STRIPPERS with better hearts than women like YOU. All this "this generation" of people speaks volumes to how judgemental and narcissistic people like you are. Why can't the Essence Festival represent a diversity of talent, culture, expression, independence, love, and charity? It boggles my mind and I'm glad they ate India up. She feels that her outlet is being threatened when that's not the case. Then the same artists are mad when they are home, broke, forgotten about, and bitter because they refuse to adapt and accept that things, not just Black people,'s culture change. We are our own worst enemies because we're too stuck on trying to control everyone else's narrative. Moral of the story: MIND YOUR DAMN BUSINESS."
11. @eileenwatt8283
"Essence is cancelled not India Arie."
**
12. @ReinventingEnergyAndLove
"Essence, more importantly is a celebration of our foundational culture....,
The Culture Of Soul!❤
We must,
Reinvent our Energy And Love.....✊🏿"
**
13,
"These are the last days. This video
should make Essence as well as BET take notice. They have really changed and
their "different direction" is affecting our people. Keep speaking."
**
14. @nolandhazzard3999
"Had to endure being sold/stoled from
Africa into slavery. Had to overcome Jim Crow, lynchings, segregation and
unequal treatment for nearly 400 yrs and "twerking" becomes the fruit
of our ancestors labor??!!!??.... My people my people 😡"
**
15. @theundralivingston9458
"I agree with India Arie & support
her stance 100%. There is a time & place for everything. The Essence Music
Festival is for the grown and sexy; and not the trashy. I said what I said."
****
Discussion Thread #2
From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GG61Q8ohcTw&t=42s India.Arie calls out Essence Festival organizers for Meg The
Stallion, Janelle Monae performances, published by Roland S. Martin, Jul 6, 2023 ...
India.Arie sounded off on Megan Thee Stallion and Janelle Monae’s performances at this year's Essence Festival.
The Grammy Award singer proclaimed on social media that the
performances of Meg and Monae’ are
"degrading" the culture.
1.@reginaldporter7321
"I am from new Orleans and the essence festival was always
ran with class what those women did was bs black women are losing their minds
where are our black queens what about our children taste less black women grow
up"
2.
"IF,.........😳😲The People of
the Essence Award wish to fill all them empty seat's by catering to the clear
AGENDA'S of those folk's 👿 dismantling the Black
Culture destroying the very integrity of what The Essence Award once stood for
in the first place ........ Maybe A Name Change should be put in place.
Class to Trash. The clear Agenda."
**
3. @kimfloyd6171
"Thank you, India. Lately, our culture has been moving away
from classy to trashy, and its sad 😢"
**
4. @robertjohnson6071
"It's simple,.. If I want to go to a music c concert, I'll
purchase a ticket or pay at the door with a set of expectations.
If I want to go to a
strip club or attend an orgy, that's a different venue, and my expectations
will be aligned towards that event. There might be a time and place for either
one, but the differences should be noted, and respectively appreciated."
**
5.
"Frankie Beverly and Maze were the close
of the Essence Festival for years. I
think this conversation should be about who is legendary enough now to
close? For this recognition of hip hop
50 years, a collaboration or someone like Dougie Fresh would’ve been
great. Meg had a place there, just not
as the close."
**
6. @tenayaellison8376
"The essence is know
for it's classy respectful uplifting
black Queens it's for the much older generation and I feel it was distasteful
and I agree with India if this is how the essence is going to be I won't be
watching we see this distasteful act everyday day with our black women and we
have to change something for something to be different I like Meg too but it
just wasn't a gud act for this particular event I'm sorry I'm not sorry India
said what she said to have it taken all out of context but I'm glad she said it"
**
7. @HouseOfHaute
"There's a time and place for all things.
That behavior belongs at Freak'Nic. Essence Fest was known as the grown and
sexy event of the year. You can be classy and sexy at the same time without
being trashy and perpetuating the oversexualiztion of Black women. Good
discussion Roland. -Toni"
**
8. @user-fn5ji1ny8b
"She was absolutely right! Furthermore, and in my opinion, we have to
realize who pushes the narrative of "US" being trashy. Essence is NOT owned by us anymore. When we owned it, that would not have been
allowed. So now the narrative is for our
young women to be empowered by being raunchy and trashy? Make it make sense! It was also disrespectful the the elders that
were there as well. IJS"
-snip-
"She" in this comment refers to India Aire.
**
9. @angelaf2079
"I was a student at D.U when Essence
started during Susan Taylor Days and it represented Black women in excellence!
This is not Essence it's Nothingness"
-snip-
Susan L. Taylor served as editor-in-chief of Essence from 1981 through 2000. Read some information about Susan L. Taylor in Part I of this pancocojams series.
**
10. @user-co4oq3zk2i
"The Essence I grew up with was
classified as "Classy" "Beauty" "Empowered"
"Tasteful" of our Black Women. This is Tacky, Gutterish, Ratchet and
downright Stank. Shame on Essence. When i was a young girl the magazine Jet was
considered the raunchy one and Essence was the classy one. Im
appalled,embarrassed, and annoyed by our black women direction is going. Its So
Sad😕"
**
11. @annettenunnally2308
"Could this problem be because Essence is not owned by Black
people anymore? Maybe because of the
ownership, our interest is not considered.
Are we seeing differences in BET, Ebony as well because of a lack of
Black ownership?"
12.
"Essence Festival went from upscale with style and class, to
ratchet with absolutely no class. India Aria is about ‘legacy’"
**
13. @AdrienneBing
"I am personally tired of seeing black women shaking their
ass everywhere! I was surprised and disappointed that Essence did this. I am a
little disappointed at Janelle Monae these days! A lot of stuff coming out
these days is not empowering to women at all. Indie Arie spoke very well and I
am glad she did! Why on every platform everywhere black women got to twerk, you
do different things in different environments. Meg did what she does they shld
not have booked her for this."
14.
"Some people make financial sacrifices to travel for this
affair.
They deserve their monies worth !!!
Not having to leave because of nasty and vulgar
performances"
**
15. @crimefreestruggles
"304s Crashed the Essence Festival"
**
16. @shaniscott8569
"Essence is an upscale event and should be conducted as such.
Once you allow an "anything goes" mentality its starts to bring down
the function. Look at Miami they are catching the same problem now with the
crowds they are attracting and all the issues they've had recently."
**
17. @Aspiring gardeners,
"Black women are being pushed by society into the role of
being sluts with no morals..... We got to end this.
Maybe its time to cancel the Essence organization. Its
platform and image has changed significantly- Essence has now been endorsing
this slut behavior for at least a decade and we are through with it being
pushed on us."
**
18.@dawngrundy9743
"In 2008, for the first time since its 1995 inception, the
festival was not produced by the original producer team. Instead, Essence
Communications, owner of the festival and the Essence magazine, contracted
Rehage Entertainment Inc.
Starting 2013, Solomon Group became the Producer of Essence Festival."
19.
"I remember when celebs used to sing their asses OFF at these
festivals. I guess those days are gone because all you see now, are strippers
and mumbling gang members with microphones singing to soundtracks, no live music, no live
singing. It's all garbage."
**
20. @mamashod6810
"India, is so True. I'm an individual who Attended the
Essence Festival Since it started in New Orleans as one of girls Trip. I see
now that the Essence Festival has Change and it's so Sad."
**
21. @vanessac8105
"Everything has a time and a place. “ESSENCE” is supposed to bring about
“EXCELLENCE”. India did well in sharing,
would never cancel her!"
**
22. @AK-vn1zw
"I agree with her Essence used to represent what it meant to
be classy women but I guess noone wants to face the fact that this is driving
the demise of the black woman. We are more than our bodies and then we get mad
at men of all races when they just want to lay us down. I'm sorry I am more
than just a pretty face and my body parts."
**
23. @elouisesaunders8302
"Let's stop being so mealy mouth about this.
This is not what Essence is suppose to be.
Don't even book these offensive acts for the sake of profit.
Bring back Class
India 💯"
**
24.
"Essences need two different festivals. One for the Hip Hop crowd the other for
traditional crowd."
**
25. @jeffreyhawkins3023
"🤔 Question should be
directed at the person or person's who's actually in charged in the hiring and
approval of these highly sexual targeting Acts. Hold them accountable for
smeering the Black Essence Image that which was for years. This sends a message
of pushing that sexual deviants AGENDA 👿
set Prestigious Beautifully Blessed Black Women back to the gutter streets."
**
26. @lovelymemories5970
"India Arie was absolutely correct. "Essence Festival Used to be
classy.". The new owners of the festival may not actually not care about maintaining nor
promoting respectability within Black culture and communities. They didn't build it, they simply bought, so
if tearing things down is their ultimate goal this display demonstrates that
they are n the move."
**
27.@teiahill7130
"I agree .Also, Beyonce attire and choreography are
about the same as Nicki Minaj , Cardi B, and Megan . Children won't be
able to attend essence festivals in the future.( Attire , Choreography,
lyrics). It's just all going too far. All beautiful black women. We're just
going in the wrong direction.
That's just my Opinion, though."
**
28. @TheRichmondPlanet
"The sexualization of Black women will never stop. Especially when the induatry controls the
culture.
The "context" is not the Essence festival per
se. But why and how we end up with a
constant stream of "Nicki Minaj(s)" being the vangaurd of Black
popular culture.
Are The "new youth of the culture" being fed less music nutrition
than the youth of the past?
If we say we're not a monolith, then each generation should
represent that. On their own accord. Every generation prior has created
multiple choices within each segment of Black music. We had multiple women that performed in
clothing and multiple with less. We had
men that crooned and those that gyrated.
Currently you have to go back a decade or two to show our so called diveraity and creativity .
So ask ourselves who
is filtering this illusion of choice?
In closing: Why is
there no competition for Beyonce?
(she bad.,. But nobody?)
Is Chris Brown the last "double threat"?
Are we locked into creating inspiring styles and never
owning them?
So... You just gonna let K-Pop take the throne? Just like
Blues Jazz and Soul.
Is it that young people can't compete? Or is it that the
industry ignores those that can in favor of those that are easier to control
and sell to the least common denominator?"
**
29. @barbarairving1326
"For me, Essence has always represented class and
elegance. Essence has let the music
industry imfluence its image in an unfavorabl way."
**
30. @user-lk2tr7ux8r
"OMG! Essence has never been the same since my role model
Susan Taylor left. She is and has always been a spiritual woman of class,
character and dignity. Thank you India Arie. You make black
women proud!"
**
Reply
31. @user-ti3vy4mf6p
"Susan was the Essence of the Copper Queen 👑. What we are seeing now is a blatant
Disregard for The Most HIGH 🙏🏽 who gave
Them the health and strength to be up
There performing. Why
did not they use this opportunity to Lift Up the Most HIGH ❤️
and
LET GOD BE MAGNIFIED.
The enemy are laying traps for them as we speak as most are to
incompetent to realize it. Twerking their way straight to the new plantation,
the gateway to HELL 😯😔😯 😯🙏🏽"
**
32.@neeneemusician9050
"Who owns ESSENCE...yall better recognize"
**
Reply
33. @thegraceofalady3629
"Fyi essence magazine is no longer black
owned. They simply want to destroy. Our legacy of amazing black female artists
being erased."
**
Reply
34. @incog4654
"@thegraceofalady3629
That's incorrect. ESSENCE is actually black-owned just not by Black
Americans. Richelieu Dennis is the new
owner of ESSENCE and he is Liberian
He has appointed a
Kenyan queer woman to be its CEO."
**
35.
"It was a bad, bad, bad representation for black women. I feel so helpless because this behavior has
gone mainstream. This is not who I am but this has become my representation? Go
to Japan, people in the club expecting me to twerk because i'm black, trying to
challenge me to a dance off? I am not
that girl! This bad behavior is far
reaching and painting us all as one type of woman."
**
Reply
36. @chalabrooks5433
"Oh boy! I didn't realize it went that far. 🤦🏽♀️🤔"
**
37. @queenbee82
"No truer words have ever been written! Class is where? If you want to
lift the culture don’t do performances that look like stripper shows in a
family environment- mixed generations present! Girl power up"
**
38. @mo-whack6790
"She didn't refer to it as trash. She is saying that the
behavior has a time and place. This festival wasn't it. It was adult
entertainment and it should have been done in their private concerts not at an
event that represents black culture as a whole."
**
39. @Lmb-ls5yl
"I attended the Essence Fest & concerts this year and I
wholeheartedly agree! Straight trash. I've been in the past and it was a
totally different experience. I paid a lot of $ for those tix and did not want
to see audience members twerkin on stage! Of course there was some notable
artists there for the 50th Hip Hop Anniversary, most of them represented well.
IF I go again, I will be much more selective."
**
40. @queen_nika8862
"I support India Arie 1,000%....I am so glad she spoke up.
Thank You
As a black woman that has children i would be so a shamed to
take my two son's and my daughter to that event...seeing that."
**
41. @thekusiwaa
"India Arie is right!!!
As a Ghanaian I respect my black Americans especially the
culture because it reflects on all of us Blacks world wide so we appreciate
that big sis is checking us all we
should do better ❤️🇬🇭🙏"
**
42.
"We have loss our sense of dignity that was respected for
Black women by Ms. Susan B. Taylor who was the model of essence as a Black
woman of distinction and class. She made the Essence Festival most appropriate."
**
43. @dlxinfinite7098
"It's soft core porn. Adult only entertainment. Stripper hop.
Getting even more explicit each year. Come on, Essence. Your work is historic
and legendary. Many of us are out here are fighting against this very image.
India ain't attacking the women, but the Industry"
**
44. @roka2031
"Exactly, strip show vibes....and India may not be saying
it.. but I am .....those artists can do better...people who attend a show like
this are not expecting strip club type entertainment, if they want that they
will go to a strip club...."
****
Discussion Thread #3
From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDHrXWOXiWE Hot Girl Summer Supporters Mad at India Arie, She Responded
to Backlash from Feminists, published by Pink Book Lessons, Jul 27, 2023
#essencefest #neworleans #feminism
Essence Fest Went from Classy to Hot Girl Summer, India Arie
Responds to Backlash from Feminists #feminism #essencefest #neworleans
"I'm riding with Auntie India! I've been a fan of her music
and what she stands for since I was a teenager, and I'm in my mid-30s. The
Essence Fest was fill of pure degeneracy this year! Janelle absolutely did NOT
get consent from the audience and that "twerk fest" was nothing but a
bunch of fish in bucket. Disgusting, degrading and simply out of line. I'm
proud that I've never carried myself in the manner that these "women"
do."
**
Reply
2. @Igboman87
"Same here, although I'd call her Big Cousin India as opposed
to Auntie, heheh; I'm in my mid-30's too."
**
3. @rejavenated
"The issue is that the standard for what is coined “black
excellence” is in the dirt. The world shouldn’t think of the gangster or the
hyper-sexual woman as the standard for blackness."
**
4. @Bitter_Truth_Show
"Gotta give Essence their credit, they're showing the world
what black society is about and what they stand for."
**
Reply
5. Pink Book Lessons
"🤔"
**
Reply
6. @TheEsquireofSports.2.0
"@pinkbooklessons Gotta be joking."
**
7. @Thespokenone
"From what I've seen from Essence magazine as an African in
the UK, in some of the hair salons I've been to for my locs, I never ever
expected to see this kind of content from them."
**
8. @harricoentertainment
"@pinkbooklessons you’re absolutely correct, something is
definitely going on. 304 &
feminist culture is being pushed hard in
many developing and developed African countries amongst young African
women. They even have a pookie & ray
ray culture simultaneously happening in these same areas as well. Look into the Female DJ culture in Durban
& Joburg South Africa and Nairobi Kenya.
Some of those female DJs and club hopping women behave and act no
different from the magic city 304s here in the states. It’s very unfortunate to see African women
behave like this and be overly sexualizing themselves. HOWEVER, thank God that women like this in SA
& Kenya and other African countries, are an EXTREME MINORITY. Most African women are NOT like this at
all. I do believe the agenda is to make
this behavior and 304 culture the norm for black women worldwide."
-snip-
-snip-
Here's the slang meaning of a "304"
from https://www.dexerto.com/entertainment/what-does-304-mean-on-tiktok-2108891/
" A 304 is a term used to refer to a promiscuous woman or sex worker. If you type the number 304 into an old-school LED calculator and flip it upside down, it should look like the word “h*e,” which some use as a slang word for the profession."
**
My definition of a "Pookie & Ray Ray" culture is an African American culture that is represented by lower class, men who either lounge around doing nothing or engage in illegal street activities.
**
9. @mr.bitcoin1953
"As a Black man over 50
from S. FLA and living in ATL, I've enjoyed the ratchetness of Freaknik, BCR,
Black Bike Week, and the, less just say,
somewhat frequent visit to the strip club but I've always enjoyed going to
Essense Fest a more mature,
sophisticated gathering of Black women/people especially with the mini
concerts, workshops and panels promoting Blk women's empowerment. I didn't go
this year but I would have been disappointed to see it turn into a 304
twerk party. There has to be a balance, let the grown women have their events and let
the THOTs have theirs. I'm here for both 😉"
-snip-
Here's a definition for "Thots":
From https://www.dictionary.com/browse/thot
"Thots
Noun Slang: Disparaging and Offensive.
a woman considered to be sexually provocative or promiscuous; a slut or whore."
10.
"To put things in CONTEXT as India Arie was trying to
do: She makes a valid point about the
fact that Essence Management has changed and the new owners have taken Essence
Magazine and Festival in a totally different direction. Any one who wonders why that matters should
do some research on the new/current owner of Essence and his wife and how
things have changed from the original mission of Essence Magazine/Festival
which has now largely taken the "essence" out of Essence."
**
11. @i.can.d
"Meg can’t even be blamed here. Her whole brand is thottin n
poppin. Essence needs to take accountability. They booked her because she’s
popular and they wanted to sell tickets. Period. Super trifling.
I agree with India."
**
12. @vancexel
"The new owners seem to be pushing money above all else. I
know we expect these people to help promote good morals and promote the
communityin a healthy way, but we have to realize that they sold their souls to
money and stop always looking to them for what good character or morals are."
**
13. @Igboman87
"The likes of India Arie, Alicia Keys, Fantasia, Heather
Headley, Jennifer Hudson, Chrisette Michele, Kelly Rowland, Angie Stone and
Jazmine Sullivan should be pushed to the forefront for representation and
emulation of Black women. Even Mary J. Blige, Janet Jackson, and Whitney
Houston (RIP) who had their edgy moments, were at least conscious enough about
their images, and did not compromise their morals. These three are also much
more attractive than the broads rubbed in our faces these days."
**
14. @dforeman8865
"Yeah I’m glad I didn’t go to Essence this year! When I saw
the line up 🆙 Me and my fam n friends declined didn’t go!
I’m with India Arie!"
****
This concludes Part II of this pancocojams series.
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