There’s always been something about Black people wrapped in the American flag that has made me uneasy. For me, it’s a symbolism indicative of the intimate bonds we have with our oppressor, and the way it results in a longing to be accepted by those whose survival is predicated on our destruction. So, when I heard of the 1619 Project, I had immediate reservations. I’m well aware that 1619 was the year that the first recorded enslaved Africans came to the shores of the British colony, which would later become the state of Virginia. I support the need for African . . .
Pop Culture
Identity Without Responsibility
It’s very difficult to really get to the bottom of an issue with a celebrity at the center. On Hood Communist, we have written and talked a lot about the issues created by celebrity-centered analysis. Once the concept of celebrity enters a room, it stands in the middle of the floor and expands outward in every direction, making it impossible for other issues, like class, to get a word in. The conversation can no longer be about the issue itself, only the spectacle of the celebrity and what we project on our relationship with that person. This is proven true . . .
The Absurdity of “Diary of a Tired Black Man”
There is an amazingly sad example of a program aired on the IMDB network called “Diary of a Tired Black Man.” Part fiction, part documentary (street interviews with people), full insanity, this effort illustrated in clear terms Kwame Ture’s statement that any analysis that doesn’t include our enemies is a worthless analysis. What he meant by that is any oppressed people who attempt to explain the conditions of their people who leave out the system causing their oppression will always come up with a confused conclusion. We wish to add our own attempt at a logical statement to Kwame’s spot . . .
Eat Jay-Z
Jay-Z recently had an incoherent rant on Twitter Spaces that ‘Eat The Rich’ and being called a capitalist is racist. This is a good reason to keep identifying him as a capitalist and to keep trying to ‘eat’ him. People who talk much about not being intimidated are actually intimidated most of the time. The capitalist class is afraid and so are the Black capitalist class, the gatekeepers, that they use to hold down our race. But why are Black capitalists like Jay-Z afraid? The oppressions of the Black race and that of the poor masses intersect, so much so . . .
A Short History of the US War Against Black Musicians
Introduction The polarizing nature of the Black Power Movement captured the attention of the entire nation. The revolutionary rhetoric espoused by prominent Black organizations and activists also earned the full attention of intelligence agencies in the United States hell-bent on quelling any support of socialist economic practices at the height of the Cold War. Covert operations like the FBI’s infamous Counterintelligence Program (COINTELPRO) identified, surveilled, defamed, and often murdered Black leaders they deemed capable of leading an organized rebellion against the US government. The rise of radical organizations like the Black Panther Party produced a counterculture that encouraged cultural pride . . .
Culture Wars and The Lessons We Still Aren’t Learning
Most recently, Hood Communist editor Salifu Mack sat down with Kali Akuno for an interview discussing his longtime and current movement work. During the interview, Kali talked about his days in the early ‘90s attempting to get organic African based revolutionary broadcasting networks set up. The reason? Kali noted that at that particular time there was an emerging organized right-wing formation on broadcast radio. “…it became very clear to me by 1990 that ‘the right’ was on that. I’d be going to some of these training [sessions] and I’d be right next to skinheads and clan members and all these . . .
I’m Sick of the Oscars, Will Smith, and Chris Rock
As usual, the blatant hypocrisy of the capitalist system is so sickening it turns my stomach. And, it should turn yours also. Just to be clear, I don’t care one bit about Will Smith, Chris Rock, Jada Pinkett-Smith, the Oscars, the U.S. government, capitalism, any of it. I’m sick of the people claiming that Will Smith was defending African women. If you really think a stupid, spontaneous, and emotionally generated reaction (if it was even authentic) is a strong example of defending African women than that goes a long way in explaining why African women are never defended in the . . .
TikTok & “Anti-Social” Media
Short videos have the ability to effortlessly expose mundane ills of capitalism. On the other hand, the premise of these exposés are often to make viewers laugh or make the creator profit, thus overshadowing the actual ills and exploitations they seek to illuminate; or, in other instances, the videos are simply so decontextualized and seemingly ‘random’ that viewers find themselves simply saying “that’s horrible” before swiping up. . . .