Sivaprakash Jaiganesh

03/04/2018

Professor Naomi Macalalad Bragin

Blog draft

Can a hug end racism?

The music video, I’m not racist by Joyner Lucas, went viral when it was first released

and the reason being is that it tackled the issues that African Americans face in White America.

The video is very simple, it’s shot in an empty room of a tall building, the focus of the music

video is on two individuals; one black and the other white. They’re both facing each other,

separated by a small, white, round table. They’re in center stage and everything else is in the

backdrop. The video primarily consists of these two individuals sharing their opinions and

rebuttals, although there are various gestures and movements that imitate hip hop culture from

both parties.

I will be connecting this music video to Yancy’s theory of Black versus the Non-Black

divide, Christen Smith’s explanation on Sequela, and structural racism in America. When talking

about Black vs. the Non-Black divide, it’s segregation and discrimination but this time it’s

everyone against black people, not just white. This relates to The White Anti-Racist is an

Oxymoron by Kil Ja Kim, Kim says, “…there is a way in which white people will not be

viewed as inherently criminal or suspect unless they are perceived as doing something that

breaks particular norms” (White Anti-Racists). And she compares this idea to other racial

groups, like Blacks and Native Americans who are almost always considered inherently criminal.

In the music video, Lucas raps, “Aight, look, I see a black man aimin’ his gun but I’d rather

see a black man claimin’ his son” (Genius). This is similar to what Kim is talking about,
because people automatically assume black people are criminals without them doing anything,

like how the white person assumes his counterpart a criminal without even hearing out his story.

I can also speak from first-hand experience seeing a white homeless person steal a bag full of

items from a supermarket and let off the hook, because he didn’t look like a criminal that even

the police didn’t bother incarcerate him. While the same cannot be said about a black person, for

example, if a black person was to walk into a grocery store or any department store he’s

automatically assumed to have some malicious intent. The TV show What Would You Do?

(WWYD?) gives a clear example of how this works. Kil Ja Kim makes the assumption that there

is no such thing as a white anti-racist and going back to the music video, the white person

constantly says “I’m not racist, but…” and continues to make racial stereotypes about black

people. The lyrics, “I’m not racist, my sister’s boyfriend’s black, I’m not racist, my sister-

in-law’s baby cousin Tracy got a brother and his girlfriend’s black.” Supports Kim’s

assumption, as long as he or any white person says he has black friends, it automatically should

mean he is immune from being racist even though he still makes racist stereotypes.

When the black male gives his rebuttal, he says, “It’s hard to elevate when this

country’s ran by whites, judging me by my skin color and my blackness, tryna find a job

but ain’t nobody call me back yet” (Genius). Joyner Lucas presents how structural racism

affects Black Americans, it’s true that black people that apply for jobs are least likely to be called

back in comparison to whites or any other racial groups. This connects to Yancy’s Black vs.

Non-Black divide, how black people are put at the bottom of the ladder and everyone that isn’t

black is more likely to be considered white. A white person or non-black person is more likely to

be hired for the job than a black person, “to be white is not to be black” (Yancy).
 One specific part of the music video that stood out to me was the hug at the end, hence

the title “Can a hug end racism?”. Once the black individual finishes his story, the white man

stands up and offers a hug, then they both embrace as a symbol of acknowledgement and

understanding the situation. During this scene the black individual is wearing dark attire, a

wildcat sweater or bomber jacket, while the white individual is wearing a stereotypical, preppy

shirt with rolled up sleeves. This scene really shows the comparison of these two, one looks like

corporate America while the other looks more urban, even the hair in dreadlocks represents free

and wild. When they embrace each other for a hug, both of them are center stage while

everything else is in the backdrop. Back to the point of can a hug end racism, it cannot because

it’s simple solution to a complicated problem that’s been happening for over 500 years. This

shows the importance of the video, can a hug end racism? A hug cannot abolish the slavery, hate,

and segregation Black people faced for over 500 years and continue to face.
 Bibliography

“Joyner Lucas – I'm Not Racist.” Genius, 28 Nov. 2017, genius.com/Joyner-lucas-im-not-racist-lyrics.

Kim, Kil Ja. White Anti Racists Open Letter By Tamara Nopper,

www.nathanielturner.com/whiteantiracistsopenletter.htm.

“How to Become White.” pp. 27–62. Yancey

Lucas, Joyner, director. I'm Not Racist. Youtube, 28 Nov. 2017, www.youtube.com/watch?v=43gm3CJePn0.