Blackface vs. A Black Face

In discussing Rihanna's new video "Rock Star," Gawker makes the startlingly acute observation that the singer sports blackface in her video.

A Black singer. Is in Blackface.

Not as political satire like in Bamboozled, but just like all those uninformed, ignorant high fashion models that were slathering their white bodies in black paint. Except that she's already Black. And that she just has paint on her body, similar to when she was covered in silver paint in her "Umbrella" video.

Arghh! Silverface!

I'm not a fan of Blackface, clearly, but the "Rock Star" video isn't Blackface. What's interesting is the labeling of her video as such because it rings familiar of "How come you can do it, but I can't?" most famously applied to Black folks' use of the N-word.

It's not as simple as saying Rihanna has a "pass" because she's already black; that she can make her skin darker for artistic purposes but someone that has Britney Spears' complexion can't. It's far more complicated than that actually. It has to do with these little, piddling things called history, context, and power relations, things that can't possibly be standardized. Black paint means very different things for different skin tones, races, and ethnicities. The need for regulation on what humans can do and not look racist is a need held by the privileged. And the exasperation of "Well, how come I got in trouble when I did it?" is proof positive of that privilege.

And I can't help but think accusing a Black singer of performing Blackface is some kind of subconscious attempt at de-legitimizing the seriousness of the act and its infamous place in American history. Because now even Blacks are doing it, which makes this whole thing seem so silly and...inconsequential. Just like Yellow or Brownface or any other racialized imagery used to sell shit.

Rather than provide you with a thoughtful conclusion on this post, I'm gonna go off on a slight tangent: People, please stop using White Chicks as your defense in how Blackface criticism is hypocritical. Seriously.