I often think about the ridicule that Black women face every day for not presenting their vulnerability in neat and digestible packages. I think of how Black women aren’t given empathy until their lives are merely a memory. I think of artists like Solange, Nicki Minaj, Cardi B, and now Summer Walker, being labeled as “rude” or “ungrateful” when their vulnerable moments are unapologetically on display. I cheer when these artists refuse to keel over because of the criticism, even if I don’t agree with every decision they make. I celebrate this protest because I am often that woman — the one choosing to live how I desire, despite how others think I should be living.
As a Black woman, being vulnerable and open is a trying task, especially since our endless emotional labor and presentation of strength keep us in society’s good graces. A Black woman like Summer Walker defies odds by performing her vulnerability out loud and in the face of thousands. Black women in music showcase their vulnerabilities at the expense of losing their privacy and overall agency.
When Summer Walker first hit the music scene in 2018, her smooth yet raw tunes about staying prayed up and needing love transported listeners to another realm of transparency. We already had Solange and SZA, but something about Summer felt different and more familiar. Here was a young woman sharing her…
