Recently, I’ve engaged in a lot of self-evaluation and was intrigued by debates on whether males should wear Uggs or not, sparked by an image of two guys wearing Uggs. Additionally, many people had characterised them as ‘care free black boys’ and this I find very strange. This has led me to question, is being a ‘carefree black boy’ all about aesthetics? Or is there something deeper about this movement?
The movement itself is about redefining the image of a black man. It is about creating more space for black men to explore and discover who they are. Many young black men are rarely given the opportunity to be who they want to be. Instead choose to live in the hyper-aggressive, hyper-sexual and hyper-masculine narrative that has been set for us. The movement seeks to redefine this idea by introducing/showcasing liberty. Through showcasing liberty, the idea is now to create more space for nonconformity to exist. So in this sense I feel the movement is one that is about breaking cultural and gender ideas as well as creating new ones.
I feel this movement is important and refreshing. I feel it’s important for society to move with the times. In general I feel the black community have a more ‘conservative’ attitude towards the world and life. In this sense, I feel the black man is boxed into the roles of being an unemotional breadwinner, gangster, rapper or athlete. Importantly, this also comes with other negative stereotypes such as being cheaters and runaway fathers. I feel it’s important we tackle this and create room for all black men to be who they are. This would also mean the end of terms such as, ‘oreo’. Diversity is a huge force at the moment, and we must take the chance to redefine who a black man is.
Important figures in the ‘carefree black boy’ movement recently have been Chance tha Rapper and Young Thug. Young Thug in particular has pushed many boundaries in terms of fashion. On the cover of his album ‘Jeffery’, he wears a dress.
Here I feel he makes a huge statement by showing a black man from a deprived upbringing is able and audacious enough to be comfortable in his ‘wave’ despite social norms.
Chance tha Rapper is a great example; he is very different from the majority of up and coming rap artists. Many of his peers in the rap game embrace more of a ‘trap’ sound, where as Chance typically is a more ‘soulful’ artist. Chance, like Young Thug ascetically shows this too with dungarees often being an unusual feature but typical of his style. Something that is very important to express is that to my knowledge neither has self-proclaimed himself as a ‘carefree black boy’.
Regrettably, I feel the movement is quite far away from its intentions. It has created a completely new stereotype. Unfortunately, if the ‘carefree black boy’ stereotype became typical for most black men then we’d be right back to square one. We would have millions of black men dressed in pink, with flower-filled afros taking photos at the Tate Modern for a Tumblr account. Not to mention the flower Snapchat filter, nail varnish, dreadlocks and dresses. The movement needs to remove itself from having an aesthetic basis to it, as many of these problems are cultural. Yes, its important that men that have these preferences are allowed to shine but if your preferences differ does that mean you are not ‘carefree’?
I find it very difficult to imagine a world where the black man can be carefree. The movement seeks to allow the black man similar freedoms to his white counterparts. However, this is an utterly ridiculous suggestion. The parameters in which our demographics exist are completely different. The western world simply does not grant black men the same freedoms as white men. This is evident in employment statistics, throughout our prison system and education system. There are very real barriers that exist in a black mans life that he cannot control. As a man that understands the obstacles we face in our community can you really claim to be carefree?
All in all the movement has good and important intentions. However, the meaning behind it has been lost. What we require is a more inclusive movement. One where everyone is allowed to be himself. Some black men are traditional; this doesn’t denounce him as a misogynist some black men are modern this doesn’t make them soft. Some black men have different sexual orientation, and they are still men just like the rest of us. Some black men like baggy jeans, this doesn’t make them hood. Some black men dress fancy; this doesn’t make them a criminal. I’m supposing you get what I mean. I want to open the floor for more diversity; I hope more people can contribute their opinions on this matter. Finally, be who you want to be, whilst being open, accepting and understanding of others.
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