By Jawn Murray, BlackVoices.com
"Well, you know it goes back to the very beginning. If you were light skinned you were in, if you were dark skinned you were out. It very well works that way in the industry. You see very [few] dark skinned people on top of the game. Most of the superstars are very fair or mullatto people. You can check your stats. It works that way in the film world too. I have lost almost every single opportunity to star in a film to Macy Gray or Jill Scott because they're light and I'm dark. I've been told so many times that it's a certain look that they're looking for. So you can't even use weight anymore. You can't use age because everybody's over 35 that's running around doing it. It comes down to what is more appealing. I'm only good for the pro political stuff that will afford all of my people from the hood to vote for the right president - or to support whatever because I'm more on their level, so to speak. So to me it hasn't changed much. Slavery has just taken on a whole new different direction but it's the same process."
– R&B singer Angie Stone talks about being dark skinned in the entertainment industry in Bill Vaughn's Tasty Clips column.
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VIDEO: Check out the music video for Angie Stone's single 'Baby' featuring Betty Wright.
Comments: (178)
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By: Truthfully on 6/16/2008 9:22AM
Great picture of Angie!!
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By: Danette Chavis on 6/16/2008 9:47AM
I must admit I was shocked to see the dissapearance of
that "fro". Your are a gorgeous black woman whether your hair is worn natural or straight. Thank you for
being out their and representing the beauty of a Black
woman. I wish my skin was as dark as yours! But that's
because I know what time it is! Hang on in there angie and watch the tables turn. In the words of one of the greatest R&B bands of all time, "Earth, Wind and Fire" I like to leave you a word of encouragement
taken from the lyrics of their song, "Be Ever Wonderful" and it says, "Don't let the world, change
your mind.. change your mind.. change your mind..."
Peace
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By: mrs texas on 6/16/2008 11:05AM
Angie Stone's music is horrible, she cannot sing and few people like her style. That's why she is not popluar, not because of the color of her skin. PDiddy, DMX, Barry White, Cicely Tyson, Whoopi Goldberg, Teddy Pendergrass and many other wonderfully 'dark toned' blacks have made incredible marks on our entertainment industry. Face it Angie, nobody likes your music - but you...
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By: jenreh on 6/16/2008 2:40PM
keep your head up as the bible says, and yes it is true, no lies here, the last will be first and the first will be last. Your time will come people can only get by on looks for so long. Talent comes in all shades and sizes we are denying ourselves of a lot of the real and true talents that are out there it's like going to a buffet and only eating the bread.
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By: jennifer on 6/16/2008 2:33PM
keep your head up no one can take your talent. the last will be first and the first will be last. hold on!!!
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By: Willie Williams Jr on 6/16/2008 6:24PM
This Is Beauty.
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By: Patricia Ann Mcgriff Mackroy on 6/17/2008 11:36AM
Angie-One thing is for sure, the measure of a person is not what he or she looks like. Embrace who you are. African Americans are their worse enemy when it comes to light skin-dark skin etc.. We were created spiritually and I honestly feel that the price we will continue to pay(playing off of each other) a culture divided,confused and ashamed of Natural Beauty. Stay strong,there are to many African American rich-wealthy folk to still play this game.You must move into Ownership and forming partnerships of their own to address this issue. We must TRUST each other. RUN YOUR BUSINESS. With love for all cultures which make us America. Peace
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By: Zena on 6/16/2008 9:17PM
I am so with you Mrstexas! Racism is alive don't get me wrong, but some problems are just personal & individual. I am stunned that she said Macy Gray is lighter than her, I don't see that, call me color blind.
People get so hung up on superficial issues, and they do not want to dig deeper to see what their problems are. They just settle for easy answers like "racism" which beats having to work harder at say actiing lessons. Maybe she just sucks at acting, or maybe she is just consumed with negative vibes it comes across through her audition.
What I personally learnt is once I forget that I am black & refuse to let people remind me, everything opened up for me. What I mean by that is, I don't let my race define or constrain me. I am just me and if some one has a problem with that, well guess what, I also learnt to NOT LET OTHER PEOPLE'S PROBLEM BE MINE.
That was the most liberating thing I have ever done. As soon as I did that I noticed the world stopped seeing me as "black." I have achieved a lot of success ever since.
Do not misconstrue what I am saying, I am a proud black woman, and that is very obvious when one sees me, but now that is not all they see. They are subliminally forced to see beyond that, as I am more than that.
Try it. It comes internally first and then it radiates to the world.I discovered this, because I saw a lot of white people with the same problems we have but they can't blame it on race, they just suck it up and try something else.
Remember some problems are universal!
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By: Zena on 6/16/2008 9:22PM
I am so with you Mrstexas! Racism is alive don't get me wrong, but some problems are just personal & individual. I am stunned that she said Macy Gray is lighter than her, I don't see that, call me color blind.
People get so hung up on superficial issues, and they do not want to dig deeper to see what their problems are. They just settle for easy answers like "racism" which beats having to work harder at say actiing lessons. Maybe she just sucks at acting, or maybe she is just consumed with negative vibes it comes across through her audition.
What I personally learnt is once I forget that I am black & refuse to let people remind me, everything opened up for me. What I mean by that is, I don't let my race define or constrain me. I am just me and if some one has a problem with that, well guess what, I also learnt to NOT LET OTHER PEOPLE'S PROBLEM BE MINE.
That was the most liberating thing I have ever done. As soon as I did that I noticed the world stopped seeing me as "black." I have achieved a lot of success ever since.
Do not misconstrue what I am saying, I am a proud black woman, and that is very obvious when one sees me, but now that is not all they see. They are sublimally forced to see beyond that, as I am more than that.
Try it. It comes internally first and then it radiates to the world.I discovered this, because I saw a lot of white people with the same problems we have but they can't blame it on race, they just suck it up and try something else.
Remember some problems are universal!
Ask Julia Roberts, Tyra banks or Halle Berry, how many time the door was shot to their face. They just never listened! That my sisters, is the secret.
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By: Ola` on 6/16/2008 9:42PM
I definitely agree with Angie. Macy Gray is lighter than her. I love Jill Scott but I was wondering why she got two Essence Magazine cover in a short span of time back to back.
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