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The Black Culture Thread

ryutaro's mama said:
That show was weird.

It even had Claire on there as well, but she wasn't Claire and he wasn't Cliff.

But they were retired with an empty nest!

Also the funny Jamaican dude from Cool Runnings was on there...

It was the Not Really The Cosby Show, Cosby Show.

Doug E. Doug
I used to love him in Cool Runnings, he was Sanka Coffie.:D
 
- Where you're from
- Where you live


US

- Your cultural heritage, lineage and genealogy

African American

- Do you know your roots?

Never did one of those gene test or did any real research. Truthfully, those don't really matter. You can tract down one small section of your family history but due to slavery none of us will ever have a truly comprehensive list of all of our ancestors.

- Your Age

23

- Favorite musical genre

I like electronica, pop, dance punk, new wave, some 70's rock (Mostly Pink Floyd), alternative rock (80's and 90's stuff like Sonic Youth, Manic Street Preachers, Smashing Pumpkins, Weezer, Radiohead etc, cannot stand the new mainstream stuff like Kings of Leon or Creed), rap, and older versions of black genres like soul and guitar orientated r&b like Isley Brothers. I like the excess and whole culture surrounding Disco in the 70's as well as the music is created and I also like newer music that is heavily influenced by it.

Sounds like a lot but I am actually pretty picky. I mainly enjoy progressive pop orientated music, meaning, it usually needs to be something people will dance to and easy to get into but I don't want it to sound manipulative or vapid.

I've been weaning off rap over the last 5 years and at this point, I basically only check for specific artist. I haven't really discovered a new rap act that I like since like, Lupe Fiasco.

Never really been a fan of contemporary r&b. What bothers me the most about the new stuff as opposed to the old is that mutha fuckas all sound the same to me, doesn't really seem to be much variety in the ways of voice or delivery. Every song starts with some whispery, sexy sounding voice, cuts to some redundant overblown chorus, back to whispery voice, redundant chorus, even louder and more overblown/redundant bridge, and finally the chorus again, maybe sung a little louder at the end. By this point, I want to punch the guy in the face.


The stuff that's coming out now is lower than ever. Can't stand any of these dudes. They have all taken so much influence from rap that nowadays I sorta "get it" when white people call someone like Chris Brown a "rapper". Most of them dress and act like thugs and nobody will take a risk with their sound.

- Your profession/major/career interest

I have a Liberal Arts degree from the University of Pittsburgh. Took my LSAT today...:lol

Who knows what will happen, I may very well end up going back to school for engineering.

- Your religious affiliation

Atheist

- Hobbies

Internet, videogames, movies, music. Basic stuff. I also really enjoy fishing with my pops.

- Do you feel ostracized as a black nerd/dork? Charles Barkley once said that "there's nothing sadder than a black nerd". What do you think about those words, and while we're on the issue, what is gaf's opinion on the whole "act white" thing?

I didn't say anything in the last thread but since it's a specific question : I think the phenomenon has become a little overblown over the last 10-15 years. I feel like the media finally "found out" about one of the many problems in the black community, and it's now like, the de-facto excuse for everything happening to black Americans. I don't mean to disregard personal anecdotes or discredit the many black researchers and intellectuals who have also focused on the issue, clearly it happens and it has an effect. I just think that the amount of attention the "acting white" thing receives, is balanced too heavily in the "Why are black students failing" pile. Black kids aren't scoring 1, 2 , 3 hundred points lower on SAT's because they were told it would be "acting white" to score high. Every group of kids faces peer pressure, most have the resources, parenting, and structural support to deal with it.

Far as Barkley goes, and being a "black nerd", I feel like a nerd is a nerd and that being black adds little to the stigma. Only real difference between me and a lot of guys my age is that instead of putting in 100 hours in Call of Duty, I might put 100 hours into an rpg, it is what it is. Half these dudes geek the fuck out when they see a rock band set up at a party so I'm not sweating it too much.
 
Far as TV goes, my worry is less about the content, and more about the form. The multi-cam family sitcom has moved on, a show like Cosby or Fresh Prince coming out today would essentially be like Shit My Dad Says or something...ugg, hate that style of programming now. Those Tyler Perry shows exemplify this. Waiting for black television to expand it's horizons to something a little more nuanced and intelligent.
 

DY_nasty

NeoGAF's official "was this shooting justified" consultant
Not enough love for The Game

5aqnex.jpg
 
SnakeXs said:
Alright so seriously, why don't y'all tip?

I rarely go out to eat, and usually I just give what I can. If I don't tip its because I legitimately don't have the money to. I think that's how it is with a lot of people. They can have enough to buy what is on the menu and that's it.
 

DY_nasty

NeoGAF's official "was this shooting justified" consultant
Himuro said:
I tip 25-50%, eff you. Any black person knows you don't leave the barber shop without tipping. You will be murdered if you do.
Barbershop tipping and restaurant tipping are two different things.
 
SnakeXs said:
Alright so seriously, why don't y'all tip?
Honestly, I always tip, unless the service was just terrible.

There was this time recently when I was taking Insurance Classes that I met a guy that was a rep for a small chain of diners and he gave me a free dinner for 2 pass so that I would check the place out. So I took my girl there and the waitresses were nice and attentive right up until we were about to order the actual meal. Why? because that's when I showed them the 2 Free Meal pass to make sure it was still good before we ordered.

All of a sudden we had to ask a different waitress to get us a refill on drinks and other minor stuff that our waitress should have been doing.... we were that waitresses only table for most of the time we were there afterall.

So about 10 minutes after we finished out meal(we were just conversating) our AWOL waitress decided to stroll back past our table and let us know that the check had been taken care of and we could leave whenever we were ready. About 5 minutes later as we were getting up I realized that we didn't have any cash on us smaller than a $20 as I usually pay for everything on plastic but I wanted to leave a tip, so I asked if she could make change. She just told us our bill was paid and not to worry about it.

Now I may be confused, but I couldn't sworn waitresses make most of their money from tips and don't actually get paid a percentage from the amount of the bill, so you think she would have tried to give some good service to earn her tip instead of assuming that since there was no bill I wasn't gonna leave a tip regardless. I mean I didn't have to spend any money on food or drink, so that frees up all my cash to be generous to my waitress.

Unfortunately, I was forced to live up to the stereotype by what I can only assume was a bitter stereotyping (& slightly racist?) waitress. She didn't want to make change and after that little attitude, I didn't feel like tipping her anyway. Just wish I could have left something for the other waitress, but she left before we did.
 
Do you feel ostracized as a black nerd/dork? Charles Barkley once said that "there's nothing sadder than a black nerd". What do you think about those words, and while we're on the issue, what is gaf's opinion on the whole "act white" thing?

I don't consider myself a nerd per se. I play WoW, I read a lot, I like computers etc but I wouldn't identify myself that way.

The "act white" meme angers me like nothing else. My mom used to say "never tell blonde jokes with white people, because if you do a nigger joke will be right around the corner." On its face, that might seem ridiculous but it brings up an important point about the two sides of the race coin. If you say acting white means being well read, smart, being respectful, etc - than being black is the opposite of all those things. And unfortunately this expectation seems to result in many black people acting a certain way to preserve or prove their blackness.

I listen to a lot of different music, and have of course been accused of listening to "white music." In the past, black music was built on instrumentation, and many great black musicians pioneered new grounds. Today much of that is gone, and with it died music appreciation among many black people.


This narrow, destructive mindset applies to music, dating, food, films, television, sports, everything. It's as if we have put ourselves in a box for all to see.
 

Tapiozona

Banned
lightless_shado said:
I rarely go out to eat, and usually I just give what I can. If I don't tip its because I legitimately don't have the money to. I think that's how it is with a lot of people. They can have enough to buy what is on the menu and that's it.

If you can't afford to eat at the restuarant and tip then you shouldn't be eating there at all. Servers make like 2 bucks an hour and need your tips to live. How would you like it if you had your pay cut because some inconsiderate dick never thought about anyone but himself?

I guarantee you make more than a server's based off their wage. They're the lowest payed people in the US without their tips but you don't give a shit do you? Do everyone a favor and eat at McDonalds. No need to tip and you won't be as poor when you walk out the door since obviously a few extra dollars is SOOO tough for you.
 
D

Deleted member 30609

Unconfirmed Member
PhoenixDark said:
Do you feel ostracized as a black nerd/dork? Charles Barkley once said that "there's nothing sadder than a black nerd". What do you think about those words, and while we're on the issue, what is gaf's opinion on the whole "act white" thing?

I don't consider myself a nerd per se. I play WoW, I read a lot, I like computers etc but I wouldn't identify myself that way.

The "act white" meme angers me like nothing else. My mom used to say "never tell blonde jokes with white people, because if you do a nigger joke will be right around the corner." On its face, that might seem ridiculous but it brings up an important point about the two sides of the race coin. If you say acting white means being well read, smart, being respectful, etc - than being black is the opposite of all those things. And unfortunately this expectation seems to result in many black people acting a certain way to preserve or prove their blackness.

I listen to a lot of different music, and have of course been accused of listening to "white music." In the past, black music was built on instrumentation, and many great black musicians pioneered new grounds. Today much of that is gone, and with it died music appreciation among many black people.


This narrow, destructive mindset applies to music, dating, food, films, television, sports, everything. It's as if we have put ourselves in a box for all to see.
I'm not black, but I nodded along to a lot of this. I have similar problems with the phrase 'straight acting' within the gay community.
 
Tapiozona said:
If you can't afford to eat at the restuarant and tip then you shouldn't be eating there at all. Servers make like 2 bucks an hour and need your tips to live. How would you like it if you had your pay cut because some inconsiderate dick never thought about anyone but himself?

I guarantee you make more than a server's based off their wage. They're the lowest payed people in the US without their tips but you don't give a shit do you? Do everyone a favor and eat at McDonalds. No need to tip and you won't be as poor when you walk out the door since obviously a few extra dollars is SOOO tough for you.

Woah woah woah. I didn't think I had said anything offensive just that I give what I can and if I come up short well then that's just how it is. You're reacting like I'm one of those people with their "WELL THEY SHOULD HAVE PICKED A BETTER JOB THEN!" spiel. I'm not. Don't group me in with them.

Whenever I'm eating at a restaurant I'm usually not alone and we all chip in for the meal and then leave. I'm asked to pay a certain amount and so I give what I can. I can't stress enough how rare it is for me to actually dine at a restaurant to begin with. I don't make much money myself so when I go to a restaurant where the cheapest thing on the menu is like 25 dollars then I give whatever I have left to spend as a tip. I usually get dragged along with a group, and I'm not one of those people who researches a restaurant before I go.

I can tell that you're a server or are close with people who are, and in my opinion I think people who work at restaurants should just get an average wage so they aren't forced to rely on tips. But whatever I don't want this thread to turn into a giant debate over the subject.
 
Himuro said:
I'm sorry this thread isn't as awesome as the last one. I dunno what to do with it aside from bring up different topics in black culture.


Man don't apologize the shit isn't your fault. I won't even speak on the situation, suffice to say that I understand.

I have no idea what to talk about in here either, as black culture itself is relatively new. We've never had the luxury of having a reasonably traceable heritage, or centuries of tradition and culture to fall back on.
 

DY_nasty

NeoGAF's official "was this shooting justified" consultant
Rez said:
I'm not black, but I nodded along to a lot of this. I have similar problems with the phrase 'straight acting' within the gay community.
I never knew that was a problem for you guys :lol
 
D

Deleted member 30609

Unconfirmed Member
well, it isn't always a derogatory term in the way 'white-acting' can be, so it isn't a 1:1 comparison, but the thinking behind it isn't dissimilar and it kind of rubs me the wrong way, all the same.
 

Master Z

Member
soundahfekz said:
We've never had the luxury of having a reasonably traceable heritage, or centuries of tradition and culture to fall back on.
Hmmm? Africa has thousands of years of history, heritage and culture...it's the birthplace of humans.
 

Salazar

Member
Master Z said:
Hmmm? Africa has thousands of years of history, heritage and culture...it's the birthplace of humans.

It's also a gigantic continent with a vast wealth of different traditions. You can identify with the whole lot if you want, I guess.
 

Veidt

Blasphemer who refuses to accept bagged milk as his personal savior
Yeah, Africa is the last continent you'd want to attribute a single specific culture or even a single specific type of people to. ( the world's most diverse in both aspects)
 

DrFunk

not licensed in your state
SnakeXs said:
Alright so seriously, why don't y'all tip?

Boy stop.

I tip waaay more than I need to, if only to squash the stereotype

Doesn't seem to be working though. :lol
 
Himuro said:
Depends. 10 dollar meal? 50% tip.

This. I used to work jobs that were PURE commission, so I know what it's like to waste an hour of my time on assholes and get zero dollars to show for it.

Standard restaurant tipping for me is 20% of the bill or 5 bucks, whichever is higher.
 

starblade

Member
Where you're from St. Pete, Fl (Tampa Bay)
- Where you live Daegu, South Korea
- Your cultural heritage, lineage and genealogy Can't really say. Black but my grandma on my granddaddy's side was half cherookee. Don't know anything about my daddy's side.
- Do you know your roots? See above. Short answer: no
- Your Age 23
- Favorite musical genre Always been at home with rap (mostly southern since that sounds closest to home and my region). However I try and have a open-mind with music so there are rock bands I can appreciate, I love Cambodian music (courtesy of my ex wife), and I currently have been singing along to Korean pop lol.
- Your profession/major/career interest Military (army)
- Your religious affiliation Christian (pentecostal/baptist). However I'm open-minded
- Hobbies Games, movies, learning other languages, history, reading.

Do you feel ostracized as a black nerd/dork? Charles Barkley once said that "there's nothing sadder than a black nerd". What do you think about those words, and while we're on the issue, what is gaf's opinion on the whole "act white" thing?

Actually I'm a closet nerd. No one would ever expect to find the things I own from geekdom or do online and even those closest to me (although they have an idea) have no clue as how deep it actually is :lol. By all appearances I look like the typical ghetto dude (2 permanent gold teeth, tatted up, thick Florida "drawl" in my voice, and I consider LRG to casual as far as clothes go lol) so I never had to deal with this aspect. But at the same time its pointless to cul de sac people into stereotypes society and even our own people have harped on us. Not go lie, I talk nothing like how I write and probably sound very ignorant by most people's standards but I also realize there's a time and a place for everything including they way you might come across to other people who aren't used to the way you talk or not from where you're from.

As far as acting white...again who gets to decide on the way you act? You are who you are regardless on the hidebound mindsets around you.
 
What the hell is going on here...rebirth of Negrogaf? Niiiiice.

Update on the single mom of two, for those that remember from the last thread: Had the date on Friday, and it went very well. She made me dinner, and her kids were adorable. After dinner her live-in nanny (a definite plus) took the kids to bed and me and the lady got comfy on the couch. Sexual chemisty between us was unreal. We stopped before it got too crazy, but I'm going back tonight (kids are at her Baby Daddy's) to smack it up, flip it, rub it down oh noooooooooooo......

Can I get an internet fist-bump?
 
spindashing said:
Wtf guys. Keep my name out'cha mouths. I've been good. :lol

BlackGAF, NegroGAF, whatever you call yourself these days. Do any of you or have any of you celebrate/celebrated Kwanzaa? I remember last year an acquaintance ignorantly telling me "Happy Kwanzaa."

"No, I celebrate Christmas you dick" was all I thought of. I simply smiled and said, "No, I celebrate Christmas." -- to which he smiled awkwardly at.


I went to a black private school in Newark when I was young and Kwanza was celebrated; haven't celebrated it since then though.


Edit:

Yeah Himuro I had a bunch of friends in Jack & Jill but I was never a member.
 
this thread is now relevant to my interests.

Master Z said:
Personally, I'll roll with the Eygptians. Nefer Hotep Em Na!
brah. I saw this egyptian chick working at a fast food joint in Vegas...made my toes curl up. oooooh shit she was fine.
 

JGS

Banned
I kepp seeing him in smovies (Mini-comeback) and can't believe how fatherly he looks now.

Is he still married to Chante Moore and is she still beautiful with a beautiful voice I wonder.
 
Whoompthereitis said:
What the hell is going on here...rebirth of Negrogaf? Niiiiice.

Update on the single mom of two, for those that remember from the last thread: Had the date on Friday, and it went very well. She made me dinner, and her kids were adorable. After dinner her live-in nanny (a definite plus) took the kids to bed and me and the lady got comfy on the couch. Sexual chemisty between us was unreal. We stopped before it got too crazy, but I'm going back tonight (kids are at her Baby Daddy's) to smack it up, flip it, rub it down oh noooooooooooo......

Can I get an internet fist-bump?

internet_fist_bump.PNG
 
lightless_shado said:
In Canada its pretty hard for us I would say. Because Canada is mostly exposed to American culture, the same black stereotypes carry over here so people expect you to be like the blacks they see on the TV and they're shocked when you aren't, but this is usually in places where there is no strong black presence.

I also feel that there is really a lack of some serious black actors. I can only think of a few that can do serious roles. I can't really think of someone who is on the same footing as the likes of Denzel washington or Sidney poiter except for maybe blair underwood. Will smith proved he can do drama in 2 films but I think he's going to be forced into that Action hero mold.

With regards to TV comedy I can't believe we've gone from this:
cosby.jpg

to just nothing else basically.
Forest Whitaker, Laurence Fishburne, and Don Cheadle, dont count for shit? Whitaker is on equal footing with Denzel. Idi Amin, Ghost Dog, Bird, and Jon motherfucking Kavanaugh were amazing roles. If anything, Whitaker has MORE versatility than Denzel, who plays a cop/detective or military man every other film.
 

harSon

Banned
theignoramus said:
Forest Whitaker, Laurence Fishburne, and Don Cheadle, dont count for shit? Whitaker is on equal footing with Denzel. Idi Amin, Ghost Dog, Bird, and Jon motherfucking Kavanaugh were amazing roles. If anything, Whitaker has MORE versatility than Denzel, who plays a cop/detective or military man every other film.

The problem is, the industry hasn't created any new black talent in years. Pretty much all of the mainstream black actors we have today are from older generations, and in that respect, I actually think the film industry has regressed since the 1980s/90s. Anthony Mackie, Columbus Short and Zoe Saldana are some of the few that I can actually think of that fit that bill.
 
Interesting how this thread is starting to bang on a Sunday. Ain't you fools supposed to be at church? :lol :lol

I got my Sunday Shoes all ready:

Church%5C%27s.jpg


smh at the chicks dressing with their tittays out and the boys dressing hood to church. this is a house of worship not a house of whoreship.

Do you guys still "go to chuch"? I was forced to do that shit until I graduated from the 8th grade. Then when we ask, "are we going to church", my mom's like "go back to bed you ass." :D
 

Scribble

Member
I was hoping that a British black person would chip in with what they consider 'Black British culture' to be. I find it strange when a black person says to me: "You know how we black people like our chicken (and Kool Aid)!" a la some African American stand up comedian. My Jamaican grandparents rotated between chicken, mutton, goat and snapper fish.

Chicken and chips is on the rise here though. But that's not a black thing.

spindashing said:
smh at the chicks dressing with their tittays out and the boys dressing hood to church. this is a house of worship not a house of whoreship.

hurhurhurhur
 
I haven't been to church in more than a decade and a half.

Thing is, I believe in a higher power because there is something out there that is constantly fucking with me, but where there is evil there is good, because there is something else out there always making sure that it's never as bad as it could've been.

Church though....not the scene for me, I'm not the worshiping type.
 
harSon said:
The problem is, the industry hasn't created any new black talent in years. Pretty much all of the mainstream black actors we have today are from older generations, and in that respect, I actually think the film industry has regressed since the 1980s/90s. Anthony Mackie, Columbus Short and Zoe Saldana are some of the few that I can actually think of that fit that bill.
I didnt know who the fuck Terrence Howard was before Crash.
 

harSon

Banned
theignoramus said:
I didnt know who the fuck Terrence Howard was before Crash.

I've seen him regularly since Dead Presidents, and that came out in 1995... What you've described typically happens with a lot of black actors/actresses though, since the beginning of their careers tend to consist mostly of 'All-Black' cast films.
 
Himuro said:
Haha, according to my survey, a good amount of don't go to church.

I don't go to church anymore unless it's a special occasion. I don't even believe anymore but I still go to chuch sometimes. Amazing, huh? I can't help it though since the church I attend back in Houston is full of people that have been there since day one. Even if I don't believe, it'd be a discourtesy to not visit now and again.


I've never had an issue with people dressing certain ways at church.

I remember one time a girl wore fucking jeans and like, a t-shirt, and she was a part of the diaconate (someone who gives out communion, it's a part of a denomination that does communion weekly, don't ask) and the old folks freaked. They then decided there was a rule: no young people to be a part of the diaconate! They can't dress right! And she was wearing something very...casual.

Bet one of those old dudes popped a boner from her. She was fine.

weren't you muslim for while?
 

dvdjamm

Member
theignoramus said:
Forest Whitaker, Laurence Fishburne, and Don Cheadle, dont count for shit? Whitaker is on equal footing with Denzel. Idi Amin, Ghost Dog, Bird, and Jon motherfucking Kavanaugh were amazing roles. If anything, Whitaker has MORE versatility than Denzel, who plays a cop/detective or military man every other film.

Let's see...

Forest - Idi Amin = Denzel - Stephen Biko
Forest - Ghost Dog = Denzel - Eli
Forest - Charlie Bird Parker = Denzel - Bleek Gilliam

Would it be wrong to compare Jon Kavanaugh to Alonzo Harris?

Both of them are excellent actors who appeared in the same movie once...The Great Debaters
 

Scribble

Member
I knew who he was, but I can't remember where. Maybe he made a cameo on a black sitcom. That's how I can recognise most black American actor.
 

Veal

Member
Where you're from Carlisle, AR
- Where you live- Conway, AR
- Your cultural heritage, lineage and genealogy- Black. My great grandmother was Cherokee.
- Do you know your roots?- Not really.
- Your Age 25
- Favorite musical genre- I love all genres of music. I'm most at home with rock however.
- Your profession/major/career interest- Media Specialist at a tech firm.
- Your religious affiliation- non-militant atheist.
- Hobbies Games, movies, music.

soundscream said:
-
- Do you feel ostracized as a black nerd/dork? Charles Barkley once said that "there's nothing sadder than a black nerd". What do you think about those words
No, Im a Big Dude and most of my time in school people didn't mess with me because I give off a dont fuck with me vibe, but its a front. Im like a turtle a hard exterior but im a nice guy once you get to know me. So I got to do my nerdy things without being taunted.
That's pretty much my story too. I definitely irks me when someone calls me the "whitest black guy they know." Fuck you, meet more people.
 

HomShaBom

Banned
- Where you're from
Cleveland, Ohio.
- Where you live
Fort Bragg, NC.
- Your cultural heritage, lineage and genealogy
Fuck I don't know, my moms from Tennessee. Never met my dad.
- Do you know your roots?
Nope.
- Your Age
22.
- Favorite musical genre
Hip hop, not much "gangsta" rap.
- Your profession/major/career interest
Currently a medic in the US Army. Once I'm out in 2 years going back to school to finish my International Relations degree.
- Your religious affiliation
Follow no religion.
- Hobbies
Internet, a few video games, studying Arabic, relaxing by myself
 
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