The Black self and Agency told through Lamar and Fanon

[karla_stephan]

Fanon and Lamar discuss stereotypes and the Black self similarly, and the messages of responsibility are very interesting throughout. Lamar speaks to the racist stereotypes that white people have created for the Black man and alludes to the supposed self-fulfilling nature of those stereotypes. He says, “But homie, you made me,” and “You made me a killer.” The repetition of “you made me” is thought-provoking and relates the racist stereotype to the racist self by rightfully placing the blame on violence. The intertwining of these racist stereotypes against Black people and the white racist self/system further solidifies how these can not be separated; you cannot have one without the other. Fanon touches on this as well as he says, “My body was given back to me sprawled out, distorted, recolored, clad in mourning in that white winter day.” The word choice of “given back to me” stuck out to me as it encapsulates how the selfhood and identity of the Black self were robbed and contorted to become a vessel for the stereotypes to live. They both address the lack of agency over the self and that the fault of the violence of racism lies within the system that created it.
Another topic is discussed between the two in a similar manner, and that is the combination of racist stereotypes and the relationships that are had within them. Lamar raps, “You never liked us anyway, fuck your friendship, I meant it.” Combined with what Fanon said, this is very interesting; “When people like me, they tell me it is in spite of my color. When they dislike me, they point out that it is not because of my color. Either way, I am locked into the infernal circle.” This infernal or hellish circle is color being seen first before humanity and the association that that color holds.
Something that stood out to me while I was watching Lamar’s and Youssef’s music videos was the similar visuals of the hair being braided. The comparison of these shows the importance of the Black self and storytelling. In Lamar’s video, these hair-braiding scenes were starkly contrasting with the videos of police brutality. The visual flashing between the two differing scenes is intentional in furthering the message of the violence imposed on the Black self and the beauty and culture of the Black self, which also ties to these questions of agency and responsibility.