Member-only story
Personal Branding While Black:
Cultural Perception vs. Business Realities
Folx always gotta blame someone for their bullshit. After Snoop Dogg broke the internet with his, “I’m giving up smoke” line, folx blamed him for the downfall of societies children. It didn’t matter to them that it was based on their assumption of what that one line meant. Everybody and their momma took a GREAT ad and turned it into negative influence.
I thought it was brilliant for Calvin to capitalize on his personal brand as Snoop Dogg, an unapologetic weed fend. I think it was stupid for a company that has no affiliation or association with rap, weed, or the culture to use him. There site is the epitome of suburban white culture.
The Ultimate Personal Brand Code-Switch
When the movie, American Fiction, came out a lot of black folx could relate to the main character Monk. He had to reduce himself to a gangsta stereotype to be taken seriously as a writer. Not only did he code switch, he started lying about who he was. It’s no different than rappers lying about being gangsta to get in the game.
So what does it say about a society that will only take you seriously if you fit into their uneducated paradigm of bullshit? In the movie, white folx were breaking their necks to promote Monks work. They thought they were cool…
