Of course, there will be people who will read the title of this piece and immediately be compelled to ask three questions that are only tangentially related to Drake, the subject of said piece:
- Wait, there’s such a thing as a “lightskinneded thing”?
- What does “lightskinneded” even mean in this context?
- Isn’t that offensive?
(There will also be black people bothered that lightskinneded is given any distinguishing qualities—and they’ll say something like, “WHY ARE YOU TRYING TO START DIVISION IN OUR COMMUNITY, DAMON YOUNG?”—and I would advise those people to take a spa day or something. If they’re in the greater Pittsburgh area, I can even recommend a couple of places.)
The answers to those questions are as follows:
- Yes.
- It means what it means.
- Eh. Maybe.
If you’re still unsure about what a “lightskinneded thing” is or what it means to act “lightskinneded,” here’s a short list of notable and iconic feats of lightskinnededness to add some context:
A) That time when G-Money in New Jack City thought it was a good idea to challenge Nino during the iconic 2 a.m. all-hands-on-deck staff meeting—despite the fact that Nino was clearly out for blood and ordered everyone to dress in all black and was walking around with a sword and was flanked by, like 17 Rottweilers. Of course, Nino responded with, “Sit your five-dollar ass down before I make change,” but only a thoroughly lightskinneded man would be bold enough (and clueless enough) to think his opinion mattered then.
B) All Knowles family-related forays into retail fashion, most notably the House of Dereon and Ivy Park.
C) Odell Beckham Jr. fighting a kicking net (and losing). (And yes, Odell would appear to be a bit too brown to be lightskinneded, but his hair, his curl pattern, his hotheadedness and his antagonism toward workout equipment makes him DeBarge-adjacent.)
D) Jesus turning water into wine while rocking chancletas and a linen bodysuit.
Anyway, on Tuesday, Deadspin reported that Drake, the world’s most prominent scion of Activator, the God of lightskinnededness, might possibly have tattoos of both Kevin Durant’s and Steph Curry’s numbers on his left arm:
ESPN editor Jovan Buha noticed something intriguing today: Drake has the numbers 30 and 35, the numbers that Steph Curry and Kevin Durant wear, tattooed on his left arm. The initial photo, taken of Drake playing basketball in a LeBron James high school jersey of all things, was not entirely clear, though the numbers are definitely there.
If this is true—and there’s no indication that it’s not—would this be the most lightskinneded thing anyone has ever done? I’m not quite sure. There have been too many notable and historical acts of lightskinnededness to even begin to accurately assess them.
I do know, however, that it’s the ultimate testament to Drake’s pervasive lightskinnededness that the general sentiment when first hearing this news wasn’t disbelief but just, “Yeah, that totally sounds like something Drake would do.”
DISCUSSION
1. Wait, there’s such a thing as a “lightskinneded thing”? No
2. What does “lightskinneded” even mean in this context? Nothing
3. Isn’t that offensive? Yep
As a dues paying member of the LSC (Light Skinned Coalition), I get jokes. I do. I have a healthy sense of humor, self-deprecation, twisted-ness and all-around sense of what is funny. But I always take this kind of humor with a grin-and-bear it attitude. As someone who grew up with “yellow man” “yellow boy” “Nilla Wafer” “Wafer Boy” “banana boy” - and my personal favorite “Mr. Twinkie” - I have to fight the gag reflex of being triggered.
Coincidentally, just yesterday I had to council a kid (who was not my student) about how to navigate the bullying that he was receiving because he is smaller than most of his classmates (6th grader), he has green eyes and a curly mop of hair. (Yep, I think his mother is white.) Another teacher brought him to me specifically because - her words - “You a lightskinneded nigga. You should be able to help him.” (Yes, she is a teacher. A special education teacher at that. Same complexion as myself. She’s from B-more and I’m from PG county so I have to overlook her ignorance to understand her intent.....often. yes, PG doesn’t usually roll with Baltimore even though we are 20 minutes from each other it might as well be another country. They don’t even have heat in their schools, so ...yeah.) He was crying because some kids had hit him with a tray in the lunchroom while calling him “white boy” and other such-nonsense. The physical stuff from the other kids was dealt with suspension. The verbal stuff I told him it’s going to happen from time-to-time for the rest of his life. Either he has to be comfortable in his own skin or not. Be the best person and student he can be and if other folks have an issue - it’s their issue. But don’t get it twisted, you are just as black as you choose to be. The amount of melanin in your skin gives you access to a community of excellence and overcoming that no other group of people can claim. he seemed to feel better and to go on about his day. And then, I read this article.
My own son started to hear comments starting in 3rd or 4th grade about being “too light.” At the predominately black school he was going to, he heard that b.s. He now attends a different school - very diverse - and it never comes up. I had to give him an eff-ing list to address “lightskinned winning” for the benefit all the melanated folks. Which included: Adam Clayton Powell, Lena Horne, Harry Belafonte, Malcolm X, Thurgood Marshall - All folks who used the privilege of lighter skin they did not ask for to move ALL black folks forward. (I would have included Michael Eric Dyson and Cornell West, but I have some questions for both of them.) How many times do you think Nigger was used for/toward them, regardless of the melanin content?
But WTF black folks? What are we doing?
Dr. Cress-Welsing in her undying brilliance stated, “White supremacy cannot continue without the acceptance and promotion of it through the people of color it oppresses.” This mentality is an example of her statement. Ignorance manifests itself in every nook and cranny at every level with everyone at some point. Sometimes it’s even funny. Sometimes one or 2 of my favorite writers at the Root miss the mark. It doesn’t happen often, but it happens. Probably because they are not Kappas.
Disclaimer: This is not an example of beige tears, lightskinned tears, “not all light skinned folk” or even lightskinneded winning/losing. The views expressed here are not necessarily the views of the Real Housewives of Potomac, Christopher Williams, anyone from the DeBarge family or the Sylvers. I cannot speak for Drake. he’s too...Canadian for my taste.