*Earlier this week, Tinashe wass feeling the wrath of social media after her comments blaming colorism and the black community for some of her career hurdles rubbed folks the wrong way.
The 24-year-old half-Danish and Zimbabwean singer, whose sophomore album “Joyride” has been delayed since she announced its pending release 18 months ago, blames at least part of her industry woes on the fact that she’s mixed.
“There’s colorism involved in the black community, which is very apparent,” Tinashe told The Guardian. “It’s about trying to find a balance where I’m a mixed woman, and sometimes I feel like I don’t fully fit into the black community; they don’t fully accept me, even though I see myself as a black woman. That disconnect is confusing sometimes. I am what I am.”
Despite a resume that includes performing at a Janet Jackson tribute concert (at Miss Jackson’s request), opening up for Nicki Minaj on her “Pinkprint” tour and collaborating with the likes of Chris Brown and A$AP Rocky, Tinashe said she feels that being a black woman of mixed race has its drawbacks in the industry.
“There are hundreds of [male] rappers that all look the same, that sound the same, but if you’re a black woman, you’re either Beyoncé or Rihanna. It’s very, very strange.”
Within hours of Tinashe’s interview being published, Twitter exploded.
wait…. tinashe blamed colorism for why she doesn’t have a career? pic.twitter.com/A5Q053UO4Y
— some MILQUÉ (@kelloqqz) June 12, 2017
Tinashe tried to blame colorism in the black community for her poor album sales. Don’t nobody wanna hear that baby whispering music.
— Black&Bougie???? (@NeWWave_Female) June 13, 2017
Tinashe: I’m not really accepted by the black community bc i’m mixed.
Black folks: You’re mixed?— Second Lead Vocalist (@VirgoJ24) June 13, 2017
Message for Tinashe. pic.twitter.com/WXV4AZoWLe
— K a r i o. (@itsKARY_) June 13, 2017
Dear Tinashe,
It’s not a colorism issue. That fact is, we just don’t see it for u sis.
Sincerely,
Everybody pic.twitter.com/nDuUJ8SyXB— april♡Mae♡june (@Prettyy_THICK) June 13, 2017
Tinashe just used the wrong argument. Colorism isn’t keeping her from shining, it’s probably whats keeping her as relevant as she is
— Angel of Color (@johanamamaa) June 13, 2017
Colorism is def a thing but the way colorism works, Tinashe SHOULD be winning. But her music really isn’t that good so…. https://t.co/0nFLVXxgP5
— Candyce (@CandyceRox) June 13, 2017
Oops. After getting blasted, Tinashe hit back at her critics with this:
I was not talking about colorism in the industry. This is taken out of context.
— TINASHE (@Tinashe) June 13, 2017
…because things are completely taken out of context. As they have been here.
— TINASHE (@Tinashe) June 13, 2017
The article framed it as such, about success in music, where as the conversation we had was about my experiences growing up in general.
— TINASHE (@Tinashe) June 13, 2017
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