- Dec 15, 2009
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You know, its funny. Because when I posted my response to the article I was going to mention that and ask people how they felt about it.
This is hardly the first mention I've seen of twerking being described as part of "black culture" or it being attached to "black women of middle or lower class." I don't know how I would feel about twerking or any such ridiculous fad being attached to my race..do people take pride in that? I keep seeing things like 'white girls can't twerk', so I have no idea, but I know its silly to generalize the feelings of an entire group based off of a few people. Anyone care to share?
I'm going to preface my reply first by noting that I am not the spokesperson for all or any of "Black America".
I don't twerk. I don't dance in general but if I did twerking would not be a movement I partake in simply because it would be purpose defeating as I do not have the "physique" or muscle control(and no I don't mean "large women" as referenced by the poster behind me because not only have I seen twerking by all races and genders but by all body types as well) needed to do so...
"Twerking" is not a part of black culture. When someone mentions twerking I don't think "Oh gah, let me hop on this here wall and flip over and make my race proud". Line dancing (which I hate)...cha cha slide, cupid shuffle, even that tragic "Wop"... I would associate with black culture...simply because I can't go to a "black" wedding, "black" cook out or "black" anything without a line dance song coming on and everyone (but me) running to the floor like a moth to a flame.
This ridiculous fad is not apart of any culture other than pop culture, same as that irritating "harlem shake" (parody). We all know that pop culture is fast, fleeting and fickle. Twerking will not go down in the history books next to a picture of Miley Cyrus, Nicki Minaj, Blacc Chyna or anyone else that can dance for bands right now.
People attribute twerking to "black" culture because people twerk to "hip hop" music and THAT is apart of black culture. People attribute twerking to "black"culture because "all" "black" have rhythm (stereo-typically speaking...as I am able to disprove this every day) and a successful twerk clearly requires a great command of rhythm. People say "white girls can twerk too" because (stereo-typically) white girls...white people in general...can't dance.
My issue with the statement from the article, being that I am black and from the south, I know EXACTLY what "low income African American" is synonymous with...Being totally realistic here, even Ray Charles, dead and blind as he is, can see what that author was really calling people "those twerkers".
Anyway. To answer your question. No Black people (at least this black person) don't take pride in twerking, the vast majority could care less...only because something else is going to roll out soon to give us less to care about twerking. No. We are not hailing Miley Cyrus as the best "crossover" artist since Eminem....heck we don't even want Eminem and yall can have Macklemore back too...Keep your Beiber as well...and Mac Miller... (well we might be okay with him, I'll have to get clarification at the next Black people meeting....).