Pharrell Williams: 'Lot of people died' for black culture to triumph

"We wish that our culture and our people didn't have to suffer so hard in order to get us here," said Williams ahead of his debut as menswear director for Louis Vuitton

I like Pharrell since his days with N.E.RD., BAPE collaboration and Star Trek references.

But 'us' I think is misleading and many black celebrities lack class consciousness and the gains of a certain elites have not become broad-based.

With his position in such an icon of old world power and influence it is his time to speak truth to power.

Very weird (not talking about the picture), correct me if I'm wrong but black culture has always triumphed in Africa, in the Caribbean, etc.

Why do these people crave for recognition, awards from white majority societies?

Thriving in Jamaica or Nigeria is not enough?

Can't see the point of making the point of being white's entertainers just to shout to the world black culture has "triumphed"

No offense but these black celebrities have nothing to do with black culture. Just American culture and the middle class white kids they targeted their music to, who made them rich and famous. They ready had a president, the entire month of February and now a national holiday. I’d rather hear more complaining from Asian American celebrities.

Playing victim...

I’d rather hear more complaining from Asian American celebrities.

Too bad, they're busy working studying and minding their own business, would be rather disgraceful for them to beg for recognition and awards from whites and brag about it as a sign of success in life. The Nobel prize is the only award from the West I see asians working really hard to get

Very weird (not talking about the picture), correct me if I'm wrong but black culture has always triumphed in Africa, in the Caribbean, etc.

Why do these people crave for recognition, awards from white majority societies?

Thriving in Jamaica or Nigeria is not enough?

Can't see the point of making the point of being white's entertainers just to shout to the world black culture has "triumphed" - finally rich

I think because they were torn away from their countries and culture against their will. They created a new culture to replace the one they had stolen from them. They don't crave recognition from the white establishment. They're not asking, they're demanding it through sheer force of innovation and ideas.

The fact that black culture has become so suffused and even a dominant factor in American and international culture is a victory for those who had everything taken away from them.

Black culture lol. So woke no intelligence.

As if Black people had one unique culture on Earth. That is an American view indeed with total lack of general knowledge.

So many different countries with black or partially black population which are totally culturally diffefent. Visit Africa and you will understand.

Like if I were saying white, yeloow or red is one culture only...

It is so far from black or white.

Know your history.

As a Black American I do not know what "Black culture" is but I do celebrate American culture. Especially the thousands of young men who died for the Union in the Civil War.

As a Black American I do not know what "Black culture" is but I do celebrate American culture. Especially the thousands of young men who died for the Union in the Civil War.

Good point

"Lot of people died' for black culture".

Is he talking about the number of rap stars getting shot by other rap stars? or wannabe rap stars?

@finally rich WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THESE PEOPLE?? are you those people? On another note THESE PEOPLE don't crave anything from white majority societies, nor does THESE PEOPLE expect that but what THESE PEOPLE know is the white majority pay for the entertainment if they didn't like it they wouldn't support it!! I agree black culture thrives where ever they are and there is no need to correct you because in the WHITE WORLD THESE PEOPLE are black no matter where they are from, Africa, Jamaica or Nigeria The point of you mentioning white entertainers just to shout out to the world black tell that to Justin Timberlake and the others who turned R&B into pop dig up Elvis and ask him where he got his rhythm from and he will say Well I didn't get it from those people I got it from THESE PEOPLE as you say!

Very weird (not talking about the picture), correct me if I'm wrong but black culture has always triumphed in Africa, in the Caribbean, etc.

*Why do these people crave for recognition, awards from white majority societies?*

Thriving in Jamaica or Nigeria is not enough?

Can't see the point of making the point of being white's entertainers just to shout to the world black

"Triumphed" over what?

I think because they were torn away from their countries and culture against their will. They created a new culture to replace the one they had stolen from them. They don't crave recognition from the white establishment. They're not asking, they're demanding it through sheer force of innovation and ideas.

The fact that black culture has become so suffused and even a dominant factor in American and international culture is a victory for those who had everything taken away from them.

Well said...

Mr KiplingJune 22 11:05 pm JST

kaimycahl....

> Just google" list of 56 rappers who were murdered.".....

> Tupac, Notorious BIG, Jam Master Jay....... but as always...."all cultures are equal".

Not sure of your point. Many Western heroes, Cowboys, etc, murdered each other but are considered legendary. Also, when the Mafia was murdering fellow Italians by the dozens, I never had to hear about white on white or Italian on Italian crime. They were just people. When you are Black in a White or Asian world, that goes out the window. Your skin color is most important. Al Capone, Jesse James, Billy the Kid, the Dalton Gang, John Dillinger and Charles Manson and his gang are all mass murderers but their skin color does not register. The St. Valentine's Day Massacre. Columbine. Sandy Hook. Oklahoma City. Waco. The list is long but it's the same type of thing. Ted Bundy murdered lots of white women but he's seen as a genius who just had a few screws loose to many. His skin color is never put on trial. The way crime is perceived, reported and viewed is way slanted when you are Black. Those Western outlaws and Mafia types are legendary and heroes to many, with books, movies and places named for them but it would not be so if they were black, and that is an undeniable fact.

Has it also not escaped you that the advent of “Hip Hop” itself has actually killed a lot of people too ?

But there’s no such thing as Black culture. There’s Black-American culture or black European culture but no pure Black culture. The songs are sung in English and the musical instruments are European. The clothes are western. Africas didn’t create hip hop. Shrugs.

Mocheake...

Not sure of your point.

Its a very simple point, the subject is Rap, Hip Hop and its culture. There are 56 documented cases of Rap artists being murdered since Tupac. Have there been 56 Rock artists murdered? K-pop stars? Folk singers?

"Happy" was a very inspiring and positive, cheerful song. It's very rare and difficult to make a simple, non-cynical, and sunao song like that doesn't come off as shallow and corny and becomes a major timeless hit. But he did it! For that alone he deserves a lot of praise.