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Keeping
It Real
By Walter P. McGill, Jr.
What Black America is talking about...or should be.
R. Kelly and the Image
Awards
When I
first heard that R. Kelly was nominated for a NAACP Image
Award, I thought it was a joke. Sorta like Mike Tyson
being a judge at the Miss America Pageant or George Bush
winning the Nobel Peace Prize. The extreme irony makes
such thoughts humorous to say the least. The NAACP Image
Awards have long been seen as a crowning accomplishment by the
Black community. In its 35th year, the purpose of
the awards is to ''honor projects and individuals that
have demonstrated exemplary works by and for people of
color.''
There is no
doubt that R. Kelly is a very talented and gifted artist. His
music is slammin'! But the Image Awards should be more than a
popularity contest. I mean, let's face it, R. Kelly has an image
problem. It is true that he has not been convicted of
anything, but I don't think that many of us would leave a
teenaged daughter, sister or cousin around him. It may not be
fair, but it is real.
The NAACP
needs to take a close look at what it wants to hold forward as
an image of excellence. If we want to hold others accountable
for how Black people are portrayed in the media, then we must
take a hard look at what we celebrate amongst ourselves.
What are your thoughts?
Share them on our
discussion board
03/16/2004
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