*Posted Oct 13th, 2018 // This morning we woke up to the reactions of Kenya West’s visit to the White House. What did you think? I was asked at a private at-home conversation. I’ll make my opinion public. I said my first uncensored reaction felt like watching a black man in a cage on display for tourists. His hubris and a certain tragic flaw drove him there.
As I was watching it, I remembered an autobiography I read of a mixed-race boy (white German mother and black Liberian father), who lived in Germany before WW2 broke out, and at one point he tells the story of how his mother took him to the zoo and he saw a black family on display in a cage with other animals and tourists coming around to see this species and laugh at them. #HansMassaquoi
I saw people watching Kanye in this cage and laughing at him the same way. The only difference is that Kanye willed himself into that oval cage. I cringed deep into my African ancestral shrine just watching Trump watch Kanye. The pride of watching his very own black mundu exhibit prancing and peacocking for the world, cameras just lapping it all up.
“Mundu” because I can’t think of a more fitting way to describe a full-grown black man with his body occupying prime public space. A presence of manly flesh.
You ask, what about what the mundu said? He said nothing of intellectual complexity to me. I wish he did; it would have redeemed him. If you think his new-age mambo-jambo spirituality is awakening, you’re at least 20 years behind. Then again, some people catch up late on frayed avant garde thought.
If you think his being a black Republican is daring, then you probably don’t know any ordinary black Republicans. I’m sure there are those who were impressed by his disquieting opinions on what’s wrong with black people; it didn’t require that kind of self-deprecating show to express those opinions.
If you think his ability to make loads of money and schmooze with the president is spectacular, sheesh, study up on rich black people through the years who would die before they put themselves up as human exhibits at the oval office.
If you think his admission that he’s been yearning for a father-figure all his life told the whole story (and that he’s finally found one in Trump for whatever tragic reason), then we’re together.
The fact that this mundu’s phenomenal art is a thing of wonder is beside the point.