You can be as rich as Bill Gates, a renowned surgeon with the cure for cancer and have the qualities a person befitting martyrdom on a level surpassing that of Mother Theresa and in the eyes of a racist, you are still a n*gga.
In cases like this, history is our best friend as it shows us countless cases of stars who hoped to escape their blackness; OJ, for example, is said to have exclaimed during his infamous trial that “I’m not black, I’m OJ” — And while such utterances can be taken at face value to be an effort to assert one’s individualism on a deeper level this is indeed an attempt to separate oneself from there blackness and rise above to the coveted arena of whiteness; a foolhardy attempt at best, and the ravings of a self-hating ineffectual individual at worst.
A$AP’s case doesn’t’ draw much sympathy because of what many views as his attempt to distance himself from his blackness. Electing for an “I just have to be me” and not worry about what’s going on in the world approach he puts himself in a terrible predicament by not aligning with the one group that’s in the same proverbial boat that he is in. As a result, when he finds himself in a situation where his blackness is at the epicenter he must rely on parties who aren’t uniquely invested in his success because… he’s black.
Were A$AP a rich young white girl traveling abroad who found herself in trouble with the law maybe the presidential calls would. Perhaps he’d be home by now, or at the very least able to walk around the town until trial. But alas, that’s not the case.
If anything Rocky’s impending assault trial reinforces the notion that blackness for how much of a blessing it is, is also an inescapable burden that dictates that so much more is expected of you, especially as a rapper. Not living up to the expectations of perfection on your part as a member of this exclusive, as black man, have proven once again to be perilous.
As A$AP’s story unfolds we’ve seen:
- A video that clearly shows him hoping to avoid confrontation
- Multiple members of Rocky’s crew asking to not be followed and left alone.
- A European man throwing his headphones at A$AP’s security — who STILL have the presence of mind to walk away.
- Two young women approaching Rocky’s crew asserting that the same men following them had also groped them
And with all of this in front of them, the Swedish courts decided to let the European gentlemen go free and charge A$AP with assault. And while one would think that A$AP’s having financial resources would offset any problems he’d face overseas we once again forget that he has one very important factor working against him; his blackness.
In contrast to Rocky’s treatment let’s not forget about G-Eazy and his recent troubles abroad, specifically in Sweden. Even he decries the treatment of A$AP by the Swedish Authorities as a direct result of white privilege and supremacy of the part of the Swedes. (For those who are unfamiliar with G-Eazy’s challenges aborad, he was involved in an assault and accused of Cocaine possession.)
I won’t beat a dead horse in hopes of convincing anyone who believes A$AP to be deserving of this treatment because of his prior comments on Ferguson or because like OJ he chooses to distance himself from his blackness ,  however, I will caution you by saying that today it was A$AP, but tomorrow it could be you.
JAY-Z tried to tell you…
Light nigga, dark nigga, faux nigga, real nigga
Rich nigga, poor nigga, house nigga, field nigga
Still nigga, still nigga