Da Rules

I’ve recently come across a spoken word poem called Da Rules, one of many about race.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpvutGPY7zU

Performed by Marvin Hodges, Em Allison & Saidu Tejan-Thomas, this list-like poem draws attention to many levels of racism in modern America. This poem is directed to the black community and highlights the imperfections of white behaviour.

It addresses institutional/structural racism with the lines ‘Don’t have objects like squares or rectangles in your pockets… Do not fit the description’. This highlights the racial stereotyping by police we are unfortunately familiar with in the US by referencing past attacks such as police shootings on innocent black victims which were pardoned with excuses of ‘sudden movements’ or ‘they were reaching for a gun’.

The poem also remarks on micro-level racism by addressing the novelty value white people place on natural black hair. ‘Let them touch it when they ask, it relaxes…’ This action stigmatises black people, assumedly unconsciously, by reinforcing the idea of difference in and unacceptance of race. If unconsciously done, it follows Spoonley’s idea that ‘racist beliefs and racist behaviour do not necessarily accompany each other’. A curiosity is explored through (sometimes/usually) inappropriate actions. The poem continues, ‘You wear your hair straight so why can’t they wear braids, dreads, afros?’ Highlighting the so-called ‘reverse racism’ thought present in society. Of course this concept is ridiculous. This example is specifically more involved with cultural appropriation, but in the wider sense as Spoonley also points out, racism is ‘prejudice plus power’. As black people hold no institutional/personal power over white people by protecting against this appropriation, the racism isn’t present.

‘Reverse racism’ is also dealt with directly. ‘Do not make things exclusively for the betterment of your race, that’s reverse racism’. This reminded me of the comic in week 4’s lecture which highlights the ‘independence’ of white societies gaining power and control and how delusional it is.

Da Rules mentions ‘new’ racism, which I feel is specifically important, by the line, ‘Do not tell white friends you’re on scholarship.’ This suggests that if black people do, they will be resented either because; they need scholarships as they are from a lower socio-economic background and therefore undeserving of higher education or; because black students don’t deserve ‘hand outs’ because of their race that the dominant white people are not entitled to. The black community cannot win either way.

However, not all the racism in this poem is the fault of the white society. There is arguably a bit of Spivack’s strategic essentialism in the form of self-hatred by the lines, ‘Do not date outside your race. Your own people will consider you a sell out anyway. What? You’re not strong enough to handle a black woman?’ What I gather from this is that there is an opinion in the black community that dating outside the community is rejecting black identity for an easier, white-washed lifestyle. This could understandably be frowned upon. This attitude also polarizes black and white peoples, but whether that is a good thing or not, and in what ways and to what degree is hard to determine.