What Is BlackPlanet, Really?
I’ve read a lot of the comments from HelloBeautiful, GIANT, and TheUrbanDaily.com and in the end, what I’ve learned is that there are some pretty interesting conversations that get started here. Let me share with you one of them…
One of the hot button topics on The Urban Daily was our piece on Angelica Curves. It caused a lot of commotion in the comments section (something we appreciate, greatly). It brought up the interesting notion on something that has me wondering: What is BlackPlanet, really?
“Man…she ain’t even black! 
Seen finer in Inglewood. What’s up with that? If you’re gonna put a latina at least put one up with a black booty or of black ancestry to represent! No disrespect to my latina mamis out there. 
“
“These women are not even black. They are MIXED ! Have you ever seen a pure black person. Horrible hair and wide noses and so black they look purple. I thought this was BLACK planet. Keep other races out or change the name and get over slavery.“
Outside of the twenty million-plus members who are in the BlackPlanet Universe, the stereotype is that it’s home to sex fiends looking to hook up with one another and aren’t worried about much of anything. But from groups like ~Sy & Coke’s BOOM BOOM Room~ to Naruto: Anime, Games, and Pics, BlackPlanet is more than just the stereotype.
Quite honestly, who’s to say that BLACKDIAMOND184 is even Black. She may be as white as her BP profile is. I thought the point of the Civil Rights movement was to include all races, not to discriminate. I ran into this same type of issue over at HipHopDX.com’s Beauty & Brains section. If I picked a girl too dark, then she was a bush batch. If she was too light, they’d ask where’s the dark-skin women at.
I don’t get it. In a changing world climate, with both young and old realizing that something has to be done, I ask you, “What is BlackPlanet, really…?” Are we focused on our own individual expression? Or is BlackPlanet a place where folks are just following the pack? Are we the people who are open to all things? Or are we closed-minded?
Even before Facebook and MySpace, BlackPlanet was a unique voice. Now BlackPlanet has been eclipsed. It takes challenging voices like Indianapolis’s own PrettyChocolateEyez to put the pressure on us, the media, to step our game up:
“Angelica Curves is typical. Give me something that we haven’t seen before. The fair complexion, long hair and skimpy swim suits are the norm. Real beauty is when you can take a snap shot (no airbrushing) and be amazed by what you see. Angelica you are beautiful with no question but I’ve seen you before.“
Our job here at The Urban Daily is to keep you in tune to the hottest trends, clothes, music, gadgets, games, etc. — set to the beat of your individual drum. Over the last few years, we’ve linked our lives to the digital world. As more social networks pop up, BlackPlanet has managed to stay the only spot where Black folks can come and take off their shoes and relax for a while.
But now is a beautiful time to try something different, to be different. The choice is yours to redefine the Matrix. Figuring out that answer will be an intriguing one and I challenge you, BlackPlanet members, to present the example of yourself that you want us to see.
In the meantime and in-between time, yours truly will be here to join in the conversation and have some fun with y’all.
…Besides, I got my eye on someone to date for Single in the City… Maybe some stereotypes aren’t that bad.
HAPPY B-DAY DIDDY!
HOT CELEB PICS!
Comments (59)
-
Byakuugan_Mod11-18-2009 6:09 pm
-
_REIANNA_7-19-2009 9:59 pm
-
jamesaw1113-7-2009 3:02 pm
-
rastaqueen4201-20-2009 12:23 am
-
blackdiamond1841-19-2009 10:06 pm
-
It_Iz_What_It_Iz1-19-2009 7:30 pm
-
sexycalichica071-19-2009 5:49 pm
-
sexycalichica071-19-2009 5:46 pm
-
blackdiamond1841-19-2009 4:00 pm
« Previous 1 2 3We are all responsible for what BlackPlanet is, staff and members alike. Nature abhors a vacuum so if you feel BP is lacking in a certain area then maybe it is your position to fill that void of what you feel is necessary. Celebrating BlackPlanet’s 10th anniversary where other social networking sites have not had such longevity makes me understand that whatever we think BP is, it is a blessing and a unique chapter in internet history. Whether you adore or loathe BP it deserves your respect just like the oldest living relative at your family reunion.
OTHER RACES CAN GET ON HERE JUST DNT BE TRYNA TAKE OUR S**T U FEEL ME? LOL
BlackPlanet is where I explore myself with expressed thought-words and find out with greater certainty just how I fare outside my self with others like and unlkike me. It is good to know one’s self, so that when one looks into the mirror of someone else’s thought-words and sees one’s self, there is an assurance one will never be lost or stolen. (Maybe I’ll take this up at another time.)
Rev. JamesA Williams
I JUST WANT TO SAY I LOVE BP I HAVE MEET BEAUTIFUL KINGS AND QUEENS ON HERE. (I AGREE WITH It_Iz_What_It_Iz) I LOVE THAT ITS NOT MAINSTREAM LIKE THE OTHERS ARE…. I FEEL LIKE IT’S KINDA LOCAL, KNOWING I CAN TRAVEL IF I WANT, LOVE YA BP
This message is to Kevin L. Clark.
Let me clear up some things for you son.You said “Quite honestly, who’s to say that BLACKDIAMOND184 is even Black. She may be as white as her BP profile is. I thought the point of the Civil Rights movement was to include all races, not to discriminate”. Why did you assume I was black in the first place if you talk about including all races ?Also I am a male of course and I didn’t even have anything on my profile how is my profile White ?. Tell me What makes a “black” profile ? To tell you the truth if I didn’t see a picture of you I would guess you were white with a name like Kevin. It’s funny my real name is blacker than yours if you wanna get stereo typical.
Blackplanet is what it is. Just like BET(Black Entertainment Television) doesn’t necessarily depict black culture to the fullest, neither does Blackplanet. Many stereotypes about black people and black culture are at times reinforced in an enviroment like this where there is so much overt sexual innuendo and at times the imagery on this site looks like it’s straight out of a bootleg rap video. That isn’t Blackplanet’s fault since inviduals more than anything else make a community and are responsible for how they portray themselves. Sometimes living in a small ass city like I do has jaded my opinions about the opposite sex but I’ve been elightened by many women of color on this site who live in other parts of the country and who think, act totally different than what I am accustomed to. I think this site is slowly catering more to a younger audience(25 and under). When or if blackplanet becomes an exact replica of myspace then I’ll probably cancel my account. I like the fact that Blackplanet isn’t as mainstream as myspace because it would become more watered down and a brotha would have to weed through more bulls**t and delete more spam comming from individuals posing as pale white barbie dolls.
BLACKPLANET AND I HAVE A GOOD COMMUNICATION MOST OF MY FRIENDS ARE AFRICAN AMERICAN OR WHITE OR MEXICAN, BUT MOST OF MY FRIENDS R BLACK N I LOVE THIS SITE I BEEN ON HERE SINCE 2005 ITS A FUN SITE WHEN UR BORED U CAN MAKE FRIENDS RIGHT AWAY
Blackplanet to me is a fun site. I say its a fun site because people go on to your page and you could make and be friends with those people and some guys visit girls page n start liking them which is a good site n some girls visit guys page which is also a good sign. I think its a great site n i been on here for 4 yrs now so its better den myspace, migente, etc BLACKPLANET #1 LOL
This message is to Kevin L. Clark.
Let me clear up some things for you son.You said “Quite honestly, who’s to say that BLACKDIAMOND184 is even Black. She may be as white as her BP profile is. I thought the point of the Civil Rights movement was to include all races, not to discriminate”. Why did you assume I was black in the first place if you talk about including all races ?Also I am a male of course and I didn’t even have anything on my profile how is my profile White ?. Tell me What makes a “black” profile ? To tell you the truth if I didn’t see a picture of you I would guess you were white with a name like Kevin. It’s funny my real name is blacker than yours if you wanna get stereo typical.