Lady Gaga just released a new album, JOANNE, and it contains a song dedicated to Trayvon Martin and the #BlackLivesMatter movement titled “Angel Down.” While it is a touching song that is befitting to the movement, we’re not sure we believe Gaga is the best person to be attaching herself to the organization.
Recently, she began voicing her support of #BlackLivesMatter because of what fans have been expressing to her about their experiences of anxiety triggered by law enforcement.
Paul O'neal. #BlackLivesMatter How many children must we lose b4 our justice system does something? #Chicago #USA pic.twitter.com/DvvAxMJSeI
— Lady Gaga (@ladygaga) August 7, 2016
I pray for the black community who suffer fear of prejudice, violence & injustice. We need lawfulness, fairness, unity. #BlackLivesMatters
— Lady Gaga (@ladygaga) July 21, 2016
But, if you can bring your memory back to a photo that was released in 2015 at the same time the “Bad Romance” singer was awarded Billboard‘s “Woman of the Year” accolade, you might have an air of skepticism clouding your mind as well.
A picture of Gaga posing with two men with chains around their neck and costumed in “black face,” is the photo of reference. While this doesn’t cause doubt on her empathy of the heinous and unnecessary loss of any human life, we do question her attachment to the movement itself.
Lady Gaga has always lent a philanthropic hand to many causes ranging from Robin Hood to The Trevor Project, so we know that she cares about human life as a collective, but the picture speaks to her lack of awareness of all that the #BlackLivesMatter movement stands for.
This is not a moment, but a movement.
And this movement continues to “[work] for the validity of Black life.”
Valid is defined as “acceptable or reasonable” or “acceptable according to law.” Two things that black lives have never been classified as in American society–and still are not classified as according to our Constitution which is based on an age-old “We The People…”, in which case “people,” at the time of the construction of our nation’s guide book, were defined as wealthy, white men. So, to have once posed holding the chains of a black-faced slave and then a few years down the road, connect yourself to the #BlackLivesMatter movement is mystifying.
This is not a hatred piece of Gaga, her artistry or empathy. But more simply put with assistance of Solo, “this s**t is for us” and some s**t, Gaga, you just can’t touch. And if you want to touch, maybe link up with Colin Kaepernick for a study session beforehand.’