Many individuals have heard about the topic of skin bleaching in songs from well-known artist Vybz Kartel where he speaks about cake soap. But do individuals truly know about the topic of skin bleaching and how it affects the natives of the Caribbean?
Skin bleaching is a widespread problem that has taken over the Caribbean. The lessening of melanin is seen as a way of expressing style to some. All the while, the practice is commonly perceived as an indication of self-hatred. Though several members of the Caribbean diaspora are no longer in their native lands, their definition of beauty is still heavily influenced by the need for light skin and other forms of Eurocentric beauty.
Though the talk about skin bleaching seemed to settle, the topic of colorism has been on Dancehall artist Spice's mind. In her recently dropped EP, she explores the topic in-depth on a record titled "Black Hypocrisy." In October, The internet went into a speculation frenzy when screenshots of Spice went viral, showing the musician with significantly lighter skin.
In the following weeks later, however, Spice commented on the photos stating it was a marketing project to raise awareness about colorism in Jamaica and abroad. In the video, Spice deplores how she had been made to feel inferior because of the complexion of her skin over the reggae riddim. "Black Hypocrisy" advocates for darker skinned black women to be confident. This video also highlights underlying themes as it relates to how black people demean one another based on appearance. Scenes in the video showcase her as a feminist changing the meaning of being black to scenes of her as a leader campaigning self-love proudly march through the streets with other women.
During an interview with Billboard’s contributing reggae writer Patricia Meschino on Instagram Live, Spice mentioned that she lightened her skin in an effort to appease those who have said she was "too dark" or "dirty" in the past. She shares comments of individuals who told her that she would "do better if she were a "brownin" — a term used in Jamaica for people with lighter, black skin.
Spice took the issue of colorism in unison with her talent and social status to create an opportunity to hold Jamaican culture accountable for maintaining these ideologies and I commend her. The impact of marketing and visual production was successful in drawing awareness to how debilitating colorism is. It’s the message that people should be paying attention to, not the methods. And though controversial, has the potential to become social media-borne movements like #BlackGirlMagic which have allowed black people of all shades to see themselves as being worthy and celebrated, amidst a world that tells Blacks to fit a standard.
What are your thoughts about the video?