Looks like Skateboard P’s got a lot to say in his GQ interview, and he’s not biting his tongue. In addition to talking about the 2016 presidential race (he thinks Hillary Clinton is a lock), Pharrell took a little time share his thoughts on the controversy surrounding the cover for his album G I R L.
Many called the “Happy” musician out for his lack of a brown-skinned Black woman on the cover art, despite the fact that he’s made his career making music Black folks have supported over the years.
At the time, Pharrell explained that one of the women on the cover was, in fact, Black, and that people were too quick to condemn him for dissing Black women.
Although it made the rounds on blogs and social media, the criticism about the G I R L cover seemed pretty much over. But when GQ’s Zach Baron brought it up during their chat, Pharrell was eager to set the record straight.
In short? Although Pharrell says he loves being Black, don’t expect him to wave a red, black and green flag anytime soon. Oh, and dark-skinned sistas? Stop being so insecure, Mexicans have it way harder.
Peep the excerpt:
There were people who criticized you for not including more black women on the cover ofG I R L. How did you feel about that?
Do you want me to be honest with you?
Yeah.
It’s insecurity.
If you love who you are—and I’m not saying that there’s not a plight out
there for people who have different skin colors, because Mexicans go through just as much discrimination, if not more discrimination, than black people do in this country. Right? That’s why I wrote “Marilyn Monroe,” man: That which makes you different is what makes you special. You don’t gotta be waif, white, and thin to be beautiful. You can be anything that you want to be, and what I chose to do is put my friends on the cover. The girl that was closest next to me is black, but they didn’t know that, so they jumped the gun. And it wasn’t all black women. There were a lot of black women that were really angry at some of those girls, but some of those girls are the ones that instantly get mad when they don’t see somebody that’s dark. And it’s like: “Yo, you don’t need nobody to represent you. You represent you. You represent the best version of who you could be. You go out there and change the world.”
Because I’m black, and I wouldn’t trade my skin color for nothing. But I don’t need to keep wearing a badge that tells you that I’m black every time I do something! I’m black! In fact, the media will tell you I’m the first black person that’s had a number-one record in America in a year since Rihanna’s “Diamonds” in 2012—the first black person! The media tells you that. So why do I need to roll around with a scarlet letter on my forehead that says “Black”?My mother’s black, who’s a big part of my business; a black woman runs my business; and I’m married to a black woman. What more do you want?
And why are we talking about this? And if we’re going to talk about degrees of black—what is it in this country? I still believe that if you are at least 1/32nd of black blood in your body, even if you look like you, you are deemed black. Right?
Right.
*I missed an R in the tittle...can't edit
I was one of the those who didn't give a damn about his album cover. Mexicans though?
Many called the “Happy” musician out for his lack of a brown-skinned Black woman on the cover art, despite the fact that he’s made his career making music Black folks have supported over the years.
At the time, Pharrell explained that one of the women on the cover was, in fact, Black, and that people were too quick to condemn him for dissing Black women.
Although it made the rounds on blogs and social media, the criticism about the G I R L cover seemed pretty much over. But when GQ’s Zach Baron brought it up during their chat, Pharrell was eager to set the record straight.
In short? Although Pharrell says he loves being Black, don’t expect him to wave a red, black and green flag anytime soon. Oh, and dark-skinned sistas? Stop being so insecure, Mexicans have it way harder.
Peep the excerpt:
There were people who criticized you for not including more black women on the cover ofG I R L. How did you feel about that?
Do you want me to be honest with you?
Yeah.
It’s insecurity.
If you love who you are—and I’m not saying that there’s not a plight out
there for people who have different skin colors, because Mexicans go through just as much discrimination, if not more discrimination, than black people do in this country. Right? That’s why I wrote “Marilyn Monroe,” man: That which makes you different is what makes you special. You don’t gotta be waif, white, and thin to be beautiful. You can be anything that you want to be, and what I chose to do is put my friends on the cover. The girl that was closest next to me is black, but they didn’t know that, so they jumped the gun. And it wasn’t all black women. There were a lot of black women that were really angry at some of those girls, but some of those girls are the ones that instantly get mad when they don’t see somebody that’s dark. And it’s like: “Yo, you don’t need nobody to represent you. You represent you. You represent the best version of who you could be. You go out there and change the world.”
Because I’m black, and I wouldn’t trade my skin color for nothing. But I don’t need to keep wearing a badge that tells you that I’m black every time I do something! I’m black! In fact, the media will tell you I’m the first black person that’s had a number-one record in America in a year since Rihanna’s “Diamonds” in 2012—the first black person! The media tells you that. So why do I need to roll around with a scarlet letter on my forehead that says “Black”?My mother’s black, who’s a big part of my business; a black woman runs my business; and I’m married to a black woman. What more do you want?
And why are we talking about this? And if we’re going to talk about degrees of black—what is it in this country? I still believe that if you are at least 1/32nd of black blood in your body, even if you look like you, you are deemed black. Right?
Right.
*I missed an R in the tittle...can't edit
I was one of the those who didn't give a damn about his album cover. Mexicans though?
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about it.
.