When it comes to music industry politics, black artists are finding it tougher than ever to sell albums and even get radio play on the Top 40 stations.
The other day Jazmine Sullivan made it clear that she notices Adele sings music many consider to be blue-eyed soul and still manages to be pushed in all music markets and demographics.
Then of course K Michelle called out the radio stations for ignoring black R&B artists and promoting songs from Adele that she feels are lackluster.
And now Sevyn Streeter brings up an interesting point on Twitter, and tells her fans that she feels like it’s even harder for women of color who aren’t light-skinned.
Read the tweets from bottom to top:
The business is tough for black people right now period. Look at how they are even trying to shut out Beyonce and Rihanna on top 40. But Sevyn is going to have to keep at it. She’s beautiful, she’s talented and I enjoy her music. She just has to keep trying and that right song will do it for her.
I don’t think the problem is her complexion. It’s still business and if you don’t stand out, you won’t make it. You gotta have that it factor. Back in the day, Lauryn and Brandy were killing it. Why? They had great music and star quality which helps build a fanbase. Sevyn needs to work on building a fanbase.
Nah, her music is just too bland.
Light skinned people are struggling too. Poor Tinashe and Rita Ora keep trying and flopping all over the place. You need star power to make it now. She needs to grab people’s attention. Her little stunt relationship with BOB wasn’t enough.
Yeah her being dark skinned is the not really the issue. I like her but she’s kind of boring.
She ain’t popping because her music ain’t all that. I did like her song with Chris tho.
This is a played out topic. When we were growing up, we saw multiple dark skinned women killing the game. The problem now is R&B has been shut out and white people are taking over the culture. And these “urban” radio stations aren’t doing anything to stop it. I can turn on any urban station right now where I live and hear Adele, Sam Smith and Justin Beiber at least twice in the same hour. Meanwhile when Tamar, K and anyone else drops new music, I’d be waiting forever to hear it played on the same stations. So it’s not her skintone, it’s the white washing of the music business. There’s gonna be a lot more white rappers as well in the next few years.
R&B is hanging on by a thread honestly. So it’s weird to see her try to make this about her being dark skinned. It’s people lighter than her that can’t even get half of the attention she gets. Sit Sevyn.