Ok.  Stay with me here.  Cause I’m actually still trying to understand this myself.  I got on Twitter this morning to see that people were upset with Pharrell and figured out that it’s because of his album cover.  If I’m understanding correctly it’s because there aren’t any black women on there.  Or…at least black women who “look” black.  And, from what I saw the fact that he isn’t married to a black woman has been brought up as well.

Couldn’t be more disappointed by @Pharrell‘s album cover. I was so looking forward to it too. Just, wow.

— dream hampton (@dreamhampton) February 26, 2014

When I saw Pharrells album cover I was surprised, grossed out and then realized how typical he is. — Voodoo Chile (@thesoulasylum) February 26, 2014

Yay more images of blackness lighter than a paper bag. Yay ambiguously ethnic. But how dare visibly black women speak? Oh. — Mikki Kendall (@Karnythia) February 26, 2014

In defense of Pharrell, people started putting up pictures where he HAS had black women around him such as this one…     But then…

I mentioned being annoyed by Pharrell’s album cover a week ago ’cause it’s pretty clear what’s going on there. — Michael Arceneaux (@youngsinick) February 26, 2014

I’m exhausted for Black women on the number of Black men who say disrespectful things about them daily. — Michael Arceneaux (@youngsinick) February 26, 2014

It’s not a coincidence he is enjoying a successful run by aligning himself with Black sounds without Black faces. — Michael Arceneaux (@youngsinick) February 26, 2014

And I see a few Black men bringing up an old shoot with The Source with Pharrell surrounded by Black women. False equivalency alert. — Michael Arceneaux (@youngsinick) February 26, 2014

(The picture above)

First off, that was a magazine shoot from years ago, which should imply he had no control over casting. And it’s a hip hop mag. — Michael Arceneaux (@youngsinick) February 26, 2014

That’s not the same as an album cover in 2014 which he had full control over as he’s comfortably enjoying new mainstream relevancy. — Michael Arceneaux (@youngsinick) February 26, 2014

It’s also post-Pharrell (and Kanye) cheering on the likes of Miley Cyrus. There is an obvious pattern there. You can like him & see it. — Michael Arceneaux (@youngsinick) February 26, 2014

And to @CorporateBarbie‘s point, it’s a bunch of Black men telling Black women how to feel about something affecting Black women. — Michael Arceneaux (@youngsinick) February 26, 2014

Also, shut up, “WHY Y’ALL MAD ABOUT THIS BUT NOT ABOUT….?” Your silly ass probably wasn’t even paying attention then, Capt. Deflection. — Michael Arceneaux (@youngsinick) February 26, 2014

I like his style.  And to be honest, he made some GOOD points.  So from that, I get what I what I walked (scrolled) into.  So basically, some black women mentioned they were disappointed with his cover, and then black men (because now I realize that IS who I see reacting on my timeline) started telling black women that they are being silly for being disappointed.

You know….this issue is NOT going away…and Black women trying to stick heads in the sand & pretend it’s OK is just…tragic & weak.

— KOLA BOOF (Official) (@KolaBoof) February 26, 2014

BLACK WOMEN….are not loved. They are not revered. They are not respected. By the majority of their own men. And I refuse to ignore it.

— KOLA BOOF (Official) (@KolaBoof) February 26, 2014

If media images aren’t important…why do they try to keep them as “White” as possible? THINK about it. Dumb ass mofos. — KOLA BOOF (Official) (@KolaBoof) February 26, 2014

If you aren’t aware of who Kola Boof is, go to Google.  Interesting stuff. I will agree that there are black men who seem to HATE black women.  They have an opinion of us that, at times, is very discouraging.  Like…

Pharrell made a song called “Happy,” yet y’all expect a black woman on the album cover. What’s the joke?

— PJ (@pjhoody) February 26, 2014

What do you all think?  Is this a “thing” or nah?

(The album is streaming a week early.  You can hear it on iTunes Radio.)

UPDATED:  February 26, 2014 2:45pm

I decided to update this because I appreciate the perspective given here.

You know, when I first saw the Pharrell cover, I was like “Oh. Ew.” Because it’s Pharrell with three women as accessories.

— Veronica Miller ☀ (@veronicamarche) February 26, 2014

And I’m never quite impressed with images where women are mere accessories, decorations. So to that end… — Veronica Miller ☀ (@veronicamarche) February 26, 2014

…it didn’t register that there were no (unambiguously) black women on the cover. And more I’m think about it, the more I’m glad about it. — Veronica Miller ☀ (@veronicamarche) February 26, 2014

I completely understand the desire for representation, I do. It’s the reason my work. But… — Veronica Miller ☀ (@veronicamarche) February 26, 2014

I think we gotta be careful of being so starved for attention that we’ll take it (or demand it) anywhere we can. — Veronica Miller ☀ (@veronicamarche) February 26, 2014

Yes.

To that end, I’m fine with the fact that Pharrell didn’t cast a black woman as “Accessory #4). We deserve more powerful images than that. — Veronica Miller ☀ (@veronicamarche) February 26, 2014

YES!!!

Also to that end, I can’t ignore the fact that Pharrell has consistently supported and collaborated with black female image creators.

— Veronica Miller ☀ (@veronicamarche) February 26, 2014

Pharrell used his influence to help one of our faves make a second season of Awkward Black Girl. A deliberate choice.

— Veronica Miller ☀ (@veronicamarche) February 26, 2014

Pharrell’s creativity and collaboration is ALL OVER our Black Girl Manifesto of 2013. All over it.

— Veronica Miller ☀ (@veronicamarche) February 26, 2014

The album cover IS problematic. But it can’t be used as absolute evidence for the idea that Pharrell isn’t here for black women.

— Veronica Miller ☀ (@veronicamarche) February 26, 2014

If I had to choose between being “The woman whose work Pharrell championed” or “The woman who Pharrell put on his cover in a robe”…well…

— Veronica Miller ☀ (@veronicamarche) February 26, 2014

We JUST dragged Perez Hilton yesterday for implying black women are accessories for gay men. But today…?????? O_O

— Veronica Miller ☀ (@veronicamarche) February 26, 2014

^^^^WHEW!!!!

VERY much so needed perspective. Why do we desire to be represented in these types of images?

Twitter—> @TashaSaysDotCom
Email—-> TashaSays@Outlook.com
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