When the NFL announced Usher would perform at the Super Bowl Halftime Show, two VERY different conversations erupted.
To put it plainly, one sector of American society was STOKED. Other sectors were utterly flabbergasted. Initially, I could not comprehend why people were confused. Then, I realized that a good chunk of the Super Bowl’s audience had NO idea about Usher’s legendary Las Vegas residency.
Therefore, they could not understand that Usher was the only sensible pick for a Vegas-based Super Bowl.
MIXED REACTIONS
Did you know that folks were not happy to hear that Usher was taking the Super Bowl LVIII Halftime Stage?
“Usher?” “Why Usher?” “He’s old.” “No one wants to listen to that.” “It’s gonna be boring.” “He’s trying too hard.”
Several of these statements are strewn across the comment sections of Complex, NFL, Billboard, NYT, and more.
Meanwhile, my social media completely broke out in jubilation. Folks were thrilled because they knew the impact Usher made the year before. It was only fitting that he took the big stage and showed the rest of the world what we’ve been hype about.
LAS VEGAS RESIDENCY
Usher’s Las Vegas Residency took the Black community by STORM. For over a year, social media and Las Vegas were spinning as a result of these dynamic weekend experiences.
And experience is the RIGHT word; it was not just a concert. Guests stayed in the same hotel where the show was hosted. There were full-out installations. He even had skate parties!
People planned their birthdays, wedding anniversaries, bachelorette parties, and more to coincide with Usher’s Vegas residency. International travel was involved! I couldn’t scroll on any of my social media platforms without hearing people swoon about the experience. Celebrities of all caliber filled the crowd as pure fans.
Notoriously, a Vegas residency could indicate the decline of an artist’s career. Not for Usher!
He redefined that narrative with immaculate performances, elaborate stage production, and ancillary attractions.
With that much excitement around his name, the city of Las Vegas began to feel Usher’s impact. Within months, Usher was the city’s biggest showman.
But if you’re just hearing about this legendary residency, the announcement of Usher performing at the Super Bowl could be an underwhelming surprise.
DISJOINTED SOCIETIES
Once again, I am reminded of just how disjointed our society is. Social media simply amplifies this. Some people would argue that social media makes the world much smaller – connecting all of us more easily.
In some cases, that is true. But often, social media gives people an opportunity to get lost in the corners of their interests and identity. It becomes very easy to be blind to other social dynamics.
I’m not saying it’s a bad thing. Not necessarily. However, it can lead to clashes when folks from one sector get on the main stage. Then, people have no idea what is going on – and that confusion can lead to unfounded belligerence.
BEYONCE AND TAYLOR SWIFT
There’s no way you found a way to talk about Taylor Swift, Latifah!
Hear me out! Let me cook!
Taylor Swift and Beyonce’s record-breaking concerts actually reflect these disjointed social realities.
Last year, Beyonce’s Renaissance Tour and Taylor’s Eras Tour overlapped – both in dates and in impact. Both tours made history. Both artists made record-breaking bank. Both tours shifted culture in their own way.
Yet somehow, each artist’s core fanbases and adjacent audiences did not see the phenom of the other artist’s movement. Some fans didn’t even know the other artist had the world buzzing.
Now, Taylor’s visibility has obviously increased - and there are many reasons for that which would require a whole nother article.
Nevertheless, we see how Black-centralized audiences remain engulfed in their isolation with very little interest in the outside entertainment world. In a similar vein, certain aspects of Black social circles completely escape the general public’s radar. As much as Black culture permeates mainstream media, all Black experiences are not transferrable.
IT’S ON US!
Most people will say they don’t care. I feel otherwise. Because when the recognition doesn’t match the impact, we are rightfully enraged. But did “they” really know? They may have looked at numbers, but are people truly understanding the incredible work we are doing?
A better question to ask … are we adequately articulating the super dope things we do? Listen, I’m always coming for media publications because they have dropped the ball. They don’t be talking about NOTHING. Now obviously, that’s a generalization. Many incredible journalists have discussed - in length – the impact of Usher’s residency in their affiliated publications. Unfortunately, that incredible work is overcome by the abundance of nonsense those very same publications push out.
We see how mainstream media has flooded the market with Taylor Swift content. It’s annoying to us now. But this is intentional. When it comes to the Super Bowl, mainstream media is documenting this moment for decades to come.
Due to the increase of overall Blackness at the Super Bowl, the obsessive coverage of Taylor Swift is mainstream media’s attempt to create balance for their viewers. What better way to do this than zeroing in on America’s Girl Next Door and her superstar, jock boyfriend. They are developing an archive for their favorite girl.
As Black media participants, what is the structure of OUR archive?
How much more can we document our stories outside of social media posts and 24-hour Instagram stories? As a historian of music and culture, I stand on the fact that we must document moments to preserve history.
Even if our archives aren’t the New York Times and ESPN, it’s still important that we express the power of what Black artists do. That’s for ‘them’ to start understanding. But more importantly, we must preserve these pieces. That’s for us to remember for generations to come.
Black culture permeates, but Black experiences do not necessarily transfer.
So for our sake ... For the sake of history ... we gotta document it properly.
History is based on who tells HIS (or her) STORY.
Sincerely, Latifah
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