Barak Obama: A New Kind Of Sex Symbol

One of the gossip sites I sometimes visit had a picture of Barak whispering something to Beyonce from the inauguration. Of course the headline encouraged readers to let their imaginations go wild.

 

And the readers did just that. There were many, many Black women who were making comments saying they wouldn’t blame Beyonce for going after Barak because he was very desirable..okay sexy. I do believe this is a common viewpoint, though certainly not exclusive to Black women either.  What comes out of all this is something remarkable?  I looked at a number of sites listing most attractive or desirable Black men, and all were entertainers (singers, actors) or athletes except for Barak Obama. Without the presidency, Barak would at best be considered handsome in the professor type of handsome but certainly nowhere near anyone’s most desirable or sexy list. There are three ways men tend to become very desirable: fame, wealth, or power.  Of course Obama has the fame but I think he might be the first Black man to be desirable purely on the position of power. The way he is able to command an audience with the power of words while dressing impeccably well and yielding great authority is something new in our culture.

I know I’m thinking big scale, but I think Barak can have a huge impact on our community going beyond his presidency. As more young Black women look at Obama as this handsome, educated, provider who is proud to be there for his kids, what they start seeking in men might improve. Suddenly, having an education, not having your pants down around your knees, knowing how to talk and present yourself, and being responsible might be the type of man being chased instead of Joe Thug with the bling and the rims. And men are funny creatures. We adapt to get the girl. If women raise their standard, men will raise theirs. But as long as young men can act like clowns and be about criminal activities and have a large percentage of women chasing after them, they have no incentive to change.  Maybe this will ultimately be the Hope and Change Obama promised.

Kanye West and Kim Kardashian Are Expecting

Rapper Kanye West and Kim Kardashian recently announced that they are expecting a baby. Don’t worry, this  blog is not aiming to be the next TMZ. The BlackNEK perspective on this is  that I’ve noticed a sudden but subtle shift in star rapper behavior which is pretty noteworthy. Now, current rap songs are still filled with misogynistic lyrics and there are plenty of rappers who celebrate being womanizers still, but for the big stars, there seems to be a move towards long term relationships. Now these relationships are often with other celebrities but still it’s a start. Jay-Z and Beyonce have been together for awhile and already have a child. Popular rapper Wiz Khalif of ‘Black and Yellow’ fame has been with video model and socialite Amber Rose for an extended period as well. You also have the amazing Alicia Keys and rapper Swiss Beats on the long term. Now, I’m not saying this is brand new as rappers Ice-T, Snoop Dog, and Will Smith have been married for quite a while, though I think at this point it’s fair to call these former rappers since they do more acting than anything else. While I have no idea if these current relationships are all about love, media attention, or some twisted combination of the two, it is a good thing for the young men who idolize these entertainers to see that you can be tough and urban and about the streets, but still be in a committed relationship and proudly take on fatherhood responsibilities.