As a scholar of racial identity, I have been fascinated with studying the complexities of Black identity. This fascination led me to create a class called The Politics of Black Identity, which examines the idea of a common bond assumed among Black people and critically analyzes the idea that behaviors of Black celebrities and leaders undermine or advance Black progress. For Black people, notions of an authentic Black identity have historically played an important role in popular culture discourse because of concerns that a Black person can only be successful in society by appeasing White people.

Black culture has been very critical of individuals who are perceived as advancing their personal and professional interests at the expense of the Black community, with various derogatory terms being used to characterize these individuals (e.g., “selling out” or “Uncle Tom”). Because of the history of racism and the value placed on unity in resisting it, Black communities hold strong disdain for those perceived as engaging in racial betrayal.

Concerns about racial betrayal can be seen in the backlash against Black celebrities who are perceived as violating the norms of acceptable Black behavior. This policing of Black behavior is intended to maintain a sense of community and racial solidarity which historically has often served to advance the interests of Black people. This explains the negative reactions to several notable Black public figures such as Nicki Manaj, Snoop Dogg, and Stephen A. Smith.

Black Celebrity Backlash

Nicki Manaj, a rapper and songwriter, has faced some backlash because of her recent embrace of MAGA and Donald Trump. Speaking recently at the Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest, Manaj praised Donald Trump and characterized his administration as being full of people with “heart” and “soul”. Manaj’s embracing of MAGA has confused and disappointed many members of the Black community given her previous criticisms of Donald Trump, support for Barack Obama, and pride in being a Black female rapper. However, some Black folks see Manaj’s newfound love for Trump as racial betrayal. As a result, Manaj is now being accused of using hip-hop to build herself within the Black community and using her success to help Donald Trump.

Manaj has a complex racial identity that must be understood through the lens of her Afro-Trinidadian and Indo-Trinidadian heritage and immigrant background. She has spoken about being Black and colorism that exists in the music industry. However, she doesn’t share the history of African Americans, yet she had been embraced by many in the African American community. Furthermore, her immigrant background makes her embracing of the Trump administration even more confusing given their anti-immigrant policies. Amid the backlash, Manaj has doubled down on her support for Trump and MAGA, and remains committed to asserting her individual freedom.

Snoop Dogg, a beloved and iconic rapper in the Black community, recently experienced backlash when he performed at Donald Trump’s second Inauguration. His performance was seen as especially problematic, and deeply ironic, given his previous expletive-laden attacks on Black artists who performed at Trump’s first inauguration, whom he derided as "Uncle Toms". Some in the Black community have called Snoop a sell-out and want him cancelled. For his part, Snoop has defended his actions and said that he’s still 100 percent Black. For some Black people, his role in the rise of gangsta rap gave him a badge of realness in the Black community; however, for some his venture into pop commercialism combined with his overtures toward Donald Trump have challenged the realness of his Black identity.

Stephen A. Smith is a sports analyst, television personality and radio host who has built his brand on being brash and opinionated. Initially focused on sports, Smith has expanded his commentary into politics and pop culture. He has made several controversial statements – for example, saying on his podcast that the fatal shooting of Renee Good was legally justified and that she was at fault for driving away. Smith has also faced criticism for frequently targeting prominent Black women such as Joy Reid, Jemelle Hill, and Jasmine Crockett, as well as other high profile Black individuals such as Bakari Sellers and LeBron James, while not directing comparable scrutiny of high-profile White individuals.

What has been viewed as racial betrayal is Smith’s unapologetic criticism of figures like Congresswomen Jasmine Crockett, who is widely respected for her civil rights advocacy and her work on behalf of the Black community. Smith has pushed back against claims that he is out of touch with Black audiences, defending himself by highlighting his racial bonafides, including his upbringing in predominantly Black communities being raised by Black women, his role as an HBCU Week ambassador who has helped generate more than 12,000 scholarships totaling over $150 million for Black students, and his membership in Omega Psi Phi fraternity.

Smith complicates the sell-out narrative because he is clearly connected to the Black community and embraces his Black identity, yet his “straight shooter” persona is not beholden to a politics of racial solidarity. While his commentary is sometimes viewed as serving a conservative political agenda, Smith has described himself as an independent. Smith is committed to being Black on his own terms, which includes asserting his individual freedom to not engage in expected acts of racial solidarity.

Racial Betrayal

The reaction to these Black celebrities is a predictable response to perceived racial betrayal. In Randall Kennedy’s book, Sellout: The Politics of Racial Betrayal, he describes racial betrayal as a deeply rooted anxiety within Black American culture about racial abandonment. Building off Kennedy’s work, racial betrayal can be conceptualized as a type of apprehension that is triggered when a Black person’s behavior demonstrates little or blatant regard for its impact on the Black community.

In the foreword to Toure’s 2011 book “Who’s Afraid of Post-Blackness? What It Means to Be Black Now”, Michael Eric Dyson problematizes what he calls "racial patriotism", which is loyalty to race, and the practice of racial policing. To be clear, I will always be critical of problematic behavior that is not in the best interests of the Black community. When celebrities make decisions that alienate many members of the Black community, it is understandable why they receive backlash. Sell-out rhetoric, which can sometimes be misguided, reflects the tension between racial solidarity, racial betrayal, and individual freedom.

The Black community is not monolithic, and there is diversity in attitudes, values, political ideology, and beliefs around racial allegiance. Black celebrities (and all individuals) should have the freedom to express their beliefs, through both words and actions. Members of the Black community also have the freedom to respond, critique, and hold them accountable to the community.