On September 18, Jatavia Shakara Johnson, also known as JT (part of the infectious rap duo City Girls) posted on social media pictures of a collaboration between Mowalola and Beats by Dre. The pictures, captured by Hugo Compte, showcased the stunning rapper modeling in a futuristic themed photoshoot that could best be described as ‘cyberpunk noire’. Though the headphones for the collaboration were showcased beautifully, what seemed to capture most of the public’s attention was the hair that was multi-colored and cut with an angular symmetrical bang. To add to the futuristic feel of the shoot, layers of what looked to be wires were placed where the back of her hair was, adding both movement and intrigue to the photos. We also were shown behind the scenes looks, as well as a short video showcasing some of the other models styled in a similar fashion and showcasing the collaborative effort between Mowalola & Beats by Dre also.
Honestly JT looked like something straight out of the Fifth Element mixed with Cyberpunk: Edgerunners. Others have even likened the photos to older PlayStation campaigns that utilized similar techniques by taking faces and adding in futuristic and virtual touches.
The campaign was absolutely awe inspiring and pushed the envelope, as we’ve never seen the Miami rapper in such a high fashion, alt girl-esque light before. From the styling to the lighting, the hair, and even the make-up, JT and the others were captured in such a flattering yet inventive way that one would think the the photos would instantly go viral. Well, they did…just not for the reasons one might think.
With the pictures quickly making their way around the internet and across the multiple social media sites (it’s so many), it seemed that the public had mixed reviews. Though many lauded the campaign and JT for stepping outside the box and showing off the headphones in a creative and ingenious way, many others saw the pictures as “weird”, “unflattering”, and even “demonic”. Some have even tried to link the Illuminati to the photos (really?). Now, is the campaign for everybody? No. And will everyone understand the artistic direction that the team was going for? No. However, the amount of negative remarks has surpassed misunderstanding and dislike and has crossed over into hate & straight up vitriol. It’s not to say that the campaign can’t be criticized or critiqued, but when the commentary has little to do with building up the team in question and focuses more on tearing them down, it’s hard to see why anyone wouldn’t view the plethora of comments as unmitigated hate.
The issue doesn’t stop there with me though. Looking through all the pessimistic responses, I (as well as many others privy to the issue at hand) noticed that the bulk of the negativity was coming from our community, the black community. A community that historically has had little exposure within high fashion and the industry at large despite our influence and cultural relevance due to racism and prejudice. It’s both ironic and disheartening as black women are often the trendsetters and backbones within said industry whilst constantly being overlooked and demeaned by their white counterparts & white media. And though this happens in many career fields, it seems to be an amplified issue in particularly creative spaces and fields of work that require innovation. So to see this same treatment, this same attitude, aimed at a black woman with visibly black features taking up space in an industry that is notoriously biased and phobic to the idea of anything black by people who look just like her is vexing to say the least.
Black women have every right to experiment and flourish in settings outside of that which others can comprehend and/or are comfortable with. Black women have a right to dabble in alternative art and fashion styles that are incongruent with what we deem as “normal” or “regular” without being linked to satanic ideals or the Illuminati. Black women should be allowed to occupy areas within high fashion without scrutiny or overly harsh criticism simply for inventiveness and stepping outside the box. And let’s be clear: JT is not the first nor the last black woman to flirt with alt fashion. There have always been women within the community that completely immerse themselves in such styles, as thats what resonates with them. However the difference is the exposure, as the general public is used to seeing bodies other than our own take on such fashion in mainstream media. For the black women that do unabashedly occupy said spaces, they are all too often disrespected and again labeled “weird” while being shamed by the their own community for not following status quo, which can set a negative precedent for younger girls who may have a true affinity for such styles and culture.
I say all this to say, that JT doesn’t deserve the hate for doing what her own thing. No one does really. but especially not black women. What she, Mowalola, Hugo and the rest of the models did was artistically stunning and honestly should be considered one of the best campaigns of the year. As JT said in a live she did on Instagram post-campaign due to all the hate,
“ Muh****** don’t always see it for girls like me…You don’t always see faces like mine. You do not always see girls with big nose, big ass cheek bones. Yknow you see narrow faces in these spaces…Im’a do this shit in front of MY people. People who look like me. Girls who where I’m from, and let them know that they can do this. Cause it’s not just for fashion people.”
She even stated in her video that she too took notice in the faces that were tearing her down and “dogging her out” as she so plainly put it, and it was her own community. But she’s not doing it for them. She’s doing it for herself and the black girls, the black women, that do understand and do echo her sentiments and style. Black girls who look like her should feel like they can achieve what she has and reach heights further than what anyone else can see for them. Black girls with prominent black features should be able to view themselves as fashion models, editorial models, runway models, etc. despite where they’re from. And black girls should be allowed to explore their own personal style and take part in alt fashion without being called “weird”.
So allow them that freedom and keep the negativity to yourself, because maybe, JUST MAYBE, you don’t have the range. And to JT: continue being a leader in the fashion world, showing ingenuity and dressing unconventionally without remorse. The girls that get it, get it. Just saying.
Name Is Kanem 
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