Byron Hurt has a new project examining black masculinity and the jump off point is a question about the connection between Barack Obama and Curtis Jackson (50 Cent). Trailer no. 2:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEOT4wAetzY[/youtube]

I am going to come back to this a bit later I think. But it’s interesting that he’s choosing 50 Cent, but the title is Barack and Curtis. Why does this distinction matter?

This is Curtis Jackson.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCzb5zpV0PA[/youtube]

This is 50 Cent.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qm8PH4xAss[/youtube]

See the difference? Talk about performative blackness….