Skipping College Might Have Hurt Lebron's Taste in Fashion Decisions
LeBron James latest fashion choice to appear on the latest cover of Vogue, the first African American male, to do so is in poor taste - at least in my opinion, and cultural critics. LeBron is by far one of the most classy dresser in the NBA - he goes out of his way to create the sophisticated baller image when he is off the court - As the article notes, he's a protege of Jay Z who is seen in suits more than the street wear of Brooklyn. So for him to make the cover of vogue mag is not a surprise but what he is wearing and his pose is.
Anyways, here is the cover photo.
Does the pose remind anyone of something? ...
Ok, enough time to think - Here is what the article and bloggers are debating it looks like...
-
Is this cover racist? I personally don't think that it arises to that level but I agree with the article that it does "reinforce the animalistic stereotypes frequently associated with black athletes."
One pic like this will not do much but when considered together with other frequent and constant portrayal of black athletes in dark or angry where as same is not necessarily the same for white athletes.
Specific case point examples I've noticed in the media: Got Milk? commercials...
Kevin Garnett (my fav basketball player and who happens to be real stand up guy)
is seen as a destructive force - if not something reminiscent of something (dare I use the word "monster") from a cheap Godzilla set.
But Consider Steve Nash's pic -
- 
His pose is more like Spiderman -"just another service provided by your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man!"
At the end of the day, athletes like Lebron should know better because it is their own participation that perpetuates the continuation of their own misrepresentation and having gone to college and siting in a history class or media class might have helped his fashion taste... Then again, I could be totally wrong on it helping his fashion taste...
hahaha... Interestingly enough if anyone wants to hear Chappelle speak about black men and media feminizing them.
When it comes to athletes, black, white or purple, I don't think comparing them to King Kong or Godzilla is an insult. Basically you're saying that's one big bad mofo.
As Denzel said in Training Day "King Kong ain't got nothin' on me!"
Reply to this
I agree that comparing them to a King Kong or Godzilla is not an insult - but I will stand by my view that it is undeniable that it is done more to black athletes than white or purple ones.
Baron, when you become that 'big bad mofo' - is it just exclusive to the sport or does that image carry with you off the field/court?
Reply to this
Handshake,
In America your job defines you, I am not prepared to debate the pros and cons of it, but just to state it as so. I think the athletes want their bad mofo image to follow them.
Point 2...most Americans can count the number of white athletes they can name on one hand, and besides Peyton, you rarely see one with an ad deal (NASCAR excluded).
Reply to this
BTW handshake,
I adjusted the size of some of your pics so that they didn't mess up the screen.
Reply to this
I wonder how much creative control the athlete has over how his or her image is displayed on a magazine cover. Each of the above images may have been the favorite of the athlete involved. There is a tendency to go for the "menacing" look. I would agree that the LeBron cover rather repelling but I would think the same way if he were white, I don't like pictures of angry-looking people. Too WWE for me, I guess, but if that was the one LeBron wanted, then that's his choice at the end of the day he has a lot more money than me, so he has "risen up" against "the man." Now if we could get an angry athlete/Bigfoot combo...well, then sir you'd have something.
Reply to this
LeBron knew what he was doing and the shot was calculated - his own response when asked if he was happy with it, James said, "Absolutely, absolutely. It was good." LeBron wants that bad image and it will follow him. Its the reason I said it was done in poor taste on his part because if he ever gets into some trouble with the law - his image of the bad mofo will be embedded in people's minds and pictures like these will pop up in the media - then he'll need a good PR job to recreate a more friendly image.
And like Foo, I'm tired of seeing angry pictures of people.
Reply to this
I will read time to time that
Reply to this