BHM Day 8: VH1

Today I would like to shine the BHM spotlight on a network dedicated to giving Black people a platform for self expression. No, I'm not talking about BET, but I speak of it's sister station VH1. This station started out being so white and skewed MUCH older; now it is trashy as fuck and a host to a bunch of trashy reality shows (many of which follow black people)

What caused the change in programming? I blame Flavor Flav. I'm still unsure how his ass got a show greenlit, but it proved to the execs at the station that White people were willing to watch Black people act a damned donkey. Come to think of it, Brother Flav paved the way, kind of like a He-Sorjouner Truth; he should probably get his own BHM shoutout. But it's too late, as I have already found the VH1 logo and I'm about to be late for work. No turning back.

So I just watched the finale of "Love of Hip Hop" on Vh1.com. It centers around a group of "friends" in NY who are all tied to hip hop. There are baby mamas, video hoes and wannabe singers. Most important of all, there is DRAMA. I really got into this show and I have VH1 to thank for putting it on the air. Before all of these predominantly Black reality shows, Black people were rare on reality TV and usually served as the angry character. (Yes, I'm talking about Coral from the Real World) Now we get to see a range of characters represented. Yes, many of these people are on some bullshit and aren't the best representations of Black people to the rest of America, but at least they are able to have their stories told.

So if you watch ATL Housewives, Basketball Wives, Love and Hop you aren't' just watching a trainwreck, you are watching progress. Thanks to the early efforts of VH1 Black people now have a way to show to America that they too are assholes just like their White counterparts. I'm pretty sure Civil Rights crusaders of the 60s are just loving how far we've come! (Ok, that was a blatant lie)