Home » If A Black Man Says He’s An Entrepreneur, Stop Assuming He’s A Drug Dealer Or A Rapper

If A Black Man Says He’s An Entrepreneur, Stop Assuming He’s A Drug Dealer Or A Rapper

 

There’s this narrative out there that most black men who claim to be “self employed” or “entrepreneurs” are either drug dealers or rappers. This is disrespectful on so many levels. Especially since it was the ingenuity and skillset of melanated minds that built the entire foundation of America, and ultimately the world.

Cover Photo: “Silas Adekunle is a Nigerian inventor technology entrepreneur known for creating the world’s first intelligent gaming robot.” @silasadekunle

If a black man told you he quit his job to be an entrepreneur would you automatically assume he was a drug dealer or a rapper? Be honest.

The negative stereotypes of black men broadcasted openly and subliminally throughout the media creates a false narrative that assumes a black male, especially a young one, must be a drug dealer or a rapper if he claims to be a self employed (successful) entrepreneur.

This article is not about bashing street pharmacists or rappers. It is about destroying an ideology that makes people assume that when a black man introduces himself as a successful black male entrepreneur he must be a drug dealer or rapper.

Before we get started let me clear something up. There are in fact black men out there who are drug dealers or rappers that do use the title of “self employed” or “entrepreneur”. I’m not denying that.

HOWEVER, there are MORE black men out there that are NOT drug dealers or rappers that claim the title of “self employed” or “entrepreneur”. So much so, to assume that a “self employed” black man is a drug dealer or a rapper demonstrates your “3/5’s of man” perception of the melanated masses.

What about all the legitimate black business owners and entrepreneurs out there? Black Inventors? Black Barbers? Black Carpenters? Black Mechanics? Black YouTubers? Black Stock and Forex Traders? Black Authors? Black Fitness Instructors?

Not to mention the fact “it was the ingenuity and skillset of melanated minds that built the entire foundation of America, and ultimately the world.” I mean the list goes on and on of others things you could assume a “self employed” black man could be.

Why is “drug dealer” or “rapper” the assumed profession for a black man, especially a young black man that professes to be self employed?

That’s a rhetorical question, I know the answer.

You should too, especially if you understand the dynamics and nature of the system of white supremacy.

A Personal Experience

Recently I went to the grocery store to grab a few things for the house and ran into a former co-worker from my last job, an older overweight white woman.

For my own personal reasons, I tried to avoid her recognizing me. And no not because she’s a white woman. Let’s just say I’m not a big fan of people whom I do not particularly care for using our brief and non-intentional encounter to pry into my personal life, as if they were my real friend that actually wanted to know “how I’m doing”.

Anyways, she asks why she hasn’t seen me around work and I tell her that I quit over a month ago. So of course you know the next question, “so where do you work now?”.

For the first time in my life I could finally respond with “I’m self-employed, my business can be ran from the comfort of my own home.”

Which is true. For the past 2 years I’ve been working hard to develop this blog and my writing skills so that I can create multiple streams of income with my efforts – articles, books, etc.

After all this time, I finally reached a point where it makes more financial sense for me to continue working on trudreadz.com and other things from home, as opposed to getting a 9 to 5 and working for someone else for less. This is a concept my former co-worker apparently couldn’t understand, perhaps that’s why she’s always been and always will be a “worker”.

After I told her I’m self-employed she gave me that classic ‘white people smirk’. You know what I’m talking about.

The smirk that says to me, “oh he must be a drug dealer because theirs nothing else a ni**er of his caliber can possibly do…”. I could tell by the way she looked at me she really thought the only way a black man like me could be self-employed is if I was a drug dealer or rapper.

Honestly, it made me laugh to myself all the way to my car.

Why? Because this white woman has no idea who I am.

She has no idea how hard I work to gain financial independence.

She has no idea how many articles I had to write, how much sleep I’ve lost and how much I’ve sacrificed to get to this point.

She saw me go to work everyday with my laptop and books, never considering that I was using my resources so that any available second from “work related” activities could be spent working to create streams of income to replace my paycheck.

That’s why I laughed. Not to sound arrogant but, I’m winning. Finally…

All of my efforts of conscious development, consistent effort, and being true to my passion are manifesting a new life for me.

At the end of the day, she’s losing. For the rest of her miserable life she will be a slave to her ignorance and morbid mediocrity. That “unsafe” and “unsecure” job will be the death of her.

So rather than waste a molecule of energy seeking her validation by explaining to her exactly who I am or what I do, I’ll continue my mission as planned.

One day, that lady will hear about me again and I hope my continued success becomes the common drama of her nightmares. Such is the ambitions of every black man striving for self-sufficiency, peace, and abundance within a system designed to exterminate the possibility of black excellence.

Maybe next time when a black man says “I’m self-employed” or an “entrepreneur”, she and others like her will have a different assumption…

 

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