Shoutout to the guys over at K A Psi. You guys just celebrated another year of existence. I’m cool with several Kappas, Nupes, bunnies, whatever you want to call them, and knew several before they shimmyed on down Diggs Lane to get their letters. The ones I know are a prideful bunch, but are stand up individuals and people that I call brother, friend and comrade. They all earned the right to wear their letters and are staunch advocates of disciplining perpetrators. Protecting your brand makes sense when you had to earn the right to rep that brand.
Wearing greek letters is the confirmation of membership in fraternities and sororites with important historical legacies. There are people who want the accolades that come with greek life so much that they will fabricate stories or even membership in Black Greek Letter Organizations aka BGLOs. Imposters/perps who knowingly perp should be dealt with accordingly. But what if a person doesn’t know that they are perpetrating? How should they be dealt with?
Enter Lil Boosie, southern rapper, trapper and music mogul. He decided to rock a K A Psi sweater and caption the picture “getting Kappa Fresh.” The internets and IG went ham on him and called him every name under the sun. Some Kappas laughed others, called him a clown. I thought it was funny that Boosie did so, for one reason: Boosie probably doesn’t understand Black greek culture or rules. Can we hold him at fault for breaking rules that he doesn’t understand? I think not.
No, it is not because I’m an Alpha, that I have sympathy. I’ve seen pictures of soccer moms rocking our para (Sidenote: DO NOT THROW AWAY OR DONATE PARA, GIVE IT TO A NEO). Should you become enraged if a random person walks by you in para, or should you offer to buy it off of them? I’ve seen grown men in sorority letters walking out of homeless shelters, and I wasn’t going to embarrass them. I had to assume that they didn’t know what they were wearing or doing. Let’s give Boosie the benefit of doubt, especially since it appears that he meant to pay homage not violate. As a street dude, he would give a civilian a pass for breaking street code. Should he not get the same pass?
Based on the backlash, he should acknowledge his ignorance on his platform and apologize. “Wipe me down” is a Kappa stroll anthem and I’m sure the guys don’t want to cancel him over an attempted fashion statement. Boosie should not let his pride or ego get in the way of this moment to build a bridge with an important organization. I don’t think it is all on him to fix this, but I judging by IG, it looks like he’s one misstep away from buying a ticket on the cancel train.
My last point is that the Black greek lines of discretion have become blurry in the information age. We post private information, we talk openly about sacred stuff, live public lives and allow certain people to enter a world that they would not have been able to years ago. As a council, we should think about ways to reinforce the discretion and core values that make the NPHC great. Otherwise, we cannot expect the respect of GDIs if we don’t give them organizations and members to respect. One of the best ways to earn that respect is to use teachable moments to teach. This is definitely one of those moments.
UPDATE: Boosie apologized and asked to learn how to Shimmy. Dope outcome. (Cues Chris Brown – Heat)
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