Thread by @naima, Last year, I was in twitter jail for most of Feb (and [...]

Last year, I was in twitter jail for most of Feb (and March I think) over at @stillnaima (you should follow me there, fyi), and since we were having a spectacularly annoying #BlackHistoryMonth

, I wanted to bring in a moment of levity...

I was inspired by this classic (bc it really is classic) to examine the unique genre of so-bad-its-almost-good Black art. Flea market, 125th street, barbershop, beauty salon Black art.
I’m going to redo the thread here (plus new additions) in honor of #BlackHistoryMonth

But some rules, bc someone will inevitably miss the intent:
1. Art is completely subjective. We all understand that. So you may think something’s dope. That’s fine.
2. This isn’t a dragging, but a celebration of sorts, bc we ALL KNOW these images. They just ARE.

3. Yes, Nipsy & Kobe pieces are going into the mix. No, it’s not disrespectful.

So let’s get into it. Please chime in with your comments, critiques and questions as the fine art connoisseurs you all are.

This convo has to start with TuPac iconography. It’s a whole genre unto itself.

Pac finds himself in all kinds of random afterlife scenarios. Aaliyah is often a companion.

Related: I have a friend who plans to add “Don’t create any pictures of me with wings” to their will. We do alot with wings.

Pac, Aaliyah and Big each are really tired. They just wanna rest.

This one’s not bad, it’s just not good. Like is that Ray Charles, Kanye or Jay-Z at the piano? What’s happening with Luther and Big? Why does that look like either Vivica Fox or Shirley Caesar next to Pac? Why is Aaliyah always the only one with wings?

So, I mentioned random scenarios, right?

There is often absolutely no formula for who ends up in these pictures together aside from Black & gone.

What’s going on here?

Let’s get into the pictures of our Black leaders.

I do love when Pac is with MLK & Harriet.

Also, Barack and Michelle have no joined the ancestral plane, why...?

Someone said last year this is the best selling picture in their art gallery, and I 100% believe it.

There’s an alternate version of this that’s all the bad-ass women... and everybody has a side eye. Michelle is apparently yelling at someone out of frame...

Is that Susan Taylor?

But they were apparently all riding out to the spot.
I actually really kinda love this picture.

Madiba was unable to join them, so he got the moment memorialized for his phone cover

Our first Black president understandably inspired a massive creative surge... folks took it to a whole other level.

Harpo, who dese people?

I personally can’t get over this one. I sigh deeply everytime I see it.

Did we ever properly decipher this one?

(The relationship art is a whole other... we’ll get there)

And then there’s Black leaders as superheroes, which I understand, but...

Why does Malcolm still have his glasses on over the bat mask?

Sometimes the concept is dope, but the execution just didn’t curl all the way over.

Dr X and Magneto have parallels in Martin and Malcolm, but this looks kinda like Donnie Simpson?

My FAVORITE subgenre is the variations on a Last Supper theme, starting with a series of three I think everyone has seen at least one of.

This is alot of “guess who’s who.” And shady for having Elijah up in there. Garvey is like “Y’all see this sh*t?”

The version with the women has two iterations... This one.
(And why is mother Rosa standing?)

Then they added Michelle.. and (squints) Oprah? And gave some folks a wardrobe change.
Always alot of side eyes when depicting the women lol

Not sure if this is supposed to be the Holy Spirit or what...

Oop... thank you @Evil_Grin_ for this Black leaders submission. Everybody saddled up to fight for the Union....? I mean... I guess.

Back to the last suppers, I wouldn’t call this one “bad,” there’s just alot going on.

I actually like this one on the surface, but Pac as a christ figure just wears me out.

This one I have alot of questions about, like why is Em here? Is that Suge sitting next to Big? Why is it 1988 LL? Why is Nate eating a wing? Why does it have to be chicken and OE? Luda, but not Nas?

That’s like, THE most notable identifying characteristic of this art genre: these people don’t necessarily go together.
Like why is Marvin here? Is that Hammer? Who is that! Did Jesus himself really need to be here?

I forgot this one existed, and I...
I maybe should have just left it in the recess of my memory.

Ok, so there’s also the “Let’s just put everybody in African garb” genre, some of which we’ve already seen.
Presenting this without comment.

Big & Pac just be minding their business in the afterlife.

Us:

This is well done, but substituting the stack of money Big was counting for a book on wealth and legacy is hilarity.

Could Pac have possibly had a shirt on whilst receiving the Congressional Medal of Honor? I mean...

I mean we REALLY need to let Pac rest. He’s done so much posthumously. (Some of this artistic weight is gonna be split with Nipsey now)

We also owe the Kang a collective apology because what’s even happening here?

Black celebrity deaths - especially tragic, untimely losses - always inspire a new collection of iconography.

So, Nipsey took a PJ to heaven... (Left Eye I understand bc of the Dr. Sebi connection but WHY IS PAC HERE?)

Then, once he got there, he had... All Access creds?

And now Pac, Big & Nipsey are the official welcoming committee...
plus... Eazy... I guess...

I’ma just put this down and walk away...

AGAIN: I realize these are people’s way of tributing and grieving... we can also find some humor in them.

The one artist I’m going to call out by name (in part bc I do know it; alot of this work, especially the older work, is unknown) is Justin Richberg. Justin literally thinks to himself: What is the absolute most ridiculous depiction of Black ppl I can come up with?

We all know this one, I think. It’s like an old Highlights picture: how many dead ass wrong things can you find?

... and with the inspiration

One last one from Richberg... You gotta actually admire the commitment. It’s like The Boondocks.

Ok, I’ma wrap this up with two images.
First, this painting that is actually, really and truly, no bullshit hanging in Ben Carson’s living room.
Like how much are you feeling yourself to have a portrait done of you and our Lord and savior? (At least Jesus is Black, though)

And lastly, this one, which isn’t bad at all, just Black AF. It’s reminiscent of a whole style in the ‘90s and early ‘00s that your bougie aunties had in their house and was in upscale Black salons.

Like I said in the beginning, jokes aside, this is ultimately a highlight of how many levels of creative expressive Black folks have in us. At some point I’ll expand this, bc I didn’t even get into these joints...

An addendum: I was looking for this one!!
Why Coretta look like she plottin’? Rosa is like “Hey girl, hey!” Ida looks annoyed, Michelle looks like she’s annoying her. Harriet and Oprah are concerned.

It’s still #BlackHistoryMonth

and we have two new additions to the So-bad-its-almost-good Black art thread that I was gonna try to ignore, but y’all keep tagging me

.

1. Justin Richburg with a late-month BHM entry. Take a moment to absorb it...

It’s still #BlackHistoryMonth and we have two new additions to the So-bad-its-almost-good Black art thread that I was gonna try to ignore, but y’all keep tagging me .1. Justin Richburg with a late-month BHM entry. Take a moment to absorb it...

Did you look at the whole picture?
Ok, so why is Gayle-King-Interview-Robert here?

And who is this in the sister locks? Is that supposed to be Bey?

And why is Blade there?
And who is this white man? Is that HARVEY?!
And is that Charlemagne?

2. I’m just leaving this one here and walking away, cuz I can’t.

Sigh...
Aren’t we going through enough right now?

That they’re supposed to be Shaq and Kobe makes it worse.
How you gonna make MLK Shaq?!?!

Not death nor hell nor the grave can stop these works of art from going forth. Or Jesus. Happy Resurrection Sunday.

What is this even supposed to...

*Opens the vault*

Time to add to the collection...

This is like... anime meets Lisa Frank.. and... something.

Stan was out here for 95 years and instead of letting him rest they got him working the welcoming committee.
Chadwick could have gone by the heavenly home later, man.

This is rude and unecessary.

This is VERY DOPE from an animation perspective. But I have issues... bc Black Panther ain't dead, and if he was, he'd be on the ancestral plane (didn't we all see the movie?)
https://twitter.com/4TheCulture____/status/1300864184784171009?s=20

https://twitter.com/4TheCulture____/status/1300864184784171009?s=20

This is a hall of fame entry. My, my, my. Every possible Black memorial art trope. All God's children got wings.
But why does Bernie look like he bout to preach the eulogy?
And do they think we wouldn't recognize Kobe if he WASN'T in uniform?
And why is BP there?!?! Two of them?

*Sits pic down gently on the timeline without comment*
*Walks away*

I...

Y’all telling me you gonna block me and I don’t understand...

It begins...

When more come, know it was @thewayoftheid’s fault
https://twitter.com/thewayoftheid/status/1307157429457747969?s=21 https://twitter.com/thewayoftheid/status/1307157429457747969

https://twitter.com/thewayoftheid/status/1307157429457747969?s=21

Shoutout to Ronnie who was INCREDIBLY offended. Mea culpa, Ronnie.

I’m sorry in advance, but my immediate reaction was that this is kinda fire

They ain’t have to brown her up though.

I wanted to pretend I didn’t see this but y’all keep tagging me in it

.
Even Chadwick is annoyed at being dragged into this.

Pausing in the RGB “tributes” for some regular submissions...
The young man who did these is going to be haunted by the ancestors.
He has them with Malcolm and Ali, too

Another addition to the last supper genre. Putting Elijah Muhammad in Jesus’ spot is...

This assembly is interesting, too.
Pac, Dick Gregory I think, Huey, Garvey, Malcolm, Nipsey, Harriett...

Just got the notification that 125th Street has new material.

Somebody just tagged me in this and I thought “Oh we have that! They updated it!” And then I realized I’d posted this version in the *original* thread over at @stillnaima but not here.

One day I’m going to find out who did this whole series. It’s a classic classic.

Anyway, that made me realize I neglected to include a few other joints here. So I’ma just go ahead and do that.

I think I left this out just to spare us all, TBH

I accidentally included a cropped version of this Justin Richberg joint earlier in the thread. He really just strives to hit the most outlandish point possible.

The white people are getting in the game!! (We not about to focus on their work though; this is a one-off).
They got Joe getting his Betsy Ross on.
https://twitter.com/alwaystheself/status/1324948558588620801?s=21 https://twitter.com/alwaystheself/status/1324948558588620801

https://twitter.com/alwaystheself/status/1324948558588620801?s=21

I sweatergod better not none of y'all put Biden in a Wakanda forever salute m.

They remixed it

https://twitter.com/naima/status/1224112376515047424?s=21

https://twitter.com/naima/status/1224112376515047424?s=21

This actually isn't bad at all. It's the subtle ivy on the right heel for me.

Y'all know over the next several weeks we 'bout to get a veritable treasure trove of new material.

WHY DOES SHE HAVE ON A KANGOL?!

For the new people to our little art society: the absurdity of the art is the point.
https://twitter.com/naima/status/1224037837126995970?s=21 https://twitter.com/naima/status/1224037837126995970

https://twitter.com/naima/status/1224037837126995970?s=21

This is an excellent question. Maybe they don't know how to play cards?
https://twitter.com/hessowellspoken/status/1325275723326763008?s=21 https://twitter.com/hessowellspoken/status/1325275723326763008

https://twitter.com/hessowellspoken/status/1325275723326763008?s=21

I totally forgot this was @sauvamemte's fault
https://twitter.com/sauvamemte/status/1324894440050356225?s=21 https://twitter.com/sauvamemte/status/1324894440050356225

https://twitter.com/sauvamemte/status/1324894440050356225?s=21

Y'all are ENTIRELY too quick with it.

I missed that detail with the amounts!

https://twitter.com/piaglenn/status/1325667796240404480?s=21 https://twitter.com/PiaGlenn/status/1325667796240404480

https://twitter.com/piaglenn/status/1325667796240404480?s=21

https://twitter.com/browningisland/status/1325672080671731713?s=21 https://twitter.com/BrowningIsland/status/1325672080671731713

https://twitter.com/browningisland/status/1325672080671731713?s=21

I literally can't with this one. I don't even know where to start....
https://twitter.com/stormy_theboss/status/1325729754352398337?s=21 https://twitter.com/stormy_theboss/status/1325729754352398337

https://twitter.com/stormy_theboss/status/1325729754352398337?s=21

In case y'all were wondering what the white people are putting on the street right now

Y'all really gonna keep ancestors Lewis and Cummings, Sen McCain and RGB in their work clothes for enternity?

We have a Thanksgiving entry!!

I think this is a vegan theme, but this is still the most random ass group of people...

You don't know more vegan ppl than to put JD, Ava and Cory Booker together? Who is the white lady? And is that supposed to be J Cole?

And what on the plate?

They have 4 whole things for dinner. Nothing about that pic is going to be enticing to people who AREN'T vegan ... or people who are

They put PETA in the wallpaper. I'm done

Agreed. But her food is way more appealing than all this.
https://twitter.com/pamelacouncil/status/1332042574643785734?s=21 https://twitter.com/pamelacouncil/status/1332042574643785734

https://twitter.com/pamelacouncil/status/1332042574643785734?s=21

Lawd that's supposed to be Tabitha in the front

. Whose food ALSO would have looked better

Justin Richberg continues to be the most disrespectful artist in the land.
Why are Madea and Harriet Tubman ringside?

I prefer this one.. for the grannies looking like "Get up, baby. In Jesus name."

WHY HE GOTTA HAVE BEEF WITH THE SAVIOR Y'ALL COME ON.
Now when he gets knocked TF out in the Kingdom...SMH...

I was trying to ignore this, because...obviously.
But y'all insist I acknowledge it exists.

I really need *some* folks to LOSE some abilities on the 21st, because they don't use them for good.

Also why is Joe so BROLIC?!

1. How come only 3 ppl have trays of food but the food is gone already?
2. Why does Nelly have his shoe off
3. How did the Bad Boy crew have an option between hamburgers and pizza on the same day? Pizza day is Friday.
4. Why he do Flav like that?
5. What is Kanye doing?

Rae bout to steal on somebody

Not Fat Joe eating instead of serving.
Also, I KNOW that's not supposed to be Dana Owens.

Luda told the wrong joke

Ok, so hear me out...

I like this one.

Y'all better get your art collections together before the prices go up!!! https://twitter.com/S_Evangelina/status/1354518635776237580

https://twitter.com/S_Evangelina/status/1354518635776237580

I'm calling the authorities

So....
I almost wanna let this ride - except that they had to literally spray paint DMX's name on his shirt because that looks like some other Earl. Like this dude Fred Earl who went to my high school.

Also, folks ain't never gonna let Chad take that BP costume off in glory.