Nigger Business, by Michael Davis – Straight No Chaser #288 | @MDWorld

October 18, 2012 Michael Davis 0 Comments

Yeah, it’s going to be one of those…

Denys Cowan and I both live in a mostly white neighborhood. He resides in one part of Los Angeles and me in another. One day while leaving Denys’ house, we saw a Black guy walking up the block.

“What’s he doing here?” Denys asked.

“I don’t know, he must be lost,”  I responded.

“Can we help you?” Denys asked the stranger.

“Nope. Just taking a walk,” the stranger said.

“Really?” Denys inquired.

“That so?” I chimed in.

“Look, we don’t want your kind around here,” Denys told the stranger.

“Yeah, we don’t take too well to darkies round these parts,” I said as I glared at the guy, who was clearly taken aback by the two Black guys telling him to get the fuck out of dodge because he was black.

Denys and I tried our best to keep a straight face until we broke out laughing.

THAT was funny. Two Black guys upset because a strange Black guy was walking in their neighborhood. How funny is that?

Hilarious, right?

That’s almost as funny as the Black company that asked for my help with Comic Con at the last minute, who I then helped with a remarkable amount of access my time and my contacts. THEN after Comic Con was over, not only did they not want to pay me, but I didn’t even get a thank you.

Hilarious, right?

The amazing thing about that joke is it’s not a joke, and it happens all the time.

Within Black Hollywood there is a term that we all know, and that term is Nigger Business. What it means is that some Black companies/people treat Black professionals vastly differently than they would treat white professionals, and by that, I mean badly.

It’s another form of Black on Black crime if you ask me.

Now, Nigger Business is not just a Black Hollywood problem, it exists throughout the African American business community. Yes, this is my opinion, and although it’s shared by many, it’s important that I make it clear that this is my opinion. So, I’m of the opinion that there are some Black companies in Hollywood that treat Black people bad because they can.

Why?

Who the fuck knows? Maybe it’s because a lot of Black professionals take that treatment so as to not piss off the company that’s treating them badly.

Fuck that noise; I’m NOT that guy.

I may be wrong, but anytime something happens so much that it becomes known as ‘Nigger Business’ throughout an industry, then clearly there’s something to it.

I’m of the mindset that Black people should treat other Black people well. Hey, I’m of the mindset that EVERYONE should treat all people well, but when it comes to Black people, I think we should make a concerted effort to make sure we bring each other up.

I had to get my lawyer involved, so the bridge to that particular company is burned. They are a pretty big company, so burning that bridge may not have been the smartest thing to do.

Oh, yeah it was.

I’ll light the match, pour the gasoline, and toss the match on anyone or any company that thinks they can treat me like a little bitch.

Life is too fucking short and I walk too fucking tall to allow myself to be treated with anything but respect. I think the CEO assumes he can scare me, and he sent me an email implying just that.

OH NO! I just wrote about his company! Now I’m in trouble! I’m scared!! Woe is me!

Really? Scare me? Clearly, he does not know I’m from South Jamaica Queens. And his email? THAT was funny.