By Arielle Newton

On a track with Juicy J called “For Everybody,” Wiz Khalifa, the estranged husband of businesswoman Amber Rose, rapped about how he “fell in love with a stripper” but “fell out of love quicker.” He opines that hoes don’t “pay attention to love anyway,” because they’re “only concerned with what the haters say” and need Instagram and reality TV to decipher their standards for quality relationships, and how its not even worth playing Captain Save-a-Ho, and some more patriarchal bullshit we’ve heard about women since the beginning of civilization.

Although he hasn’t yet publicly attributed his newfound caveman philosophy to his recent breakup with Amber Rose, we all know that’s what’s happening here. He’s been bitter for some time; tweeting underhanded comments about the mother of his children and the woman he once “loved,” and overall, acting reckless and messy like he has no sense.

In an article about the Mo’Nique-Lee Daniels blackballing saga, I said there’s four sides to every story: his, hers, the truth, and perception. And the perception here is that when Black men are done with Black women, Black women are no longer suitable, clean, or desirable.

This perception is reinforced with Kanye West’s public comments about Amber Rose in an interview with the Breakfast Club. He said that he had to take “30 showers” before Kim would let him touch her.

“If Kim had dated me when I first wanted to be with her, there wouldn’t be an Amber Rose…It’s hard for a woman to want to be with a man that’s been with Amber Rose. I had to take like 30 showers before I got with Kim. Don’t ask me no more [laughs] I just want to be respectful.”

The joke fell flat, with many (including Amber) quickly pointing out the striking irony of Kanye being so hostile to Amber’s sexuality when his wife is only known for hers. A rather underwhelming sex tape is what made her a global phenomenon after all.

Amber has yet to publicly comment on her estranged husband’s lyrics (dare I even call them that?), but we know she’s not one to run from battle. She masterfully etheredKhloe and the Kardashian Kamp, and mercilessly humiliated Kanye with the sage bravada of a woman from South Philly.

 

 

But with Wiz, she’s taken a measured approach; commenting very lightly on their marriage, while ultimately boosting her social media image with that glorious body of hers. And that’s the root of Wiz’s anger—that she, even without him, still has authority and control over her sexual identity. Amber wasn’t a ho when she was twerking on Instagram to celebrate his album, Blacc Hollywood, debuting at number 1. But she’s a ho when he no longer has ownership of or agency over her sexuality.

And we won’t get in to the double standard here. Amber Rose left Wiz after he was caught cheating on her with two porn stars. And apparently, this wasn’t the first time he’s cheated on her. But whatever. She’s a ho. A dirty ho. Case closed.

I don’t think this violent hostility towards Black female sexual identity is indicative of all Black culture, just manufactured Black culture for-profit. Kanye West and Wiz Khalifa are deeply rooted within the music industry, a capitalist patriarchal structure in which calculated, strategic actions are taken to ensure a vicious status quo that subjugates the sexualized complexity of Black women while marginally uplifting the sexual identity of white women. Ugh. And I’m over it.

So, do you Amber. I may not agree with all your choices and all your language, but I know they’re coming for you because you dared to be your intricate, complicated, vulnerable, sexual self.

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Arielle Newton is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Black Millennials. Follow her at @arielle_newton. For Black Millennials at @BlkMillennials.

This post originally appeared on Black Millennials

Photo: Amber Rose/Facebook