Crash was, like La La Land, one of those Oscar-hyped/winning films that people instantaneously lauded before ripping it a new asshole for being “contrived” and “preachy” despite at first lavishing it with such reviews as, “A haunting, perceptive and uncompromising examination of controversial subject matter, expertly written and directed by Paul Haggis” and “A determinedly dire–but neatly packaged–ensembler on the state of race relations.” To this highlight of “race relations,” the obvious correlation is that between black and white folk. And yet it is one precise moment in the film between Cameron (Terrence Howard) and Anthony (Ludacris, no I will not call him Chris Bridges) in which the other side of “race relations” is touched on: that between black people who are “respectable” and black people who perpetuate a stereotype.
As Cameron, a successful film director, is carjacked in his SUV by Anthony, a gang banger, and his partner in crime, Peter (Larenz Tate), who both assume the driver will be a white man when they jump in, all parties involved are astonished at the turn of events for different reasons. For Anthony and Peter (ultimately left behind when the cops come and Anthony forces Cameron to drive away at gunpoint), their divergent stations in life despite being the same “high-risk color,” as Jodie Landon from Daria would call it, are a shock to one another, prompting Cameron to be the one to say of Anthony’s embodiment of the black stereotype, “Look at me. You embarrass me. You embarrass yourself.”
This is, in effect, is precisely what Nicki Minaj has said of her recent, one-sided physical altercation with Cardi B in a candid interview that highlights her humiliation not only over the entire event but over the fact that it had to take place among the “upper echelon people” who already have preconceived notions ingrained within them as a result of American pop culture about how black people act. About the reason why, in their mind, “white spaces” (which is just politically correct code for places that are quiet/stodgy/serene because black people are few and far between) must stay white spaces. Unless it is the Beyonce and Jay-Z exception.
Minaj added of the incident, “I could not believe how humiliating it all felt because we—and I use we loosely and I’m going to clarify we—how we made ourselves look.” The “we,” in one respect, of course refers to the black community as a whole. Minaj, while no poster child for always shedding the best light on “her people”–let’s just say she’s never been as esteemed for respectability as, say, Beyonce. Or Missy Elliott (but then, who could ever be as revered as she?)–does raise a highly valid point in discussing the underlying issues with Cardi B’s behavior.
On the other side of the equation, however, if a bitch is mad, why can’t she express that rage in the moment without having to worry whether or not the projected cliches of her race are going to be factored in later? Then again, civility is civility (and even Bjork will never live down that “Welcome to Bangkok” moment). Race shouldn’t even need to play a part in it. Unfortunately, even in these “modern” Trumpian times, it seems to just as much as ever. Minaj is by no means inculpable of her own complicated “representative of all black women” crimes, constantly defending known pervert 6ix9ine and shaming sex workers/Instagram hos, among other recent “less than holy” actions. But in this examination of Cardi B being unable to control herself to the point of removing a shoe and launching it at the object of her vitriol, Minaj presents some key points that place a larger spotlight on the warring factions of racism among black people themselves (yes, Cardi once called darker skinned black women “cockroaches”).
Apart from Minaj’s words of criticism about Cardi B’s fulfillment of being a “caricature of a black woman,” she went on to address a separate beef she has with Cardi’s entire being, saying, “Who are you angry at, sweetheart? Do you know what it’s like to sit in your room for hours writing raps? You came into my fucking culture. I never had to fuck a DJ to play my songs” (well, listen, we can’t all be so lucky on that count, and even Madonna had to bang Mark Kamins eventually in exchange for him playing the demo of “Everybody” at Danceteria).
Cardi has had her own expressions about the embroilment, declaring she “feels zero remorse” and would likely do it again if she saw Nicki in a public space (white or not). There she goes again, playing right into the very thing that Cameron advised Anthony not to in Crash (cheesily leading him to release a gaggle of Cambodians up for sale in a van he steals that also doubles as a human trafficking hub in Act Three). In the end, however, it’s all moot because Crash is a white man’s vision and version of “race relations,” so yes of course the racist cop turns out to be the hero in all of his “complexity,” while the idealist concerned with being politically correct ends up being the undercover bigot despite all his best attempts not to be (because whenever you try to be something you’re not, it always comes out in even more fucked up ways).
Even so, all one can hear at the core of what Minaj has said regarding her rumble with Cardi is: “Look at me. You embarrass me. You embarrass yourself.” Alas, one does not anticipate that Cardi B will ever–nor can ever–see the verity of Minaj’s commentary on the matter.
