All Black Everything

“Back in the days when I was a teenager, before I had status and before I had a pager”, The Fab Five represented everything to any black kid who had hoop dreams. Rockin’ bald heads, black socks and Nikes, baggy shorts, swagger before ‘Ye and Jay, and a game straight from the Rucker, these were kids with whom we could relate and emulate. Last Sunday, ESPN films aired the documentary, “The Fab 5.” It was a well-crafted recount of the former University of Michigan Wolverines rollercoaster ride through Ann Arbor and the rest of the world. During a segment of the show, Jalen Rose discusses his hatred for the Duke University Blue Devils Men’s Basketball team. His disgust stemmed from the belief that Coach K preferred to recruit ‘black players that were ‘Uncle Toms’. Jalen also revealed that he was jealous of Grant Hill’s upbringing because his father was a professional athlete as well. Apparently his comments struck a nerve with the Blue Devil alum. Grant Hill wrote a response in college sports blog section of the New York Times.

Personally, I think Hill takes Rose’s comments out of context. Rose clearly stated that his view was based on the mental state of a green with envy, high school phenom whose NBA dad abandoned him. On the other hand, I am sure this was not the first time Grant has been called an ‘Uncle Tom’ for simply being raised by two college educated parents and playing college basketball at a prestigious academic institution that has a larger percentage of white players than most top programs. His open letter raises a greater question: Is Grant Hill less black than Juwan Howard, Ray Jackson, Jimmy King, Jalen Rose, or Chris Webber?

From his most recent album, Lupe Fiasco’s “All Black Everything” is a visualization of a world void of the Middle Passage. Although the chains have been removed, the wounds remain. We often hear that black people vary in terms of hue. But, rarely does anyone state that we differ in all facets of life. Grant Hill justifies his Ricky Schroeder lifestyle by stating that his grandfather was a day laborer who sacrificed to ensure his father would have a proper education. But, what if Grant Hill came from a lineage of millionaires?

Carlton Banks is just as black as Cousin Will. Affording Will an opportunity that did not exist in Philly was the reason Will’s mom sent him to Bel Air. Even though an Ohio woman was jailed for illegally sending her daughters to a better school district, more people should be doing the same thing. Instead of focusing on our differences, we should encourage growth, prosperity, and success in all aspects of life for all people. Our experiences in life do not define our race, science does. I hope that my future children can have a life similar to Grant Hill. I work too hard for anything less. And if you asked Jalen Rose today, I’m sure he would say the same thing.