ICONS TO BOOGEYMAN: The Dark Side of Justice in Black America

Since Bill Cosby was exposed in 2014 for initially unsubstantiated sexual allegations made by more than 60 women, mostly white, he was finally convicted of sexual abuse by Andrea Constand. Cosby allegedly gave Constand Quaaludes, in 2004, which she admits to taking consensually at first, but later led to an accusation of rape after she claimed she had been drugged. Despite the incident, Constand maintained contact with Cosby for some time. The case was initially dismissed due to insufficient evidence but was revived by the #MeToo movement. In 2021, the Supreme Court overturned Cosby’s conviction, citing a prior agreement that had granted Cosby immunity based on a sworn deposition in which he admitted to giving Quaaludes to women—not Constand. The court ruled that this agreement had been violated, leading to the conviction being voided.

The Impact on Black Men

The American Black father of our community was taken down by the claims of white women, reminiscent of the white crowds that gathered around and watched as Black men were beaten, exposed, and hung from trees. Somehow, this was acceptable. After all, didn’t Cosby give Quaaludes to women twenty years ago? Wasn’t he unfaithful to his own Black wife? Didn’t he admit to having an inappropriate sexual relationship with Constand? Cosby suddenly became Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde to the world. His crime is one that I am sure has been committed by countless men ieho frequented seedy places like the Playboy Mansion.

Consequences of #MeToo

Following Bill Cosby, the spark of the #MeToo movement has given many women the courage to claim sexual assault by high-level men in America, which has become a disease for men in general. Now, decades later, some women have used their own bodies to climb the social ladder and are now seeking to take down the villains who unknowingly hoisted them to the top.

Women in the Spotlight

We live in a world where women like Cardi B, Megan Thee Stallion, and others exploit the underworld and sell sex as part of their image. However, when love creeps in, and the sting of abusive relationships takes its toll, women from this community often must confront their lives and take account of their actions. Yet, in these moments of reflection, they may not see the consequences of their choices that contributed to their circumstances. Instead, all they recognize is the hurt, pain, and agony—placing the blame solely on men without acknowledging their own role in the situation.

The Complexity of Consent

Is the man innocent—in most cases? I can think of a few that were probably innocent: Tupac accused of rape, Mike Tyson accused of rape, Michael Jackson, and others—all accused of sexual assault of minors. Parents have placed their children in harms way and many women old enough to know better, motivated by unspoken ambition or hopes of unrealistic gain, place themselves in wolves’ houses and pretend not to understand that a wolf will attack. The tears and perceptions of their circumstances are now warped. They willingly take pills, go to hotel rooms, or locker rooms, and sacrifice their own souls, only to jump on the #MeToo train years later.

Patterns of Repetition

How is it possible that these circumstances manifest repeatedly? Sean Combs’ most recent troubles are an example. But before I get there, I want to say that I believe some African Americans have committed heinous crimes so egregious they deserve to spend the rest of their lives in prison. R. Kelly is one. I believe Black parents put their children in harm’s way, and I believe Kelly exploited one young girl so badly that for that crime alone, he should have suffered the death penalty. R. Kelly is the type of victim that should pay for his crimes, but even in his case, there were women old enough to know better.

Complicity and Responsibility

Women like his wife pretend to know nothing about what Kelly had going on, yet she comes off as if she is some wise woman mentally abused by Kelly. Then there are those other women who lived in the house in Atlanta, who ignored what Kelly was doing to those young girls and said nothing. Some left without reporting what was happening inside that house to the police.

In the R. Kelly case, I believe not only was Kelly guilty, but his bodyguard and staff, along with many of those women in that house, were complicit in what happened to those young girls. Now they sit around as if they were victims, having had no responsibility or duty to go to the police, but they understood they would receive no reward. They were just other women in the maddening crowd, willing to sacrifice their bodies for a come-up.

Sean Combs and the Media Narrative

Now, regarding Sean Combs’ recent events, one of my favorite CDs back in the day resonates with me even now, is PressPlay. The soundtrack captured the emotional rollercoaster I had been on in my life. The language in those songs tapped into the struggles of my generation, we had to build families in a world designed to hold us back. But the pain of that struggle is captured in that soundtrack.

Now there is the reality of the lives of pop stars or stars in general that crosses racial lines. There is an underbelly of silence around what it takes to get there and what you are willing to sacrifice. In the rap world back in the nineties, what started off as a manifestation of urban life revolutionized into a world of violence and sexual abuse.

The Culture of Exploitation

Suddenly, ADOS women became whores and bitches, the kind that lived in project houses, receiving WIC and food stamps, and willing to sacrifice their souls for a gangster. Today, we teach our children the value of using their bodies to achieve goals. To be clear, if that is your game, I am not knocking your hustle. However, when you play that game, let’s not pretend that you have nothing to lose.

Case Study: Ayanna Jackson

Case in point: Ayanna Jackson, the woman who claimed she had been sexually assaulted by Tupac. When you hear her story, you reflect on the desperation of a woman. She admits she wanted to have sex with Tupac, and while in the middle, two other men came into the room and started taking her clothes off, yet she continued having sex with Tupac. After he finished, he got up and left, and she had sex with the two others. She accused Tupac of rape. She went to an apartment with five men, the only female, went into a bedroom, and never once thought to leave. She consented, even after being undressed by the two other men that entered. She made a sacrifice of her own self, and when confronted with the reality that she was a booty call, she couldn’t handle that fact, so she cried rape.

Shifting Perspectives

I would have placed Diddy in the category of Black brothers like Tupac back when I was listening to PressPlay, but the media has now shifted my opinion with the release of the hotel video showing Sean Combs beating Cassie in that hotel hallway. In the court of public opinion, he is guilty and all other allegations of sexual assault or manipulation and exploitation have led to the takedown of another boogeyman. Without question, we believe the narrative that Sean Combs is a monster.

The RICO Charges

Now he is indicted on RICO charges—the new term for the takedown of Black criminals. There is no responsibility placed on the backyard players—those who walked the streets, talked the talk, and created environments where strippers and groupie whores get to work. Sex sells; the secret is, who’s buying?

Men go to strip clubs every day. It’s big business in every way, and we act as if women are clothed in nun uniforms handing out candy. When we know these women are selling sex and men are buying. We act as if drugs and violence don’t go hand in hand with sex, knowing full well they do.

The Price of Fame

I will say this: I don’t believe rappers just die, use drugs, or go mentally insane on their own. I believe it’s a slow process inflicted by managers, handlers, and so-called friends. When Kanye rants about what has happened to him, he may sound mentally unhinged, but the streets don’t lie. People with greedy motives love to exploit American Black artists. Across the board, from movies to music, the entertainment industry direct souls straight to the gates of hell. Many Black artists, once on top find themselves falling fast. It’s not always about race, but the reality is that there are so few Black stars at the top that when one falls, it crashes onto our community.

There is a pattern of exploitation of stars, and unfortunately, many—particularly Black men—fall prey to a lifestyle that thrives in the underworld.

They live in a place where they feel untouchable. Without caution, or regard they expose themselves in videos, phone conversations, cameras, text messages, and on social media, all the while believing they won’t get caught.

The Role of Social Media

To be fair, both white men and Black men alike are being found out because of social media. It has become the beast used to expose every secret and reveals every lie. Money had been the tool used to hold back the masses but today one bad night captured on film or audio becomes your death sentence, hence Diddy and Cassie in that hallway.

Clearly, social media trumps money, as we see Diddy paying Cassie to keep her silence, but she relented, and the hotel tape was mysteriously released. Diddy should have remained silent, but his own response video, may be used in the RICO case against him.

The Bigger Picture

I wonder about this RICO situation, especially as it relates to the case against YSL. YSL is being prosecuted under RICO in Atlanta, drawing a frenzy of media coverage. The incidents in that case can only be described as enlightening, spectacular, and at times bizarre—providing a fascinating glimpse into the world of corruption. Yet, there’s something to be said about the way both the media and our judicial system are prosecuting men, often for simply being men.

I don’t believe the court has proven Young Thug is guilty of any crime, but all this will undoubtedly lead to movies, podcasts, and interviews. I can see the same happening to Diddy. He has been accused of so many things and exploited for so long—why not let the media take its course?

I can’t say whether Diddy is guilty of human trafficking, drug dealing, or any of the other allegations. In this country, every person is innocent until proven guilty. But what’s clear is that he’s a deeply insecure Black man, trapped in a world devoid of love. He has sought love in the faces of women with bright skin, and his one true love, dark-skinned, died under mysterious circumstances.

What this all means is that we will wait and see. This case, like many before it, will be covered by the media, dissected in podcasts, and eventually become the subject of movies and books—all focused on the creation and demise of yet another boogeyman.