BY PREEZY BROWN
Cam’ron has revealed that he identifies as “Black” and prefers not be labeled as an “African-American” due to the seeming chasm in relations between Black Americans and native Africans.
On the Season 3 premiere of his It Is What It Is sports talk show, the Harlem rep shared his personal stance on racial identity and why he chooses to refer to himself as a Black man from America rather than an African-American.
“I’d rather fill in ‘Black’ than ‘African American’ [on I.D. forms] because Africans don’t even f**k with us,” Cam’ron said at one point during the episode, which was released on Friday (Dec. 5). “[When] you go over there [to Africa], they call us ‘yankees.’”
He then clarified his statement, pointing out that many Africans accept Black Americans, but that they often point out the difference in their nationality and origin. “They f**k with us, but we’re not from the Motherland. We’re from America. So I’d rather say I’m a Black American.”
The 47-year-old also used the Olympic games as an example of the distinction between African countries in the competition and athletes from America that are of African or Caribbean descent.
“When we go to the Olympics, as a country, and somebody Black is fighting from the United States, you don’t say ‘African American.’ You say ‘American.’ You don’t even put a color on it. It’s an American fighter… You’re known in the Olympics as an American. It doesn’t matter what color you are.”
Cam’ron continued to further his argument, adding “The point is, they don’t categorize it when it’s world competition, but when it’s other sh*t, it needs to be categorized. So I consider myself a Black American. I don’t consider myself an African-American.”
He also made it clear that he is not at odds with or has any disdain for Africans, but that his stance was based on personal observation, making sure to shout out all of his “ni**as” on the continent. “Much love,” Cam reiterated. “But y’all don’t consider us real Africans. Y’all don’t!”
