black culture all facet of american society. today we shed the light on the black culture. this is the "right side forum." ♪ ♪ ♪ welcome as to the "right side forum," i'm raphael williams in for armstrong williams. today we are going to discuss the impact that black cu culture has had on americans, from sports to politics. joining me is roberta sure answer manager azurion. and profess for at

college and patricia, and leader and english tampe teacher at puc schools. we were discussing before we went on air today that black culture is everywhere. a lot of times it's appropriated without people even realizing they're doing it or without giving credit for black people. we start discussing jazz, robert, you lit up when i said jazz. give me an example of how jazz has influenced and how it still influences us today. when you look at the jazz great side, mil mile davis, andy literally transcended music, and those were the great folks that didn't necessarily go out in a song sheet. they saw the notes buildings but it was the -- notes but it was the embellishment and all the things that they had in between that changed music. it's to be ad admired and a lotf that, the jazz, notes even

>> you know what i find interesting, a couple of years back i went to a silent movie that had a jazz movie and it was the armstrong child shooed. ichildhood it was fascinating, but the crowd there was predominantly white. tell me a little bit of what yu see today in terms of black cultural appropriation. >> i think you have to know that black culture permeates throughout society. since it permeates throughout society, you see people who are mimicking things that originated from black culture. and black culture itself is not monolithic, because it comes from, from central and west africa, right? so it's this chronological history culture that changes, and now you see individuals whether they're white, latino or different background, they are

say mimicking, because it sound like a bad thing, but they are embracing black culture through music, through food, through different ways they. they observe holidays. i went to a friend's house, and it was new year's eve. i was you guys eat collared greens, and you actually are eating black eyesed peace peas d that is something that deeply embedded in culture. it's a beautiful thing. but when it comes to the appropriation side, that is when the discussion changes. >> i'm interested in eating chit lings every christmas. i think they're disgusting. [ laughter ] >> but i'm interested to see how you see in high school everyday, whether there's even differences between black culture or if it's mainstream at this point. >> it is, i'm in middle school. >> sorry. >> that's okay. even in middle school, the student range from 11 to 14, 15, depending and they are very much embracing black culture.

about they're embracing our culture and the way, the way traditionally we dance, and the things that we do, and the way that we dress, they are not seeing it as, oh, this is just for black people. they are seeing this as this is a part of american culture. but as we stated, then you -- the credit, the credit to black people, when we go back and we talk about that, they're not, i think that they, while they do embrace it, they do not know where it comes from. >> so i think the interesting thing i see is, off oftentimes, they see, for feeling or appropriating black culture. is t

encourage black culture to be every where. it's obviously a broad conversation you have. >> izzy azalea she is in the culture being in the rap industry, and having black origins and predominantly black. she has the right to be in make money and be in that business. that is why the ant thesis, is a black opera singer, not supposed to sing opera. when we look at t the appropriation is not a bad thing. >> right. >> and you brought up a good point. it's supposed to transcend, because as people get into different areas, and different cultures, and to different things, then it gives us the commonalities, and allows us to meld together as a -- >> i think if i can add to that, i think it's supposed to transcend, but i also think it's supposed to be authentic. that is the key

about what she has done, but we bring up the likes of what he has done. when we see eminem as a rapper, he is eminem as a person. >> right. >> but we see the culture switching once she starts rapping, right? as opposed when she is offset, so to speak. i think that is where some the problem comes from. if that is what you are, and if that is where you come from, if that is what you grew up with, by all means embrace it. >> who judges authenticity. >> oh. >> i think the problem also arises is when you have things like where we, we want to be recognized for the things that we do as a culture and our craft, you have people that have been honing their craft for years, and years, and years, and then you have someone who may not be authentic as stated, who

when of a best rapper award or a best that award, and they are given credit, where you have others who have been doing this for a very long time, and they are, this has been -- >> doesn't that -- >> i think that is where at times people feel. >> but let me interject here. kobe bryant and just because he was playing basketball since was a kid and is now 40 years old. it doesn't mean that john wall, ta it doesn't mean that you that makes you authentic. someone can take it and be at the world level. >> i agree, but i think when you were stating when you switch it on and off. >> i want to come back. so after the bump, stay tuned because this is a heated conversation that is just going to get more interesting.

♪ ♪ welcome back to the "right side forum" in for armstrong williams. i'm raphael williams. today we're discussing black culture and how it permeates all facets of american society. we are going to continue off where we discuss authenticity. who judges authenticity. what do you think, people don't judge authenticity, or people can't

>> in my mind, i don't think people can judge authenticity. i don't know yourself, i just though what you choose to show me. judging authenticity to me is a slippery slope. >> let's be honest, when we look at black culture and we look at people who are not black, and their ability to use black culture, we can keep on with the examples of the izzy azalea, that is where we get into the blurred line that you go from believing that this culture is amazing, and then switching to a form of white privilege, because then that is when -- so you're able to embrace black culture when it benefits you, but then when you leave that environment, you then go back to your authentic south. and the authentic self reaches the benefits that is only awarded to white people. that is not her fault, this

structural issue. that is what happened because of the society we live in. unfortunately, she can rap, do all of thark but at the end of the day, if she is driving, she won't be profiled, because she is a white woman. i would be, because i am a blac. >> dealing with the presidential election right now, obama goes to ablack church, he uses a more sing songy voice. it's what people do when they are around, certain people, they pick up -- you see it happen all the time whether he is speaking at harvard or at moore house, how can you judge then what is an auth entic authentic, self, r surroundings, i might sound a little different. >> i, for me, and where i teach at in arlington, and my personal environment, i will say i am always my authentic self, however, i am also a professional. t

am going to act depending on the environment that i am in. that does not mean i'm not being authentic. can't you get accused of code switching, and being authentic because you are switching back and forth. that's difficult, not do know. >> the other day i saw a clip of hillary clinton in a black church somewhere down south, and she was talking about james cleveland song, i don't feel no ways tired, and she had this southern drawl, and i literally was, was flabbergasted. just by my colleagues, here, everybody is their authentic self, we in certain cases have to be social ka mellians, and the way i speak to my colleagues at work is totally different than the way when one of my fraternity colleagues calls me. then thelook at me is it

robert when he speaks at me, or the one that i spoke on the phone. both of them is me, and it's my authentic self and it's nobody's judgment. >> i went into a liquor store with my white friend and i had a conversation with a black clerk. he is like, you sounded completely different. i didn't even notice it until he told me. and then i started to begin to notice these things. how do we identify our authentic self. who do you think about this. >> i think, again it all depends on who we're talking to. by all means if you are in a professional environment versus with your friends, i think anybody, i don't think there's anybody alive that will say, oh, no, i'm the same person professionally as i am with my friends. then i would question, what profession do you work in, right? >> but when we're looking at someone who is trying to mimic, the draw of african-americans, the one who is trying -- >> what is the natural mimic, because sometimes it is. >> for azalea it is

>> like robert said, how can you judge this that it's not authentic. >> they saw me talking to him, and talking to -- how does he know -- >> so in your reference to hillary clinton, and her going to a black church and just being in that black church taking on a southern drawl, that is not her in my opinion. that was not her authentic self. i feel like -- >> she is in arkansas for 10-plus years. >> that is true. >> however. >> she was coached, she had to be. you mean, i pick up text of where you live in your community. as you move me into arkansas for 20 years, should i develop a little bit of a drawl, and then you move me back to the dc, i sound like i do today. >> i think black culture is more than the way you talk. it's the heartbeat of black families, it serv

bedrock ever what we are the people that we are today. we have to be respectful of that, and that is where the differences comes in. i don't think any of us, the ms examine personally that we have given are offensive, i think that is where the line is drawn. once you become offensive and you start to not respect the culture, respect its original inns and why it is, the way it is, that is when it is, you are now appropriating the culture. and that is the difference. >> very well said. >> i see so many just children wanting to just be associated with black culture, and in a way that they dress, and the way that they speak, and it does bring in offensive tone, because they do not understand that they are being offensive. all they see is what they see on tv and they think that what they see on tv represents us as a whole and as a people.

know -- >> it shows a little bit. >> right. >> and so, that is when it can be, i feel offensive. >> and i look back at shows like america's best dance crew, and -- it used to be when i was coming up that not wanting to be offensive here, but why people couldn't dance. but now you've got white dance crews, asian dance crews coming out to hip-hop. i want to have the version can in a minute. we -- conversation in a minute. we will talk about commonalities. thank you for joining us on the right side form

♪ ♪ ♪ welcome back to the "right side forum." during commercial break we were discussing dancing and how good robert is at dancing here. he says he has the 2, the 1s, the 3s, and 4s. >> on 2s and 4s and not 1 and 3s. the point that i was making is the appropriations from music and dance, it's hang everywhere around us. you got dance crews that at the west coast that are fill inowe filipino or asian, you compar

originally put down the cardboard box, it's night and day. these gentleman are amazing. it's the appropriation that they increased the game. they raised the bar. which is not a bad thing. i don't look at it a negative thing, i look at it as a good thing, because it's evolution and they raised the game. >> we were discussing at how commonalities are coming out at time to time. proarps proarps iappropriation e connotation, so it may be the wrong word to be using in this sense. talk to me al me a little bit at how the appropriation allows to go into communities and have a conversation. how do you know when you're tailing and we'rknowwhen we're g commonalities. >> black culture is when slaves were brought

able to mingle with the larger population. black culture when you say it, it's not something being put back on us. they know it's american culture. if you say that, you're not taking this into account, history and how black slayerly works. when you have black culture, you have certain things whether it's jumping the bloom at your wedding. you have certain things that are characteristics of a black community. but there are commonalities, and that the beauty of our society, right? and those commonalities can simply be, for me, i find that it's often when it comes to music or an art form, because you cannot based on your color, really decide what you find to be beautiful, whether that is music, whether that is art, whether that is poetry. >> as we get further and further away from slavery, and separation, and now we're in a integrated society, are we going to see black culture run out of steam, and stop becoming a separate iden

to become so pervasive in american society that it's a part of the culture and it's one and together. [ laughter ] >> no. black culture is growing. you know, when you think of the -- just in my short years of living, i have seen black culture completely change, whether it's the social movement, black lives matter, we cannot negate the way the social media has facilitated black culture. there's something now called black twitter. there's hash tags, whether it's rolling up black for thanksgiving, and things that we see when we're growing up black. you're like, yeah, i saw that. by all means, i don't -- whether it will become just american history, i'm not but i do now see this, almost like the 1920s and 1930s, when we saw that appreciation for black culture. i'm starting to see that now when people are excited in saying this is ours.

see in middle school? >> i see the students really embracing it, and i already stated whether it's going to be a part of american culture. the students, at least my students that i see, they don't really have that separation. they don't really say this is black culture. they just say this is a part of american culture. from the music to -- >> she stated that that -- it's going to be still be distinct. you're saying it's coming together. >> what i'm saying, what i see for the young generation, for the generation now, they are embracing it as their culture. from the music to even shows, everything, they're embracing it as their culture. >> black culture is mainstream culture now. >> i was going to say that. >> for that age group, it's definitely mainstream culture, but for the older generation. >> right. >> it's not -- >> what the difference? >> but they're -- and that is fine. >> that is where the question came

become a part of -- >> i think the difference between the older generation. >> i've got to run. ar bernard is next with words of whic wisdom. this is the "right side forum."

♪ ♪ ♪ a legacy is the impact that our life and work has on those we leave behind and the world that we had an opportunity to contribute to. a bad legacy leaves people marginalized, and in despair, but a great legacy gives people hope, vision, it releases their creative and senses purpose. don't leave a bad legacy.

be remembered as something special. ♪ ♪ i'm raphael williams, thank you for joining us. we had a great conversation today about black culture and how it pe permeates all facets f american culture. we discussed whether it's going to go away. it doesn't. we discussed commonalities and how its ways to appropriate and how people know their true self, and it was a broad conversation that touched on all of these different issues. i have to thank you for coming out. thank you so much, you educated me, and i think everybody else who was watching. so i want to thank you all for joining and participating in our debate at the "right side forum." armstrong williams is back next week. i'm raphael williams, thank you for joining us.

good morning. i'm kendis gibson. >> i'm diane macedo. here's some of the top headlines we're following for you this morning. major protests expected today over north carolina's new law some call anti-gay. it's drawn widespread condemnation from corporations and entertainers. >> the head of the cia says hiation will no longer use water boarding to interrogate terror suspects even if ordered to do so by the next president. donald trump and ted cruz, they both say they would use it. john kasich says he would not. earlier today, secretary of state john kerry became the most senior u.s. official to visit the atomic bomb memorial in hiroshima joining other foreign ministers in touring the peace memorial park and museum. >> the golden state warriors are one win awa f