A Ghetto Appreciation Post 💅🏾💁🏽✨

Okay, so let's talk. Why is it that the ghetto never gets the credit they deserve? I have seen countless times how things would be popular in the hood and then some big celebrity or even designer starts to mock it & then ALL OF A SUDDEN it's the "new" trend. So I'm making this post to shout out all the trends that people took from the hood & won't give credit.

1.) Grills

Now we KNOW that "grills" became super popular around the early 2000's because of rappers like Nelly, Lil Jon, and Juvenile. Virtually all of the hood rappers were rocking them. Grills are just an exaggeration of the gold tooth that is often seen on the older aunts/uncles/parents/grandparents in the hood. It was never really rare to see a rapper wearing it back then but as time progressed and pop artists started to carry the trend and wear them as well. This took away the idea of them being ghetto & more so used as a way for pop artists to look "hip" & "edgy". 🤦🏽‍♀️

2.) Super Long Nails

Anytime you would see a black woman with super long acrylic nails, you know there was someone out there referring to her as "ghetto". Anytime a character on a movie or on TV was supposed to be "ghetto" she had super long nails to go with her aesthetic. From Martin Lawrence's character Sheneneh, to Halle Berry in B.A.P.S, the extremely exaggerated nail was a sign of a ghetto girl. I cannot count how many times I have been in the nail salon and I've overheard people asking for "long ghetto nails", like really? It ain't cool. Then half of the time they complain because they can't function with them. Trust me it's possible; I'm typing this blog right now with super long nails, so it can be done.

3.) Braids

Not "boxer braids", they're called cornrows. They're called that because duh, they resemble rows of corn in a field. They're not a trend, they're something that has been happening since forever for little black girls and boys to keep their hair from tangling. I'm not saying no one else can do it, I'm saying just give credit where its due. Box braids are no different. They're a staple for black women during the summertime in order to look cute and stylish while keeping their hair safe from the humid summer days.

4.) Airbrush T-shirts

Okay so this one really shocked me when I saw designer Alexander Wang releasing a line of airbrush t-shirts. Bruh, come on. You can literally buy one of those shirts from a county fair for $10, or even make them yourselves if you have the patience. But of course people who have it will buy from Wang just because his name is on it. I'm not knocking it but it's really nothing new. I have one sitting in my closet right now as a matter of fact.

5.) Bantu knots

Bantu knots, not twisty buns. Like I said, just give credit when its due. Trust me I've seen some people rock them well but if you're going to mock something at least have the courtesy to call it by it's correct name. We use them for various reasons; sometimes for style and sometimes overnight so we could have some curl to our hair in the morning. They're extremely versatile and stylish.

So with all that being said, shout out to the hood for their creativity. Keep being carefree and do whatever makes you happy. Never stifle your creativity because a few folks may not understand. Keep inspiring the world even when you don't get the credit you deserve because we see you, and we appreciate you! Keep shining babies.

(All photos sourced from: www.pinterest.com)