Chapters 1- Intro/Statement of Purpose 00:00 2- How/why we give police power 09:00 3- Why the police need to go 33:00 4- Why prisons need to go 50:48 5- The hidden agenda of prisons 01:20:40
Edited by @NeedlessNick Scored and touched up by @RealSpacial
Feat @OverthrowMedia , @olurinatti @SkipIntroYT and Tooblack of @BlackLiberationMedia
Thank you to Ben AKA @francmono STREAM EXTORTION OUT ON ALL PLATFORMS
Chapters 1- Intro/Statement of Purpose 00:00 2- How/why we give police power 09:00 3- Why the police need to go 33:00 4- Why prisons need to go 50:48 5- The hidden agenda of prisons 01:20:40
Edited by @NeedlessNick Scored and touched up by @RealSpacial
Feat @OverthrowMedia , @olurinatti @SkipIntroYT and Tooblack of @BlackLiberationMedia
Thank you to Ben AKA @francmono STREAM EXTORTION OUT ON ALL PLATFORMS
Bastars of the party doc - vimeo.com/247366171Black Cops Wont Save UsF.D Signifier2024-09-17 | Compare news coverage. Spot media bias. Avoid algorithms. Try Ground News today and get 40% off your subscription by going to https://ground.news/fdsignifier
Edited by @NeedlessNick Intro by @OverthrowMedia
Special thanks to : @SkipIntroYT @olurinatti @BABILA.
00:00 The Boys in Blue 08:30 Black Cops 39:31 Dem Dirty Red Dogs 52:29 All Skin Folk Aint Kin FolkIm What the Culture Feeling (The full story of Kendrick Lamar Vs Drake)F.D Signifier2024-07-27 | Please support me by signing up for Nebula- http://go.nebula.tv/fdsignifier
Watch my Nebula original on the Boondocks here--- https://nebula.tv/videos/workingtitle...
Watch my Vaulted video on Tupac - https://nebula.tv/videos/signifiedbsi...
Final cut by and blood sweat and tears @BABILA. Lead edit by @RealSpacial Lead motion graphics by @NeedlessNick
The Greatest Story in the History of Hip Hop - 00:00 Part 1 - The Beginning - 04:48 Part 2 - Started from the Bottom 13:13 Part 3 - The Once and Future King 38:47 Part 4 - Drake Be Like 01:09:41 Part 5 - The Return of the King - 01:39:54 Part 6 - The One Sided Battle of the Century 01:50:00 Part 7 - The Shady Aftermath 02:59:30
00:00 Intro 03:55 What are the "Gender Wars" 12:23 Part 1 - A star is born - 12:26 Derrick Jaxn's origins - 16:49 The first red flag - 18:17 Controversial hot take (but i'm right!) 21:07 Part 2 - Expectations at War - 22:59 Gender is a scam - 28:26 Gender has ALWAYS been a scam - 35:50 Why did WE ever fall for this scam? - 44:29 The scam hits different for black men than black women 45:59 Part 3 - Don't be the mule - 47:04 Why were black women Derrick Jaxn's targets? - 51:07 Steve Harvey Vs bell hooks - 56:42 Black women get a raw deal - 1:10:00 Derrick Jaxn's offer 1:14:02 Part 4: Signs he might be a narcissist - 1:14:25 Derrick's REAL business model - 1:18:32 An unexpected guest star reveals everything - 1:23:28 And then the Church got involved... - 1:26:29 And then it gets worse - 1:29:37 The Aftermath? 1:35:21 Part 5 - The real villain of the story - 1:36:04 The truth about how all this works - 1:43:19 Final thoughts
Watch my Nebula original on the Boondocks here--- https://nebula.tv/videos/workingtitle...
Watch my Vaulted video on Tupac - https://nebula.tv/videos/signifiedbsi...
00:00 What is an Industry Plant? 07:17 The Early Days of Hip Hop 13:55 Their Come Up 30:25 Their Fall Off 35:35 The Rise of Gangster Rap 40:54 The Truth about "Industry Plants"
Watch my Nebula original on the Boondocks here--- https://nebula.tv/videos/workingtitle...
Watch my Vaulted video on Tupac - https://nebula.tv/videos/signifiedbsi...
00:00 Why do black people love wrestling? 05:00 The earliest days of black wresters 17:00 Troubling patterns in black wrestling gimmicks 20:20 Some thoughts on Vince MacMahon 31:25 Some scattered victories for black wrestlers 37:26 What exactly was the Rock cooking? 51:56 Black wrestling's lowest point 55:56 Kofimania 01:13:09 What goes up... 01:15:45 Final thoughts
00:00 Banger intro 01:11 The Manosphere is big business. 08:13 We still don't understand the manosphere. 19:54 What kind of man are you? 40:09 Incels make the world go round. 01:02:33 The other side of the game. 01:26:17 So what can be done?
Edited by @TheZatzman Intro and transition graphics by @NeedlessNick
This video looks at the 2000s Spike Lee film "Bamboozled" and examines what it says about the concept of "co*ning", aka being a black person who explicitly works against the interests of other black people. How and why do Co*ns do what they do? What should we understand about them in order to address the harm that they do?
00:00 I almost Quit YouTube last year 02:48 A quick look at the career of Spike Lee 10:39 Explaining Bamboozled pt 1 20:22 A quick aside on Black Radicalism 24:26 Explaining Bamboozled pt 2 29:34 What is a Co*n? 44:44 Explaining Bamboozled pt 3 5148 Are we too hard on Co*ns? 59:48 Bamboozled's hidden message
Edited by @NeedlessNick Featuring @Mannof1000Thoughts , @victorythecreator , and @Readus101 Audio support @ForeignManinaForeignLand
What should Black folk do with the word coon? - andscape.com/features/what-should-black-folk-do-with-the-word-coonEminem and the White Rapper ProblemF.D Signifier2023-12-20 | Ground News Holiday Sale: Compare news coverage. Spot media bias. Join Ground News today to get 40% off unlimited access: https://ground.news/fd. Sale ends December 31.
I finally did it! Just in time for Christmas
00:00 What is the White Rapper Paradox? 08:39 A short history of White people consuming and creating black art 16:50 White Rap BE- Before Eminem 24:04 Rap's Elvis Pressley (Vanilla Ice) 30:09 What the industry learned from it's failure 33:09 The Great White Hope (Eminem) 46:28 White Rap AE-After Eminem 56:37 White Guy Got Game (Mac Miller) 1:07:50 The White Rapper Paradox
This video breaks down the complexity of why interracial dating for black people is universally controversial.
Edited by @TheZatzman Special Appearances by @supereyepatchwolf3007 and @KhadijaMbowe
00:00 Intro 07:41 It always goes back to slavery... 14:27 It's a black thing. You wouldn't understand 37:25 Swirlconomics 59:33 No seriously it's always goes back to slavery
Reasons for Anti-Miscegenation laws- https://athenacommons.muw.edu/merge/vol6/iss1/1/#:~:text=The%20primary%20individuals%20focused%20on,vehicle%20of%20anti%2Dmiscegenation%20laws
Interracial couples and poverty- https://www.washington.edu/news/blog/study-mixed-race-couples-with-black-partners-more-likely-to-live-in-poor-neighborhoods/
Racist trends in medicine- https://globalhealth.harvard.edu/racial-bias-in-medicine/
This video discusses the real reasons why NFL running backs have become "devalued" and seeks to expose how this process of devaluation is not only a deliberate alteration of the nature of the game for "good business" but it also fits into a historical tradition of premiere black athletes being marginalized in sports they helped to build.
Featuring former NFL running back Arion Foster @bobbyfeeno and former 1st round draft pick Aaron Maybin @AaronMaybinArt
special shout out to @laborkyle for helping me refine my ideas and terminology on the topic.
00:00 The Plight of Saquan Barkley 10:18 "Workplace Evolution" 23:38 "For the Good of the Sport" 47:09 A famous Malcom X Quote
Edited by @RealSpacial Graphics and support editing by @NeedlessNick
00:00 Ad read 02:20 Disclaimer on how I escaped small channel purgatory 10:01 Advice from the Heart (my views on the video essay genre) 31:50 Advice from the HEAD (my views on working the system) 54:43 Advice Lighting Round 01:02:02 Advice from other successful Youtubers (maybe a special bonus at the end...?
Feat- @oliSUNvia @ForeignManinaForeignLand @MaggieMaeFish @T1J @TeeNoir @ToonrificTariq @roramdin @JessieGender1 @NandovMovies @cjthexWhat makes anime so appealing to young men?F.D Signifier2023-07-10 | First 1000 people to sign up through this link get 1 free month of skillshare - https://skl.sh/fdsignifier07233
You ever wonder what it is about anime that gets so many guys DEEP into it? Me too. So I talked to some experts in the topic in @supereyepatchwolf3007 and @mothersbasement and looked back at my own experiences as an Anime fan to figure out what it is about Anime that resonates so much with boys and men.
00:00 OP 01:00 I used to be a WEEB 05:55 Anime and Masculinity, a combo worthy of discussion 13:00 What makes Anime special and why you should watch it 28:35 What do boys and men like about Anime? 36:20 Boys and the Anime Power Fantasy 44:07 A quick aside on misogyny in Anime 48:30 Anime Power Fantasies Deconstructed 57:02 A roast of Eren Yeager 1:20:02 What if Eren wasn't trash? 1:29:21 Closing thoughts
Intro by @NeedlessNick Edited by @TheZatzman Feat @mothersbasement and @supereyepatchwolf3007
@LostFutures1 - youtube.com/watch?v=a8B-p2ke9uU&t=8sHe was supposed to be the future of hip hop...F.D Signifier2023-06-11 | First 1000 people to sign up through this link get 1 free month of skillshare - https://skl.sh/fdsignifier06235
Join me in a journey into hip hop lore to discuss one of hip hop's forgotten legends lost in time. He's a rapper that barely anyone remembers but for a moment in the mid 90s he was considered to be one of the rappers that would lead hip hop into the next generation. Why was he so hyped and why does nobody remember him, and how is his legacy so important in the first place?
I want to give recognition to the following sources that helped me flesh out this video.
Special Guests- Paschal Robert @THISISREVOLUTIONpodcast Briahna Joy Grey @BadFaithPodcast Dr. Jared Ball @BlackPowerMedia.
Edited by - @foreignmaninaforiegnland, (Opening review) @needlessNick (The Distraction), @zatzman (The Double Agent) @TheStorytellerAJ (The Black Capitalist) Intro VFX by @NeedlessNick
Feat Vocal Performance by @HirotheKidTheres no such thing as a Black ConservativeF.D Signifier2023-04-04 | Please support me by signing up for Nebula- http://go.nebula.tv/fdsignifier
00:00 Banger intro 02:20 A few jokes to warm things up 03:51 Why do we even care about black conservatives? 09:30 The difference between a Republican, a Democrat, and a Leftist 14:25 Black people are not and have never been "Conservative" 28:20 An examination of America's most iconic Black Leftist 49:30 Who are the Boule'
Special Guests- Paschal Robert @THISISREVOLUTIONpodcast Briahna Joy Grey @BadFaithPodcast Dr. Jared Ball @BlackLiberationMedia
Lead Edits by @TheStorytellerAJ Intro VFX and spot edits by @NeedlessNick
Vocal inclusions from @COLORMIND.mp4 @BABILA. @victorythecreator
In this video I deconstruct some common misconceptions about what makes men desirable and attractive.
00:00 Intro/Desirability is complex 13:38 Men don't understand physical desirability 36:19 A "High Value Man" is not what you think 49:17 How Boys and Men are Groomed to be lonely 01:15:30 The best advice I can offer...
Feat @COLORMIND.mp4 @rapmusicplugpod @ForeignManinaForeignLand @NoahSamsen @Sisyphus55 @FinntasticMrFox @elliotsangestevezLeftist infighting almost killed me (Broke Bread)F.D Signifier2023-02-10 | AdamandEve.com. Code: _____FD50_____ 50% Off 1 Item + Free Shipping in the US & Canada. Some exclusions apply
Need to get some things off my chest.
00:00 We Ready? 11:34 The Chaos Machine 39:40 The Drama 01:39:36 Take Accountability 02:01:04 Broke Bread
Support the thumbnail artist Twitter: twitter.com/Jumboiiii Twitch: twitch.tv/jumbomandraws Patreon: patreon.com/JumboManHelp Stop Atlantas Cop CityF.D Signifier2023-01-09 | This is an interview with activist and social commentator Kamau Franklin who works with Community Movement Builders, Stop Cop City, and the Atlanta Solidarity Fund. We're talking about a major issue facing Atlanta and likely much of the nation going forward, the encroaching militarization and growth of the police state.
Please if you can connect with one of the following entities listed here to find out a way you can help and support stopping Cop City!
twitter @KamauFranklin @CommunityMvt @Defend the Atlanta Forest @Atlanta Solidarity Fund
It's Christmas time. I need a break. Here's a video where I react to Tik Toks that i thought were interesting.None of You Understood Black Panther...(2018)F.D Signifier2022-11-07 | Support the channel and get access to exclusive content on curiosity stream-- curiositystream.com/fdsignifier
I have been wanting to make this video for 4 years.
00:00 Bad Takes Montage 01:05 Why I ever became a YouTuber in the First Place 07:08 A short history of Black Panther in comics 12:30 The environment leading up to the film 28:10 Breaking down the movie's themes 59:45 The film's most inexcusable flaw 01:10:03 Reconciling the good with the bad
Thank you to L.O for guest edits Supporting edits still from @NeedlessNick
The Divine 9 - youtube.com/watch?v=qn_T7zZ60TYConservatives are Bad at S*xF.D Signifier2022-10-18 | AdamandEve.com. Code: FD50. 50% Off 1 Item + Free Shipping in the US & Canada *some exclusions apply
In this video F.D takes a deep look at the ongoing challenges that conservative thought has presented to good seggs and seggsual Freedom and pleasure as a whole
00:00 - Intro and conservative cringe on sex 11:10 - Yes I'm serious Conservative Sex is Trash 25:35 - White Women for some Reason 41:23 - We're Pretty much all F*credit Really 01:09:10 - Conservatives Worst Kept Secret
00:00 The Problem with Tough Love 09:14 Lauryn Hill 101 15:13 A Star is Born 26:00 Trouble Ahead 30:11 Tortured by Fame 37:35 The Fall Off 43:37 Final Thoughts 47:51 Patreon scrollUnderstanding the (BIack) ManosphereF.D Signifier2022-08-24 | Follow the link to get 1 year of Curiosity Stream curiositystream.com/fdsignifier
After Dissecting and Connecting the manosphere as whole a in the last few months, F.D spins the block to address a group that has been his biggest detractors since he gained any traction on YouTube, which is the B Manosphere. Unlike in the previous two videos, in this video F.D engages directly with the specific figures of the B Manosphere, examines it's fundamental drives, and the forces that shape it.
00:00 Intro/Who Shot ya? 12:01 What is the Black Manosphere? 35:05 What is STME? 53:30 The Worst People on the Internet 1:04:33 They who Shall Not be Named 1:30:49 King of the Simps 2:19:15 Final Thoughts
For generations black men have either enthusiastically celebrated or quietly disregarded the rampant and unchecked objectification of our bodies by... well pretty much everyone. In this video F.D tries to investigate how this came to be, how some black men have tried to address it in different ways, and the dark realities that we usually look past when it comes to black men and s*x.
00:00 A dm to set the tone 09:03 ad read 10:43 The flattening of black men's s*xuality 26:17 How black men reclaimed agency over their s*xuality 42:32 Hip Hop as a stumbling block 1:07:47 Stigma, dysfunction, and sa 1:30:15 Final thoughts 1:42:41 Patrons crawl
Further Reading The Man Not by Tommy Curry We Real Cool by bell hooks Racism Without Racist by Eduardo Bonilla Silva Soul On Ice (Trigger Warning for graphic discussions of SA) by Eldridge Cleaver
In this video F.D continues examining the modern online manosphere by looking at several figures that shape what the manosphere is and what it is capable of. In this video F.D argues that the problem in the manosphere isn't just it's misogyny, but how it presents masculinity as a whole, and this aspect makes it more damaging to everyone else.
00:00 Intro/Recap from last video 06:24 Gary Vee 18:47 Fresh and Fit...? 48:33 Jordan Peterson 1:09:13 Spree Shooters 1:17:51 Eren Yeager 1:31:01 What the Left needs to do better 1:42:04 Final Thoughts
Patreon- patreon.com/fdsignifier Follow me on Twitter and instagram- @fdsignifier Check out the side channel @Signified B Sides
In this video F.D re-engages the concept of Edgelords but this time brings a few friends with him in the form of WHITE GUYS (yaaaaay...)
This exploration caused him rethink the place that edgelords have in modern manifestations of how men see the world and how the world sees men, which forced him to finally begin thinking on the Manosphere and trying to break down exactly what it is and why it exists.
00:00 Intro 05:04 Ad Read 07:17 White dudes! 16:39 What is an Edgelord? 22:58 Batman is the ultimate Edgelord 33:40 Nietzsche and Nihilism 41:00 Edgelord cope 49:05 Touching grass 58:00 The section where I summarize Sociology concepts 1:06:20 Why the Manosphere exists 1:15:42 How the Black Manosphere differs from it's White counterpart 1:28:48 Outro
Featuring -@victorythecreator -@KhadijaMbowe -@Salari -@ChillGoblin -@InnuendoStudios -@supereyepatchwolf3007 -@miacole -@kolpeshtheyardstick -@WereInHellHow Nicki Broke the BlueprintF.D Signifier2022-04-27 | Please support the channel and get access to a ton of great content (at a discounted price for a year's subscription) by signing up for Nebula and Curiosity stream through this link- curiositystream.com/fdsignifier
Nicki Minaj exists in an interesting place in hip hop history. For a moment in hip hop she seemed like a once in a lifetime occurrence, a female MC who could rhyme, captivate a massive fanbase, make hits, and sell millions of records as good as any man in the industry... but then her success somehow backfired. Now in the wake of her own success, all the things that made Nicki standout seem to be being copied by a generation of female artists built in her image. Worse yet, her name is brought up more for controversy than anything else these last few years. But that doesn't mean her legacy and story of how she changed hip hop isn't worth telling.
In this episode of the Black Media Breakdown F.D tries to tell the complicated story of Nicki Minaj and her impact on hip hop all while telling the truth as he sees it... and hopefully avoiding the wrath of the Barbz.
00:00 Intro, Plea for Safety 09:19 Women in hip hop in the old days 17:00 Lil Kim revolutionizes women in Hip Hoop 23:25 How Nicki changed the game 39:50 The backlash against Nicki 57:48 How the game changed on Nicki 01:14:02 Nicki gets canceled 01:24:05 How Nicki can come back/Final thoughs
You can follow me on twitter and Instagram- @fdsignifier
In this video we use at Will Smith's recent public meltdown as a jumping off point to look at some challenges of black boyhood and how the constant barrage of trauma affects even the most successful and outwardly charming and charismatic black men. To do this we will be looking at Belair the reimagining of Will Smith's star making show "The Fresh Prince of Belair" as well as shows like Atlanta and numerous other figures and stories pertinent to the issue.
00:00 Intro 04:10 Horror Stories, System Failures, and Exaggerated Swag 23:40 Belair as a Case Study in Black Boyhood 32:19 Will's PTSD 44:55 Carlton's Struggle Under the White Gaze 1:02:12 Final Thoughts 1:08:20 Ad Read for Brilliant.org 1:10:32 Patrons and bloopers
Pertinent research and further reading suggestions
bell hooks - "We Real Cool"
Alexander Mitchell - The New Jim Crow
Tommy Curry- The Man Not
Jawanza Kunjufu- Countering the Conspiracy to Destroy Little Black Boys
Ta-Nahesi Coates- Between the World and Me
Eduardo Bonilla Silva- Racism Without Racists
Incapacitated Fatherhood: The Impact of Mass Incarceration on Black Father Identity- qualitativecriminology.com/pub/v8i3p4/release/4Micro-Aggressions on the Online LeftF.D Signifier2022-04-01 | In this video F.D finally addresses an ongoing issue that has constantly came up in the discourse around his content and another leftist content creator who will not be named, but who's presence has been a daily drain on the progress of this channel. This video will set the record straight and this issue will not be entertained going forward. I'm tired of the drama, it ends here.
After a nostalgic trip down memory lane in the last video, F.D takes Obama's legacy to task in this one. In the process, he looks at the many glaring issues with Obama's legacy as a president that are often glossed over due to his sterling reputation and historical significance. In the process, F.D takes to task the lessons often taken from Obama and the impact he's had on the image of black success and whether that image is a good or bad thing.
00:00 Intro/Ad read 09:09 There is no "Post Racial" America 14:22 Barack's alignment to Neoliberalism 19:29 The Drone Strikes 25:44 Black Boomer Race Rhetoric 35:24 The Problem with "Black Excellence" 48:50 Final Thoughts 54:40 Patreon Patrons and sneak peek
Barack Obama is a beloved and historical figure both in American history, but also in black culture. His sudden ascendency to the top of American politics took the world by storm and shocked a nation into rethinking race politics and what was possible and feasible for black people. However, as with all political figures, Obama has a complicated legacy that in many ways betrays his image as a pristine figure of progressive ideals and black excellence. In fact that concept of black excellence has insidious unintended consequences despite the beautiful image it presents to the world and to black people. In this first part of a 2 part series, F.D explores Obama's rise to power and the elements that endeared him to the country, but also examines the subtext of why people fell in love with Obama as a political figure and how that love affair may have been more one sided than we want to admit.Death to Black Love(tm)F.D Signifier2022-02-07 | The first 1,000 people to use this link will get a 1 month free trial of Skillshare: https://skl.sh/fdsignifier02221
"Black Love" as a concept has been around for decades as an aesthetic that black people aspire to when seeking out romantic partnerships. However, when you sit back and examine the concept of how we imagine black love, you realize the "black" part of it doesn't mean a whole lot. In fact, a lot of how we look at and define black love seems to be directly connected to an image of love that is completely pulled from frameworks that were never meant for black people.
In this video F.D examines the dangers and problems of accepting this framework uncritically and talks to various black couples about their experiences with love as well as shows like HBO's Love Live and Insecure as well and numerous pop culture happenings with intended goal of killing our concept of black love goals.
00:00 A word from A.J Signifier 03:50 Black Love really ain't it 11:10 Black Love and Gender Roles ain't it 33:26 Black Love and Growth ain't it 39:17 Black Love and Conflict ain't it 50:01 The Smith's might be on to something...(also ignore the typo) 55:48 Final Thoughts
Tee Noir- Polyamory, entanglements, and black love enterprise- youtube.com/watch?v=s-bplPQGtlM&t=250sDrake and the Death of Hip HopF.D Signifier2022-01-24 | Use code FDSIGNIFIER16 for up to 16 FREE MEALS + 3 Surprise Gifts across 6 HelloFresh boxes plus free shipping at bit.ly/3FsGK6N!
Drake is one of the biggest and most successful musicians of all time and within the last decade has made an indelible mark on hip hop as it's most recognizable, marketable, bankable, and influential figure… and F.D isn't too happy with that.
In this video F.D tries to parse through the complex nature of Drake's presence in modern hip hop and pop music and explains why Drake's rise and dominance of the hip hop world is much worse than you think.
00:00 Intro 06:00 Unfair reasons to dislike Drake 20:05 Understanding hip hop before Drake 33:00 How Drake changed hip hop 59:00 My real problem with Drake 01:08:42 Who really killed hip hop?
The black athlete is an iconic image of masculinity in America, and in many communities, black or otherwise, the men who find success at the highest levels of professional athletics are idolized. However, the space that these athletes inhabit is much more complex and perilous than the celebrity image of pro sports lets on. In fact, from the time that many of these men were children, they have had to build up a mindset to harden them against the inconceivable challenges that they need to go through to make it to the highest levels.
In this video, F.D examines what that process looks like and dives into some of the uglier parts of prep, collegiate, and pro sports to unearth what is happening off the court and away from the field for black male athletes.
00:00 Opening thoughts 07:42 Childhood and Prep Sports 25:20 College Sports 47:57 Pro Sports 1:02:06 Final Thoughts
In this video, I take a look at video essays submitted to me to explain what works and what doesn't for video essayists just starting out and looking to grow on YouTube. For all videos featured along with others that didn't make the video check out my playlists for "react vids".
After a few months of “success” on the platform, I sat to contemplate my journey from unknown content creator scraping for views to hot new video essayist and legit “left tuber”. This contemplation led to numerous questions and ponderings, and as I dived into those questions I started to get frustrated the answers that I arrived at. I got tired of people asking me “where have you been this whole time” when I knew I had been just quietly treading water, wondering why my videos weren’t being seen, and wondering why I barely saw any creators in the mold of what I wanted to do.
To explore these emotions, I talked to a variety of creators and experts on the nature of YouTube as a media platform the algorithmic systems that govern it, and the greater culture around it. I delved into my own concerns and observations about the landscape of YouTube, especially “left tube”.
This video is my thesis on what challenges I and other black creators face.
00:00 Intro 02:12 How Did I Get Here? 08:22 The Untold History of Breadtube/Lefttube 33:17 No Favors From the Algorithm 1:09:10 Problems in the Community
Implicit Bias Association Harvard Study- https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/takeatest.htmlLove and Basketball... and the Black Gender WarsF.D Signifier2021-11-15 | Love and Basketball is one of the most beloved movies of my youth. However, it seems like it has fallen into the status of a movie that is looked at as out of touch with modern sensibilities. This is a fair criticism, but I think it's a bit too simple. So in this episode I breakdown what made this movie good then and why it's still relevant now.
Also just a heads up... this almost didn't make it to yall on time cause the bots were on my behind. If you want to see the intended version of this video please look out for it on nebula very soon. Check the Connecting the Manosphere video for a link to sign up.
00:00 Intro 04:48 Love and Basketball Historical Context 08:25 Gender Politics and Basketball pt 1 15:02 How the Parents Play a Role 24:53 In Defense of Quincy 30:28 Analyzing Monica's Gender Role Conflict 37:28 Gender Politics and Basketball pt 2 45:00 Dating Gurus are Trash/Final Thoughts
F.D Signifier has joined the creators over at Nebula! You can help the channel and access the amazing content at Nebula as well as the streaming documentary service Curiosity stream by checking out the following link to sign up. Watch to the end for more details on why this is such a great deal.
Dave Chappelle's most recent special "The Closer" has understandably left a lot of his long-time fans divided. Many are dismayed at the relentlessly increasing use of jokes about trans people, others (most it seems) don't see the big deal and applaud Chappelle for "standing up" against cancel culture.
Regardless of where you stand, I feel like there's A LOT that almost everyone discussing this conflict is missing, and that many of the voices most affected by this conversation haven't had a chance to speak.
In this video, F.D tries to cut through the various layers of what's at stake here as he takes yet another of his heroes to task, but also tries to refine some of the parts of Chappelle's good points that are being missed in the backlash.
All of this on this episode of the Black Media Breakdown...
01:24 At least watch this first part 08:33 Why Dave can't Be Canceled 24:33 Yes Dave Chappelle Punches Down 40:19 The Folly of Entering the Oppression Olympics 54:50 The Last 20 Minutes 01:10:40 Final ThoughtsThe Tragic Fall of Kanye West (pt 2)F.D Signifier2021-10-18 | Kanye West is inarguably the most significant hip-hop artist of the last 20 years, if not the best and most impactful artist in any genre over that time period. Within that time, Kanye created a legacy and fanbase unlike the music world had ever seen. In this final part of my analysis of his work, I look at the second half of Kanye's career aka "New Kanye" where he reinvents not just himself but also the genre of hip hop as a whole and what it means to be a rap artist... for better and for worse. I also examine where this journey has left his fanbase and what to think about going forward as this story isn't quite over.
Thank you to all my Patrons who helped this happen
3:20 Review of important wrestling terminology 7:12 Welcome to Heartbreak 23:00 Kanye Turns Face Again! 33:09 Blood on the Leaves 48:20 Next Level Heel Work 1:02:43 Final ThoughtsThe Complex History of Mike Tyson.F.D Signifier2021-09-30 | CONTENT WARNING- DISCUSSIONS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT, VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN, CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE.
Re-upload after being taken down a 3rd time...
(Somehow I didn't put a content warning in the beginning of the video. I apologize for that.)
Mike Tyson started a new chapter of his profound career as a boxer and media icon as he battled his way to a “draw” with fellow boxing legend Mr. “Yall Must Have Forgot” himself Roy Jones Jr. This return to the ring feels like the completion of a story arc worthy of 10 seasons of a Netflix drama. Tyson has gone from neglected and abused street urchin to world-famous prizefighter, to rock bottom and now back to relevance. But with his newfound relevance, Tyson seems to have tamed the heinous demons that plagued him and with that experience, he has shifted from sports icon to lifestyle and self-help icon.
However, how did he get here? Moreover, what does it say about us and the world that he could make this journey considering the many ugly moments he’s had on his journey. Is Tyson just another example of poorly behaved men never facing justice, or is he a cautionary tale that provides insight on how to recover from your demons and better yourself?
I’d have to say both.
In this episode of the Black Media Breakdown Fiq signifies on the life and career of Mike Tyson. He looks at everything that made him the baddest man on the planet, as well as all the ways in which we learn more about ourselves and the world through his story. So take a seat, this is a long one but it’s worth it.
03:18 Why we love gladiators like Tyson 11:22 Tyson's origins 17:55 Tyson's rise to fame 23:48 Tyson's fall from grace 41:01 Tyson's journey to rebuild 48:38 What to take away from thisThe Tragic Fall of Kanye West (Pt1)F.D Signifier2021-09-24 | In this episode of the Black Media Breakdown, we look at the early career of Kanye West and how he completely reshaped hip hop and black masculinity in the early 2000s.
I explain why this time period was so significant to the culture and to a lot of black men, and why so many of us are (foolishly?) holding out hope that Kanye reconnects with the person he was.
Along the way, you'll get a short history lesson on hip hop before and after Kanye as well as a crash course in the world of Professional Wrestling... yeah I'm doing a lot here!
My patreon- patreon.com/fdsignifier?fan_landing=trueHow NOT to be an Ally (BMB #14)F.D Signifier2021-09-10 | Hollywood has never been good at engaging with issues about race, however in some cases they are downright awful and as far as I can tell have yet to learn anything on how to be better. To be honest, they aren't learning cause they're not trying and that is what it is. However... what about you?
Are you interested in learning more about allyship with marginalized groups? Do you have a sinking feeling in your gut around how to do more to help those who are being marginalized by social injustice? Well, today is your lucky day. In this video, I'm going to give some broad strokes on how and why Hollywood is so bad at showing what it means to be an ally (which is why most of us are also bad at it) and I'm also going to talk to some experts in the field who teach people what good allyship looks like and why it's so hard for a lot of people to understand.
If you're interested in learning more about allyship please sign up for Uplifting Impact's "How to be an Ally" Virtual Summit happening October 4th through the 6th. It's a 3-day virtual training designed for people who want to learn a positive, healthy framework for diversity, equity, and inclusion. I talk about it more in the video but if you're interested please sign up through the following link
Beat by Dylan Sitts- "Good Habits" youtube.com/watch?v=95i2SLJ0irYWhy I Dont Dream of Labor Doesnt WorkF.D Signifier2021-08-27 | The phrase "I don't dream of labor" started trending a few months ago. Several videos from other creators and plenty of tik toks have been speaking on this idea of divesting from labor.
While this makes plenty of sense overall, I can't help but think that it seems to be a bit short-sighted or at least, not very inclusive, especially when you start to consider gender and race in the equation.
In response, I wanted to think about the way work has...worked for black men throughout history. How and why does work define us? How would divestment from work...work for black men? Now that I think about it, isn't this something we've been doing for a while now?
Chapters 00:00 Intro/A Short History of Racial Terrorism 05:16 What is "I Don't Dream of Labor"? 10:18 John Henryism 25:14 Legal Hustlers 32:31 Illegal Hustlers 37:25 Why "I Don't Dream of Labor" isn't for me/Final Thoughts
Shout out to all my Patrons (I'm so sorry I forgot to add yall to the video!)Bo Burnhams Inside and White Liberal Performative ArtF.D Signifier2021-08-13 | Bo Burnham's Inside currently streaming on Netflix is one of the best things I've seen all year. It perfectly captures so much of the emotions I think all of us felt in the last 18 months or so... emotions that we probably should keep close since things are going in reverse.
However, some parts of Bo Burnham's experimental special were... a bit othering. I realized that as a whole the special wasn't for me. It was a deeply personal piece that spoke explicitly to Bo's experiences and worldview, and as a "straight white male", there's definitely some elements of his worldview that aren't going to look the same from my standpoint.
This got me thinking about other works of art with similar themes. I think there's tons of art made by white creators that speak explicitly to a white worldview in a way that isn't explained by just being "for general audiences". I named it "White Liberal Performative Art" and I'm super proud of myself for that lol.
In this video I give a little background on what brought me to this idea and how Bo Burnham's Inside works as a proof of concept for it.
00:00 Intro 00:38 Some thoughts on the paradox of blackness 07:05 Who the F is Bo Burnham? 13:00 The Erasure of "Whiteness" from Mainstream Pop Culture 16:15 White Habitus 20:43 Performative Wokeness 25:10 Existential Dread 33:35 Final thoughts
Song ID Nine One Nine by Sarah the InstrumentalistBlack Men and LoveF.D Signifier2021-07-30 | The discourse for discussing black men and relationships is... spotty to say the least. Between the rise of certain relationship commentators, the "Divestment" movement, and everything in between, there's a lot of people saying a lot of stuff at the extremes of this topic.
While there are important nuggets of information and discussions going on, I can't help but feel like there's a few important pieces of the puzzle that haven't been talked about yet. With that in mind, I figured I'd try to add my two cents, talk about a few of my favorite movies (Love Jones and Love and Basketball) that I haven't seen people talk about in a while, and bring up a few more examples of how black men experience and receive love.
To add to the pot, I also brought in a few friends from various communities, ages, and experiences to speak on what they see and feel as well. So we cover a bit of everything, being vulnerable, lacking emotional connection, playing a man's role, and the closest thing a man has to lacking pretty privilege... being broke!
All that and more on this episode of the Black Media Breakdown.
00:00 Intro 02:19 Story Time! (How I met my wife) 07:09 Are black men "Falling in love"? 09:25 Masculinity vs Vulnerability 27:45 Love or Role Competency pt 1 33:07 Broke Boys Don't Deserve no...? 41:10 Love or Role Competency pt 2 54:24 When the Love is Gone 58:26 Final Thoughts
As is the tradition for major milestones, in this vid I answer subscriber questions. As you can see from the length of the video... I REALLY answer them. Thanks to everyone who's helped me get this far.
00:00 Intro/General Channel Updates. 03:28 Rant on why we need more black men on "left tube". 05:34 What do you think about the current state of problems between black men and black women? 13:23 What are some books that are integral to your analysis process? 16:14 Questions about Channel Growth and Goals. 18:32 Thoughts on the Problems that Face Gay Black Men in Barbershops. 21:24 Thoughts on what Defines Blackness, and My Experiences with Intersectionality. 27:52 Experiences in Grad school that Changed my Worldview. 29:56 How to enter a Conversation of a Group You Aren't a Part Of. 31:29 Other Influences and Topics You Want to Touch in the Future. 35:45 What to Expect the Rest of the Year. 38:34 Why I Don't Call Myself a Feminist. 40:01 Subversive (But Non-Edgelord) Male Characters in Film. 41:45 The Effects of "Wokeness" in the Media and Black Conservativism. 49:38 How do You Pick Your topics? 51:10 What Other Content do You Consume? 52:37 Funny Anecdotes? 53:05 Where Else in the World Might You Live?