February 17, 2010
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The Chinese Jay Sean?
Another Asian from London is hoping to make his mark in the R ‘n’ B community: Stevie Hoang. I work for a music television company and it was heartening to see his music video playing in a chart show. I hope his latest single, No Coming Back, receive heavy rotation.
After all, Hoang needs all the exposure if he is emulate that other Asian Londoner – Jay Sean. After many years of success in his native UK, Jay Sean finally cracked the USA last year. Although it is great to see an Asian break into the music scene on a global scale dominated by Caucasians and Blacks with the odd Latina, my only criticism is: did Jay Sean really need to adopt a generic non-Asian stage name to do so?
Is Jay Sean, real name Kamaljit Singh Jhooti, attempting to hide his ethnicity in order to gain global success? He could have just as easily adopt a stage name such as Jay Singh. Anyway, kudos to Stevie for maintaining his surname Hoang as an artist.
Lazy Journalism For Mixed Asians?
When Tiger Woods won his first major PGA tournament, he was hailed as the first “Black” and “African-American” golfer to do so and will inspire black kids to follow suit. Rarely, if at all, was the mention that he is actually half Thai Chinese. He should have been hailed as the first Black Asian golfer to win a major PGA tournament. Woods actually also has a small dose of Native American and Dutch blood in his genetic makeup.
I always read and hear in the media (mostly British) of other personalities being referred to as just “Black” when it clearly isn’t the case. I wish these lazy journalists use the correct term.
“Black” personalities who are actually Black Asian or Afro Asian or Blasian:
Singer Amerie who is half Korean
Olympic decathlon champion Bryan Clay who is half Japanese
Model and actor Tyson Beckford who is a quarter Chinese
Singer songwriter Ne-Yo who is a quarter Chinese
Singer Cassie who is half Filipina
And then there is the “Latino”:
Singer Enrique Iglesias who is half Filipino
*sorry for the typo earlier if you’re from the Philippines
Irish Petrol Station
A petrol station owner in Dublin was trying to increase his sales. So, he put up a sign that read, ‘Free Sex with Fill-Up.’
Soon Paddy pulled in, filled his tank and asked for his free sex. The owner told him to pick a number from 1 to 10. If he guessed correctly, he would get his free sex.
Paddy guessed 8, and the proprietor said, ‘You were close. The number was 7. Sorry. No sex this time.’
A week later, Paddy, along with his friend Mick, pulled in for another fill-up. Again he asked for his free sex. The proprietor again gave him the same story, and asked him to guess the correct number.
Paddy guessed 2 this time. The proprietor said, ‘Sorry, it was 3. You were close, but no free sex this time.’
As they were driving away, Mick said to Paddy, ‘I think that game is rigged and he doesn’t really give away free sex.’
Paddy replied, ‘No it ain’t, Mick. It’s not rigged at all at all. My wife won twice last week.’
What’s Really In Australia
Comments (14)
That sounds pretty amazing…though I have no idea how tough it would be for Asians to break into music industry in UK
Wow, Thanks for the pop culture education. That is a very good question about the name change for Jay Sean. And I think you are right!
Mark paul gosselaar (Zack Morris) is half Indonesian.
I had no idea what the backgrounds were for almost all of them (except for Bryan Clay).
Glad to see you blogging again.
This gets me to thinking – I wonder if in another generation or so, these racial categories are going to become pretty meaningless. As there is more and more intermarriage, people will become more and more mixed. And at that point, is there going to be any point in trying to label them? Even with President Obama, he’s the first “black” president, but everyone who says that forgets that he’s actually half white. But I guess it is the “one drop” rule – if you’re not 100% something then the “minority” part of you is the label you’re given.
As for Jay Sean, some of it has to be easier marketing. There’s a long tradition of entertainers taking stage names.
@Wangium - I would think it is quite tough but M.I.A. is doing pretty well for herself.
@cobaltheart - Sorry for the honest spelling mistake for “Filipina” and “Filipino” earlier… it apparently caused great offence to a pinay I know! Apologies if you were offended too but was too polite to say so.
@CaKaLusa - I didn’t know that, thanks!
@ElusiveWords - Let’s see how long it lasts!
@christao408 - I agree with the easier marketing ploy. But did he have to drop all traces of his heritage?
Bryan Clay rocks!
http://careygly.xanga.com/671668764/texting-greatness–meryl-eat-your-heart-out/
I had no idea that over half of those people were part Asian. It always has bothered me about Tiger that they never bring up the fact that he’s Asian. Why wouldn’t these people be more vocal about it? I would.
I had no idea Enrique is half Filipino…. but yes, I concur with you wholeheartedly. “Lazy journalism” aside, most journalists aren’t that PC, either. Oh well.
you know, i never knew the ethnicity background of all of those celebs if it weren’t for your blog. and yeah, 2 thumbs up for Stevie. great music. by the way, that petrol station story and aussie map made me lol. but i heart down under. i live there for 4 years and have a fond memory of the country. in any case, it’ still funny.
hhmm… i can understand why someone who lives there would get all offended but i had a feeling that you didn’t post it to put down australians and it was all just for a joke, so i thought it was funny. no worries, bro. unless… you actually had a different intention…
I had no idea that any of those celebs were part Asian! I suspected Tyson was part Asian, but thought it wasn’t true because I never heard anything about it. So that’s why he’s so hot!! And I agree with you that it should be mentioned more often!!
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Do you not think that it is an individuals right to choose how they identify. for a lot of these people it is the community they were brought up in not what their genetic code is.