Why would Black people bother with Taylor Swift when we’ve got Beyonce?
When the Brooklyn Nets’ basketball players struggled to name a single song by the world’s most-streamed pop star, they spoke for Black people everywhere, says Ava Vidal
Last week, a promotional video clip involving the Brooklyn Nets basketball team went viral. The idea was innocent enough: to mark Taylor Swift’s 34th birthday, the young Black players were each asked in turn to name their favourite song from her back catalogue. It’s fair to say the squad isn’t overburdened with Swifties.
Mikal Bridges mistakenly referred to ‘22’, one of her biggest hits, as ‘23’. Several had trouble naming any track at all, let alone one they’d care to listen to again. Put on the spot, Nick Claxon spoke for many on the team when he said: “I couldn’t give you one.”
Most pointedly of all, Day’Ron Sharpe murmured: “Ain’t nobody listening to Taylor Swift, bruh…”
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