Over the weekend a clip from VH1’s 2017 series Signed resurfaced on Twitter. In the episode, Rick Ross, The-Dream, and Lenny S. are judges for a number of contestants who are looking to land a record deal. In this particular clip, the trio is judging two acts named Brittany and Kaiya. In what seemed to be a sheer coincidence, both singers auditioned using an instrumental of Ross’ 2010 track “Aston Martin Music.” At the end of their respective performances, the judges favored Brittany’s rendition over Kaiya’s, but viewers of the clip thought otherwise and cited a huge difference in the quality of their auditions. As a result, the trio was hit with heavy criticism, including accusations of colorism. Less than a week after the clip reemerged, The-Dream took to Twitter to respond.
The music industry in a nutshell.. pic.twitter.com/kOrlBGKqhI
— S.S.G Dave (@MrHector27) January 22, 2021
The singer shared a lengthy message that stretched over four tweets. “I’m completely surprised by even the smallest amount of people that would ever test my Blackness and my love for my people and my culture in everyshade esp. the darkest of u,” he said. “I’m not overly surprised. But as much as I’ve done to move women forward through songs and always… Being the one that make sure sh*t looks a certain way. I’m sure every director and every artist or person who have saw me work and been around me know exactly how I prefer things. Black ass f*ck all the time. With all I’ve done this is what y’all have for me. Makes you think diff.”
The-Dream then dove into his previous relationship issues, which landed in the public eye:
And for no particular reason, as a unapologetic figure as I’ve kept it beyond and taken falls for past exes even publicly to save themselves from things they have done against me and to harm my word and upbringing. I protected a lot of people and ate it. I could’ve been said it. That means I took all that for no reason. So basically I should’ve snitched right. I hurried the truth. I watch you all talk and still I took the higher space. I always do I always did. Now me I’m not black enough even though I walked out of labels left 5ms cause race sh*t.
