Rick Ross' Questionable Judging Skills Forces 'Signed' Contestants Kaiya & Just Brittany To Address 'Colorism' Controversy
Rick Ross found himself a trending Twitter topic last week after a 2017 clip of his failed VH1 competition show Signed started making the rounds. The clip showed two contestants — Just Brittany and Georgia singer Kayia — performing in front of Ross as another woman rubs his shoulders.
Dressed in a curve-hugging outfit, Just Brittany goes up first and her singing is noticeably off-key, but the Maybach Music Group founder tells her, “Your future is bright.” Kaiya, rocking a slightly more conservative look, goes next and puts her vocal talents on display. Despite her skills, Ross cuts her off and tells her, “That wasn’t the best platform for your voice.”
The music industry in a nutshell.. pic.twitter.com/kOrlBGKqhI
— S.S.G Dave (@MrHector27) January 22, 2021
Due to Just Brittany having lighter skin, accusations of colorism started to fly on Twitter, forcing Kaiya to address the chatter. Speaking to The Shade Room, she highlighted both the positives and negatives of the viral clip.
“The resurfacing of the video is so surreal,” she said. “I’m humbled that a lot of people have come out in support of my journey. Colorism is a topic that needs to be discussed wholly and not summed up in one response, but it’s very disheartening to know so many go through this male or female. To pin Black women and men against one another, or make it where some are seen superior is sad. As the years go on, I hope it’s being addressed and rectified in the future.”
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Despite the optics, Kayia said she walked away from the experience with some valuable lessons and relationships.
“[It was] very positive,” she continued. “I’ve met some really talented people, we have developed friendships and keep in touch. The guidance and critiques, I’ve received on my overall performance have been invaluable. I’ve never stopped performing. I’m currently writing original songs. I’m also reaching out to other songwriters and producers. I’m perfecting my sound every day. I’m achieving this by taking personal experiences, over the years, and putting them to music.”
Meanwhile, Just Brittany — who Ross admitted he favored during the show —hopped on Instagram on Sunday (January 24) and threw in her two cents on the topic.
“That’s me in the orange hair,” she captioned the post. “I’m happy this video is making its rounds and I want to say that colorism definitely plays a role in lighter skinned women, like myself, having more access in the industry. Kaiya is extremely talented and I wish darker women were seen more.”
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