Vibe Magazine recently released its cover art for an upcoming issue of the magazine and it has been stirring up controversy ever since. It features 4 reality TV stars, Kandi Burress, Tamar Braxton, Evelyn Lozada, and Chrissy Lampkin. In bold grey and pink letters the words “Meet Your New Role Models” stand out to highlight the feature article, and that is precisely where the controversy began.

Are they seriously telling young Black women to look up to these women as role models, or did they create the cover to stir up controversy and get people talking about Vibe Magazine. I hope it’s the latter, because the cover art has gone viral and Vibe is being talked about on social networks and blogs like never before. But if it wasn’t the latter then what merits does one have to achieve to be hoisted up to role model status. Let us examine these women’s merits shall we.

First off, I believe that Kandi should be the only one on the cover because she has years of independent success to back her up. From being a member of Xscape; to becoming an award winning song writer, boutique owner, radio show host, and being the owner of an exotic toy company, she has shown that she has what it takes to be successful and maintain that success. By those merits she should be a role model for Black girls and women alike. As for the rest of them, if Vibe believes they deserve to be role models, one must ask, what kind of drugs is the Editor In Chief on, seriously.

Evelyn was engaged to a basketball player who never married her; Continue reading →