But the best hope is that some of this is going deeper, encouraging some real cross-cultural appreciation, using the melting pot to cook up a rich stew. Next time you buy the record, make a new friend or wear something inspired by the Motherland, just remember: black is for life, not just for the season.. So we're all black now, right? Only if you think being black is just about bling. "Everyone has a right to black culture but it's more than the music, the fashion and jewellery," protests Ruki Garba "That applies to people from our community as well. Hair extensions and killer nails round off the look with genuine dancehall queens wondering who taught the new girl all their moves.The Hip Hop HomiePatron saint: Vanilla Ice, unconvincing gangstaBaggy pants, doo-rag sitting proudly atop his head, pen constantly in hand to jot down the next rhymes to pop into his head, it's just a matter of time before he makes the big time in the music business. Nothing says struggle more than being forced to go to boarding school Talk about rough living And those are just the obvious examples.
One hopes it will last longer than it did for Ice, now reduced to being voted out of reality shows. Life on the mean streets of Cheltenham have prepared the new Hip Hop Homie for writing songs about life in the hood. A permanent member of the "You've been Tangoed" club, this collagen-enhanced sweetie has perfected her "winning" dance routine to the latest beats (complete with matching boyfriend). Now he's down with a crew in Shoreditch (but not Hackney, too dangerous, even if he did "prove" his street cred by being hurt in a drive-by shooting in what was thought to be a turf war between rival gangs.)The Glamma PussPatron saint: Jordan, glamour modelBlonde and busty though she may be, the Glamma Puss works her ample backside for all it's worth. Everything about our jive-talking homie comes cloaked in the latest "street talk". A fan of old Al Pacino flicks (which gangster can't quote Scarface?), this Wangsta from the dangerous hood of Devon had already decided if he would be a Blood or a Crip by age 16. These self-appointed members of the black community immerse themselves in the culture to show that their involvement is the real deal.
It's not just an act of rebellion towards their snooty parents.The WangstaPatron saint: Tim Westwood, Radio 1 DJWannabe gangsta with an attitude pinched straight outta MTV's Pimp My Ride. Always going the extra mile to prove just how "down with the cause" they are. Today it's dashiki prints or Rastafarian-inspired clothes trimmed in red, green and gold, but last year it was Japanese kimono tops and the year before that the bindi. The globe is her sampling shop; as soon as a region goes out of style, so does its people.The TokenPatron saint: Victoria Aitken, socialite turned rapperThe Token is often the loudest in a group consisting of entirely black friends.
Wearing enough diamonds to light up the night sky, the Beckham type sees no shame adopting one of the worst traits of the bona fide rap star - conspicuous consumption. With the Beckham, there is no such thing as "too much".The Ethnista Patron saint: Stella McCartney, fashion designerThe fashionista starts out appreciating new trends, but quickly settles for trying to outdo her friends with exotic, ethnic garb The more far-flung the region the better. There is always the lovely family home in Hampstead to go back to, but he's storing up experiences for the dull days ahead on the trading floor. You didn't really think he was going to keep his dreads for ever did you? The kids will never get into a good school if daddy looks as though he had just walked off a beach in St Lucia.The BeckhamNeed we say more?His appreciation for black culture runs deep, but naming your pets after rap star Snoop and music mogul Puffy is trying too hard.