Malik Yoba made quite the announcement on social media that had some fans scratching their heads. Yoba’s bizarre online rant lead to some interesting reactions from people who both agreed and disagreed with the actor’s position, in addition to those who say he was simply being sarcastic.
In a video shared to his Instagram over the weekend, Yoba said, “I decided that I’m no longer a Black man. No longer a person of color. BIPOC. None of that s**t. What I am is a ‘non-white man.’ And I think we should all just start calling ourselves non-white. So they’re gonna have to figure it out and just say that s**t explicitly.”
He later continued, “No DEI, no BIPOC, no references to our blackness. So we just all walk around, ‘I’m not a Black man, I’m a non-white man.’ Call it what it is. I’m just non-white. Let them rebuke that. Let them refute it.”
Watch the entirety of Yoba’s video below:
Some people agreed with Yoba’s point, since it was clear to them that his remarks were made in jest.
@KingVictor501 commented, “Make sure yall watch the video before bashing. He is being sarcastic towards the new administration.
@EZBreezyT wrote, “I was ready to say something else until I listened to the video. He’s being sarcastic against the anti-DEI anti-”wokeness” of this current administration. This caption needs a bit more context before folks make assumptions (like I did) without listening.”
@LucaGuadagnegro added, “I was about to jump him until I heard the video and understood the valid point he is making.”
However, several people were disgusted with Yoba’s video, and made sure to let him know it.
@MsPWhitt1 commented, “All of America is in a mental health crisis.”
@Finalbossjimmy wrote, “Call yourself what you want but the system of white supremacy will still be here.”
@_Roofman2131gh said, “Black people just coming up with all sort of BS just to evade being identified as black, we the only confused race, you don’t hear of this from other races except the black race and it’s no coincidence.”
On Monday, March 24, Yoba took note of the blowback he received from the video, and wrote a lengthy response to those who disagreed with him on Instagram.
“The lack of nuance , critical thinking, assumptions , lack of research, misinterpretation, distractions, vilification etc will never take me off the path of doing God’s work for the liberation of our people,” he wrote.
Based on his personal “nutrition facts,” it seems that Yoba was attempting to be sarcastic. However, the point did not get across for everyone.