TGIF Feature: Jeezy-Jeannie Mai-Brenda Song: Trying to straighten out a real mess

WARNING: Language in some tweets may be offensive to some.

Social media was all abuzz that the rumors of rapper Jeezy's and TV host Jeannie Mai;s relationship was something more than just being friends. Their Instagram confirmation then took a life of its own as fans debated the topics of "inter-racial dating" and the 'All-Asians-ook-alike."

Sucked into the storm of controversy was Brenda Song, actress and Disney alum.

First, let's set the stage:

FROM the HotNewsHipHop website:

It's 2019 guys... interracial relationships are a thing and there's literally nothing wrong with them so, can we all just stop talking shit on somebody who chooses to date outside of their race? For some reason, Jeezy is getting bashed online by some people who are unhappy with his choice in women. This week, he went Instagram official with his girlfriend Jeannie Mai, one of the hosts of The Real, and fans of the couple were seen all over the comments section posting heart emojis and congratulating the bunch on getting together. There were a few negative comments mixed in though and it was enough for Jeezy to earn the scorn of Twitter.

The veteran rapper Jeezy appears to be happy with his new girlfriend, who happens to be of Vietnamese and Chinese descent. Some of Jeezy's fans were unhappy that the rapper is shacking up with her, disrespectfully telling him to not date outside of his race. People are bringing up the hypocrisy in this situation though, noting that Cassie's relationship with Alex Fine, a white man, has been embraced but when Jeezy decides to date an Asian woman, all hell breaks loose. Something ain't right there.

Jeezy got some critical feedback from fans who expressed their disapproval of a black man dating outside of his race. But that critique got some fast responses. 

Then it got more interesting when critics fell for that old trope and began mistaking actress Brenda Song with Jeannie because, you know, Asians all look alike, right?

As the clip shows, Jeannie is no stranger to controversy when interracial dating is concerned. She was married to a white man for 10 years before her 2017 divorce.

But since Jeezy and Jeannie made their relationship Instagram official, a clip has resurfaced from a (2014) episode of “The Real,” in which Mai made a comment about dating Black men that made social media users uneasy. She said:

“I loved Black guys! I did, I did. But for me, dark meat on the side. White keeps me mean and lean, you know? That’s why I married white. That’s what I like.”

Later, a "clarification" only made things messier:

“What I’m saying is I really do think Black men are attractive!…when I think about men, I like dark men. I used to date Black men. I think they’re attractive. But when I decided to stick to – because it just kept me happiest – was my man Freddy, who just happens to be White.”

Meanwhile, Brenda Song's fans were coming to the defense of their idol. 

Are you still with us? Got that straight?

This whole kerfuffle -- Jeezy, Jeannie Mai, Brenda Song -- might seem frivolous but it is just the tip of the iceberg of topics that deserves some serious discussion, especially when one race starts dumping on another race. That interracial racism among blacks and Asians  rarely gets aired but it is something that needs to be addressed as we espouse solidarity with each other against real oppression.

The whole Jeezy-Jeannie Mai-Brenda Song thing, can get so confusing sometimes ... that's why we try to steer away from the  world of who's-dating-who. However, for us non-celebrities, we have to live with those issues in real-life ... and that can be equally confusing.

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