ABSTRACT
Something ironic happened on the way to black revolution: it became the leading edge of U.S.-based global capitalism.1 The stylish opposition of black athletes and performing artists has become, arguably, the best asset of U.S.-based product commodifi cation. Black style2 attracts consumer attention around the world: advertisers thrive on images of youthful oppositional young men, many of whom are African American. The presence of these advertising icons changes the nature of politics as black style confi gures political commentary on both sides of the Atlantic and indeed around the world. This chapter explores how this surprising situation came about, while also offering refl ections on the consequences and possibilities for cultural politics on a global scale.
