In our music, in our everyday life, there are so many negative

When Jamie Foxx declared, “In our music, in our everyday life, there are so many negative things. Why not have something positive and stamp it with blackness?” he spoke with the voice of one who has seen both shadow and light, and who seeks to transform pain into beauty. His words are not merely about entertainment or melody; they are a call to reclaim identity and infuse it with positivity, so that what was once a source of burden becomes a source of pride. In them, he invites us to answer darkness with light, and to bind that light with the mark of cultural dignity.

The ancients would recognize this wisdom, for they too lived in times when negativity threatened to consume the soul. The prophets of Israel, exiled and despised, sang psalms of hope that carried their people through captivity. The griots of Africa, custodians of history and song, spoke to generations of courage and resilience even in the midst of struggle. Foxx echoes this same eternal truth: when surrounded by negative things, one must create art, story, and vision that speak not of despair but of resilience — and tie it boldly to one’s heritage.

History provides a shining example in the story of the Harlem Renaissance. In the face of racism, poverty, and segregation, Black artists, poets, and musicians chose to create works stamped with the richness of their culture. Their jazz, their verses, their paintings carried not only beauty but also blackness, asserting their humanity and their brilliance in a world that tried to silence them. They transformed oppression into creativity, proving that positivity becomes even more powerful when it rises from the depths of hardship.

Foxx’s words also carry a challenge to the modern world, where cynicism and despair often dominate music, media, and daily life. He asks, Why not answer differently? Why not celebrate joy, excellence, and strength in a way that uplifts and honors identity? To “stamp it with blackness” is not to confine it, but to consecrate it — to declare that positivity does not belong only to others, but that it flows richly from Black culture, Black artistry, and Black resilience. It is the reclamation of power in the face of history’s attempt to deny it.

At the heart of this teaching is transformation. Negativity is plentiful and easy; it spreads like wildfire in conversations, songs, and daily news. But to craft something positive, to sing of hope, to tell stories of pride and resilience — this is harder, and therefore greater. When Foxx calls us to stamp positivity with identity, he shows us how to turn wounds into symbols, and hardship into inspiration.

The lesson is clear: do not let negativity define the story of your life, your art, or your community. Choose instead to create with joy, to affirm dignity, to put a mark of pride on your work and your words. Just as the Harlem Renaissance showed the world the beauty of a culture, so too can each individual today stamp their lives with positivity tied to who they are. In doing so, they not only uplift themselves, but all who come after them.

In practice, this means being intentional in what you create and consume. If you make music, let it carry a message of strength. If you speak, let your words inspire. If you live, let your daily acts be stamped with identity and with hope. Do not deny the negativity of the world, but choose to respond with creation that points to life, dignity, and pride.

Therefore, let us carry Jamie Foxx’s wisdom: where there is much negativity, create positivity, and stamp it with blackness. In this way, you not only resist despair but redefine the story. You declare that heritage is not bound to sorrow, but to triumph, and that through art, culture, and life itself, the light of identity will shine for generations.