Black Twitter Promoted by CNN for 'The Wiz Live' causing Black Twitter Eruption

In an effort to promote 'The Wiz Live' on NBC, CNN encouraged viewers to watch along with Black Twitter for the funniest, wittiest live tweets and commentary from the online Black community. This article was reposted and retweeted throughout Black Twitter and other sites like The Shade Room, causing eruption and steamy reactions from African American followers.

What is Black Twitter?

Black Twitter refers to the network of African American Twitter users, connected by shared experiences, who use this space to discuss issues that evolve into trending topics that impact the Black community. Do not be confused, Black Twitter is not a separate entity from Twitter, it is a community within the larger Twitter world. As reported by The Atlantic, what gives Black Twitter distinction is the "network's size, interconnectedness and unique activity." Black Twitter is often home to hilarious memes and hashtags like #thanksgivingwithBlackfamilies as well as powerful social justice movements like #BlackLivesMatter.

CNN + Black Twitter = Not Friends.

The reason Black Twitter erupted at CNN's promotion of The Wiz Live in this online space is not because they don't want their voices heard or they don't want "outsiders" in their community. They are offended because the general sentiment is that CNN treats Black Twitter like a science experiment.

One of Black Twitter's influentials, Chrissle (The Read) believes that CNN's coverage of Black Twitter functions in a watchdog capacity to give the network's majority White audience a goldfish-bowl peek at the souls of Black folk. See Chrissle's reaction to CNN's article on The Wiz below.

"the young negroes are going to be hilarious on the twitter machine tonight" pic.twitter.com/BFMkuYevX9

— crissle (@crissles) December 3, 2015

 The article was written by African American CNN correspondent, Lisa Respers France on the Entertainment Section of the site. France promotes The Wiz Live, a remake of 1978 Broadway musical that was adapted to film that starred Diana Ross and Michael Jackson.The controversy around this piece comes from her line "they will be the ones to watch for the memes, the hashtags and the like that will determine whether 'The Wiz Live' will be 'da bomb' or a bust. Members of Black Twitter and other predominantly Black online spaces like The Shade Room generated passionate responses around the painfully outdated slang term "the bomb."

You would think that since the article author is Black, she gets a pass to cover Black Twitter right? No. There is a rising level of tension between Black Twitter and CNN that stems from distrust and disdain for Don Lemons, an African American anchor after his "Does This Offend You? segment.

Don't miss The Wiz Live! Tonight. Better luck next time, CNN.

Whether you watch along with Black Twitter or not, The Wiz Live! is sure to be a phenomenal show starring Shanice Williams, Mary J Blige, Queen Latifah and Uzo Aduba just to name a few. Tune in tonight at 8pm on NBC. Check out the dynamic cast as they sing "Ease on Down the Road" in a NBC Digital Exclusive.