‘Aspirational – and aggressive’: are black reality shows peddling a problematic narrative?

Platforms like Zeus have cornered the market for ‘explosive’ black reality TV, but their content can have wider implications for communities already plagued by stereotypesWhile reality television is a guilty pleasure for many, it is something I indulge in with un-ironic pride. Even so, there is a type of reality show I watch with a quiet shame, buried under my duvet as if scoffing ortolans. My favourites – black-led series such as Love & Hip Hop, Black Ink Crew and Bad Girl