--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: 'Top Boy,' for some people, was very…" description: "\"'Top Boy,' for some people, was very controversial because it seemed to be portraying black people in a certain light that they thought to be stereotyp..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3a/clare-hope-ashitey-23337_black-people_top-boy-for-some-people-was-very-controv_2103797.jpg" --- # 'Top Boy,' for some people, was very controversial because… ![“'Top Boy,' for some people, was very controversial because it seemed to be portraying black people in a certain light that they thought to be stereotypical. However, what I would say is that the writer went and lived in Hackney in East London for a long time and did his research really well.” quote by Clare-Hope Ashitey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3a/clare-hope-ashitey-23337_black-people_top-boy-for-some-people-was-very-controv_2103797.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3a/clare-hope-ashitey-23337_black-people_top-boy-for-some-people-was-very-controv_2103797.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3a/clare-hope-ashitey-23337_black-people_top-boy-for-some-people-was-very-controv_2103797.jpg) > “'Top Boy,' for some people, was very controversial because it seemed to be portraying black people in a certain light that they thought to be stereotypical. However, what I would say is that the writer went and lived in Hackney in East London for a long time and did his research really well.” [Clare-Hope Ashitey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clare-hope-ashitey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The series sparked debate over its portrayal of Black communities, yet its creator’s deep immersion in Hackney lends authenticity to the narrative. **In simple terms:** Controversial but authentic depiction of a community. Key Takeaway Recognize nuance beyond stereotypes. Themes representation authenticity media criticism culture stereotypes Mood thoughtful critical reflective Type analytical commentary When to use this quote - Urban storytelling - community dialogue - media analysis Key Concepts Sociology media studies ethnography Questions to Reflect On - How does lived experience shape media representation? - Can authenticity outweigh stereotypical portrayals? A Different Perspective Authenticity may not fully counteract harmful stereotypes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Black people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-people/) [Controversial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/controversial/) [East london](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/east-london/) [Hackney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hackney/) [Light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/light/) [London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/london/) [Research](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/research/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [I was an only child. Both my parents came from working-class families in Hackney, east London.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-robinson/i-was-an-only-child-both-my-parents-came-from-working-class-families/) [Tony Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-robinson/) > [The British are so funny. It's like they can't believe I lived in Hackney. 'You could live in Bondi Beach. Why would you want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-byrne/the-british-are-so-funny-it-s-like-they-can-t-believe-i-lived-in/) [Rose Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-byrne/) > [If people find that controversial then I would just refer them to the Sermon on the Mount.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/if-people-find-that-controversial-then-i-would-just-refer-them-to-the/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I have to tell you, a few people had very controversial feelings about what I was doing with Gucci at the beginning, and now,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frida-giannini/i-have-to-tell-you-a-few-people-had-very-controversial-feelings-about/) [Frida Giannini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frida-giannini/) > [That's the heart of it: My shows were not that controversial with the American people. They were controversial with the people who think for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-lear/that-s-the-heart-of-it-my-shows-were-not-that-controversial-with-the/) [Norman Lear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-lear/) > [People have an interest in the controversial.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy-jr/people-have-an-interest-in-the-controversial/) [John F. Kennedy Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy-jr/) > [A man must serve his time to every trade, Save censure-critics all are ready made. Take hackney'd jokes from Miller, got by rote With…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-byron/a-man-must-serve-his-time-to-every-trade-save-censure-critics-all-are/) [Lord Byron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-byron/) > [“Londoners have intense loyalties to the areas from which they come. Those born in Croydon will argue that theirs is a borough with access…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-griffin/londoners-have-intense-loyalties-to-the-areas-from-which-they-come/) [Kate Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-griffin/) > [I used to think of Hackney in a really good light, now it's too much linked to slavery, too much. And then you're a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-blades/i-used-to-think-of-hackney-in-a-really-good-light-now-it-s-too-much/) [Jay Blades](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-blades/) > [The great thing about London is the little pockets of culture, like Hackney, which has its panto and its great community. Of course there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-rowe/the-great-thing-about-london-is-the-little-pockets-of-culture-like/) [Clive Rowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-rowe/) > [The stage I chose--a subject fair and free-- 'Tis yours--'tis mine--'tis public property. All common exhibitions open lie, For praise or censure, to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-churchill/the-stage-i-chose-a-subject-fair-and-free-tis-yours-tis-mine-tis/) [Charles Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-churchill/) > [My mum, Jennie Buckman, was a north London Jew who, with my dad, proudly chose to raise me and my two brothers in Hackney.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-buckman/my-mum-jennie-buckman-was-a-north-london-jew-who-with-my-dad-proudly/) [Zoe Buckman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-buckman/) > [This London City, with all of its houses, palaces, steam-engines, cathedrals, and huge immeasurable traffic an tumult, what is it but a Thought, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/this-london-city-with-all-of-its-houses-palaces-steam-engines/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [To go upon the Franciscans Hackney (i.e. on foot).](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/to-go-upon-the-franciscans-hackney-i-e-on-foot/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) > [Hackney gets a bit of a bad rap, but it's the only place I've ever lived that felt like a community. I know my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-horgan/hackney-gets-a-bit-of-a-bad-rap-but-it-s-the-only-place-i-ve-ever/) [Sharon Horgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-horgan/) ## More by Clare-Hope Ashitey > [Sadly, I think that 'Children of Men' has only become an increasingly relevant and realistic portrait of where we are in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clare-hope-ashitey/sadly-i-think-that-children-of-men-has-only-become-an-increasingly/) [Clare-Hope Ashitey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clare-hope-ashitey/) > [I can't imagine how hard it must be to invest in a community... when you don't feel heard and when you don't feel seen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clare-hope-ashitey/i-can-t-imagine-how-hard-it-must-be-to-invest-in-a-community-when-you/) [Clare-Hope Ashitey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clare-hope-ashitey/) > [I'm very instinctive when I choose my roles, and usually, the number one thing has to be the director.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clare-hope-ashitey/i-m-very-instinctive-when-i-choose-my-roles-and-usually-the-number/) [Clare-Hope Ashitey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clare-hope-ashitey/) > [Try to understand that behind every headline, there are individuals, families, and communities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clare-hope-ashitey/try-to-understand-that-behind-every-headline-there-are-individuals/) [Clare-Hope Ashitey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clare-hope-ashitey/) > [With so much racial tension and issues between the police and black and minority ethnic groups, there needs to be more in-depth conversations if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clare-hope-ashitey/with-so-much-racial-tension-and-issues-between-the-police-and-black/) [Clare-Hope Ashitey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clare-hope-ashitey/) > [Between Trump's election and Brexit, there were all sorts of opinions coming out of the woodwork that I thought had died out a long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clare-hope-ashitey/between-trump-s-election-and-brexit-there-were-all-sorts-of-opinions/) [Clare-Hope Ashitey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clare-hope-ashitey/) > [Scripts specify 'minority' when it doesn't seem necessary. Given this is a traditionally liberal and progressive industry, it's surprisingly backwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clare-hope-ashitey/scripts-specify-minority-when-it-doesn-t-seem-necessary-given-this-is/) [Clare-Hope Ashitey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clare-hope-ashitey/) > [You look around, and you think, 'Given the chance, if we can get away with it, people are going to be nasty to each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clare-hope-ashitey/you-look-around-and-you-think-given-the-chance-if-we-can-get-away/) [Clare-Hope Ashitey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clare-hope-ashitey/) > [From the smallest misdemeanor up to the biggest crime, everyone is brought before a judge. And that means there's a huge backlog in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clare-hope-ashitey/from-the-smallest-misdemeanor-up-to-the-biggest-crime-everyone-is/) [Clare-Hope Ashitey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clare-hope-ashitey/) > [It's not so important to me where I work. A lot of good writers and directors and actors come out of Hollywood, so obviously…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clare-hope-ashitey/it-s-not-so-important-to-me-where-i-work-a-lot-of-good-writers-and/) [Clare-Hope Ashitey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clare-hope-ashitey/) > [If you are watching a fairy tale, that's why you go to fairy tales: you want these uncomplicated stories and uncomplicated characters. But if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clare-hope-ashitey/if-you-are-watching-a-fairy-tale-that-s-why-you-go-to-fairy-tales-you/) [Clare-Hope Ashitey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clare-hope-ashitey/) > [I think we've all done things that are a detriment to ourselves, and we've all made good choices that have brought good things for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clare-hope-ashitey/i-think-we-ve-all-done-things-that-are-a-detriment-to-ourselves-and/) [Clare-Hope Ashitey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clare-hope-ashitey/) > [You meet people, and you're like, 'I don't know how I feel about you,' and someone does something surprising that changes your mind. We're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clare-hope-ashitey/you-meet-people-and-you-re-like-i-don-t-know-how-i-feel-about-you-and/) [Clare-Hope Ashitey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clare-hope-ashitey/) > [I went downtown to the courthouse pretty late at night, and arraignment court was on. You have these prosecutors and public defenders and judges…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clare-hope-ashitey/i-went-downtown-to-the-courthouse-pretty-late-at-night-and/) [Clare-Hope Ashitey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clare-hope-ashitey/) > [I think people have always had ambiguous relationships toward the police because of the position in society they occupy. But that anxiety and that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clare-hope-ashitey/i-think-people-have-always-had-ambiguous-relationships-toward-the/) [Clare-Hope Ashitey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clare-hope-ashitey/) [Explore all 26 Clare-Hope Ashitey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clare-hope-ashitey/) ## More Black people quotes > [I wanted to write about voodoo tradition that I feel has been very important to survival of black people here: people of the African…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesmyn-ward/i-wanted-to-write-about-voodoo-tradition-that-i-feel-has-been-very/) [Jesmyn Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesmyn-ward/) > [“In any case, white people, who had robbed black people of their liberty and who profited by this theft every hour that they lived,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-baldwin/in-any-case-white-people-who-had-robbed-black-people-of-their-liberty/) [James Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-baldwin/) > [We have to build our own power. We have to win every single political office we can, where we have a majority of black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-lou-hamer/we-have-to-build-our-own-power-we-have-to-win-every-single-political/) [Fannie Lou Hamer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-lou-hamer/) > [Hollywood is so fixated on keeping it that way because it's generating the buzz, but that representation isn't right. I definitely feel like it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyega/hollywood-is-so-fixated-on-keeping-it-that-way-because-it-s/) [John Boyega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyega/) > [Black Privilege is a concrete motive that black people benefit from, such as racism but racism on whites. Black people don't know it but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/black-privilege-is-a-concrete-motive-that-black-people-benefit-from/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Acknowledging that my skin was, in fact, Cocoa as it is, would have destroyed their narrative about who I really was. Therefore they had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitta-xinindlu/acknowledging-that-my-skin-was-in-fact-cocoa-as-it-is-would-have/) [Mitta Xinindlu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitta-xinindlu/) > [Well of course there's been a great deal of progress over the last 40 years. We don't have laws that segregate black people within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-davis/well-of-course-there-s-been-a-great-deal-of-progress-over-the-last-40/) [Angela Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-davis/) > [Adam Clayton Powell's entire political career has to be looked at in the entire context of the American history and the history of, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/adam-clayton-powell-s-entire-political-career-has-to-be-looked-at-in/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [What would America be like if we loved black people as much as we loved black culture?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amandla-stenberg/what-would-america-be-like-if-we-loved-black-people-as-much-as-we/) [Amandla Stenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amandla-stenberg/) > [“Any ministry to black people which is not designed to effect their empowerment is designed to perpetuate their enslavement.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/any-ministry-to-black-people-which-is-not-designed-to-effect-their/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [All black people who are even minimally conscious, black people who have ever experienced Europe's technological power crusading in the vanguard of a civilizing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-nkosi/all-black-people-who-are-even-minimally-conscious-black-people-who/) [Lewis Nkosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-nkosi/) > [Even during my youth, I can recall very few black people living on any kind of public assistance. People were working, doing some kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-smith/even-during-my-youth-i-can-recall-very-few-black-people-living-on-any/) [Ed Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-smith/) > [There is no one American beauty or just one beautiful color in the pantheon, especially in regards to black people - there is no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/latanya-richardson/there-is-no-one-american-beauty-or-just-one-beautiful-color-in-the/) [LaTanya Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/latanya-richardson/) > [Saying women aren't funny is now like saying Asians can't drive or saying black people have bad credit. It's just really, like, so obsolete.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitney-cummings/saying-women-aren-t-funny-is-now-like-saying-asians-can-t-drive-or/) [Whitney Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitney-cummings/) > [It's so Canada. On some level, you laugh, but on another level, it's just depressing. We pride ourselves: We're not like the bad old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/constance-backhouse/it-s-so-canada-on-some-level-you-laugh-but-on-another-level-it-s-just/) [Constance Backhouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/constance-backhouse/) [Browse all 1,587 Black people quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-people/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "'Top Boy,' for some people, was very controversial because it seemed to be portraying black people in a certain light that they thought to be stereotypical. 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