Embrace Your Nepotism—It’s Not a Sin

By Maya Mackey

Willow Smith, who just released an incredible alt-blues/jazz album might I add, is the latest Nepo baby to defy that term. In case you need the breakdown,  nepo is the abbreviated form of nepotism.

Many adult children of celebrities and socialites, including Kendall Jenner, Dakota Johnson and Jamie Lee Curtis, have scoffed at that term or downplayed its significance in their success. And Willow has now joined the bunch, exclaiming that “I definitely think that a little bit of my insecurity has driven me harder because people do think that the only reason I’m successful is because of my parents.  That has driven me to work really hard to try to prove them wrong. But nowadays, I don’t need to prove s— to anybody.’

Willlow also explains she has tension with the idea of nepotism being a thing for her because she’s still a Black woman.

Now, I agree with Willow that she is incredibly talented and her talent is going to take her far, regardless of who her parents are. However, using Blackness as a reason nepotism can’t be true for you is a weird logic bend. Two things are often true at once. Being Black and successful doesn’t trump being white in America. We only have to look at Willow’s father for that evidence to be true (Will Smith has been banned from the Oscars for ten years, following his assault against Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars.) However, Willow was granted opportunities that “regular” Black folks could not have fathomed without the financial and social resources that her parents could afford her. Both of these things are true and can be acknowledged.

In a similar vain, Malia Obama has dropped her last name professionally as she begins to build a writing career in Los Angeles. An odd choice considering that she is a highly recognizable face and name. There is nobody who doesn’t know who her parents are – so why attempt to hide it? The same went for John David Washington, Denzel’s son. I can understand the undeserved guilt of nepo babies and perhaps the annoyance of people judging them for something they cannot control.  But I’d like us all to move past it.

I think most people, whatever race they are, can agree that if they had the money and connections to give their child an advantage in creating success, they’d do it in a heartbeat. That’s altruistic and altruism is nothing to be ashamed of.

So to all Nepo babies, Black or not, please let the offense go. Yes, there will be people who envy you as they should. But envy is not hate and it’s also not personal. Life is unfair and you’ve been given an unfair advantage. That isn’t your fault, and it doesn’t make you a bad person. But you look and sound like a jackass when you whine about the judgment. Remember, two things can be true at once. You can be talented and you did not have to struggle nearly as much as someone who is “self-made” and built a career without any pre-determined connects.

Just acknowledge your privilege and I guarantee more people will respect your hustle because you were humble enough to admit a lot of things were handed to you. I say this with love as some of my favorite nepo babies are the ones who are unapologetic about it (shout out to Tracee Ellis Ross and Blue Ivy Carter).