Willow Smith Whips Up a Movement Despite Negativity

By J9 of J9's MusicLife

Willow Smith, 10-year-old daughter of Will and Jada Smith, has turned into an overnight star due to her popular debut single, "Whip Your Hair."  Before even knowing who's kid she was, Jay-Z listened to her song and loved it.  Eventually, he signed Willow to his label, Roc Nation. 

For those who remember, Willow is like the Raven-Symone of today.  In 1993, Raven came out with her first single "That's What Little Girls Are Made of" when she was only 8 years-old.  Click here to see the video.

In the mist of Willow's debut success, many have already started to shed a bad light on her.  It started before her single dropped, when she shaved the sides of her head.  Some felt she was too young for this type of hairstyle and frowned upon Will and Jada for condoning it.

If I had a girl, I probably wouldn't allow her to shave her head.  But seriously, what's the harm?  Recently, many people were allowing their little boys to wear a shaved Mohawk style.  What makes Willow so different?  Is it because she's a girl?

On May 14, 2010, the whole Smith family was on Oprah and Willow's hairstyle was discussed.  She and Jada explained that "her beauty didn't depend on her hair."  Willow wanted to be free and not worry about her hair when she participated in activities like swimming.

I think for a young, black girl to feel that her hair isn't a big deal, shows confidence.  Such an outlook is rare, especially in the black community when even older women are obsessed with their hair.  If anything, Willow is a young role model for little girls out there teaching them to be proud of not only their hair but who they are in general.

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If this doesn't make you want to whip your hair, nothing will: Willow Smith meets Sesame Street in electric new viral

Surely it wasn't that long ago that Willow Smith was watching Sesame Street herself.

Now her first single has been given a Sesame Street makeover - and the result has been electric.

A YouTube mash-up of nine-year-old Willow's 'Whip My Hair' has been set to footage of a Sesame Street skit entitled 'I Love My Hair'.

Two days on, the mash-up has gone viral - catapulting young Willow's first song into the stratosphere and taking the internet by storm.

The video also represents another viral success for Sesame Street after its clever parody of the infamous Old Spice man commercials - starring Grover. The original 'I Love My Hair' skit features a muppet singing about all the different ways she can wear her hair.

The message was meant to be a boost for young girls with African-American hair - an affirmation that their natural hair is beautiful and that they do not need long, straight hair to feel proud. The original has been viewed nearly 300,000 times on YouTube in the five days since it was posted there. Thousands of comments on the video were praising Sesame Street for the message.

But then Willow Smith released just a few lines from her new single 'Whip My Hair'.

Will and Jada's Daughter Whips her HAIR for THE KIDZ

Can you say a very talented family!!!! New Willow Smith is turning it from coast to coast with her hot new jam that has everyone throwing their necks and hair from side to side. I was in my office pretending like I was on vacation when my new assistant told me that Will and Jada Pinkett Smith's daughter had a hot new sound... When I heard the tune my jaw and body dropped as I got it jumping in my office... You listen and tell me what you think!!!! Whip that hair back and forth for 2010!!!

Willow Smith, nine-year old daughter of mega-star Will Smith, and sister of Jaden Smith, star of this summer's smash hit 'The Karate Kid,' finally steps out on her own with 'Whip My Hair,' the first single from her forthcoming debut album.

The song wastes no time getting up to warp speed, with big keyboard washes and a busy, propulsive beat occasionally being interrupted by a very cool effect that sounds like a futuristic dance robot cranking into life.

Predominantly, though, the focus is on the nearly constant, insistent repetition of the song's call to action: "I whip my hair back and forth / I whip my hair back and forth / I whip my hair back and forth."

They say children have a wisdom that we lose as we get older, and seeing as how she's a girl who has no doubt seen much of this world thanks to her jet-setting parents, perhaps everyone should heed Willow's universal message: "All my ladies if you feel it go on and do it / Do it with your hair / Don't matter if it's long, short / Do it do it with your hair / Whip your hair."

Willow recently announced that she will be releasing her so-far untitled album on Jay-Z's new Roc Nation label. A release date has not been set, but that just leaves us all more time to grow our hair out and crank up 'Whip My Hair' over on AOL Radio's New Pop First station.