Kehinde Wiley Sets Us Back by Crowning Kevin Hart for Reasons That Remain Unknown

Kehinde Wiley & Kevin Hart via @kehindewiley on Instagram

Kehinde Wiley is well-known for his extravagant pieces depicting Black subjects adorned with a regal essence. The portraits serve to uplift the overall representation of the Black diaspora, which Western media has spent centuries trying to denigrate. One of his most famous works, a portrait of US President Barack Obama, can normally be found within the capitol’s National Portrait Gallery. It can also be found pinned to the top of his Instagram profile, right next to another photo of the artist standing with comedian Kevin Hart. Behind them rests an original painting, a depiction of Kevin Hart, with all of the bells and whistles which unmistakably mark the work of Kehinde Wiley.

My question is, why Kevin and why now? I can only imagine that production of this painting began before the Kevin Hart roast aired on Netflix on May 10th, 2026. This roast, which I have only seen brief clips of, would have been struck for hate speech just two years ago. The event featured comedians from the Caucus Mountains making “jokes” about George Floyd, lynching, and chattel slavery. Personally, I was not amused, but whenever the cameras cut to Kevin, he was blushing like a schoolgirl. Not only was he amused, but he never publicly called out the racist atmosphere of the event.

This is nothing new, Kevin has always been a court jester for the Caucasian audience. His form of comedy is the equivalent of creating art strictly for the “white gaze”. It’s why his jokes don’t appeal to the same audiences as a Katt Williams, or Dave Chappelle. However, his recent Netflix show reveals an evolution from mere undertones to full, hood-off racism. The advent of Trump’s second term has emboldened racists everywhere. I will give Kehinde Wiley the benefit of the doubt and assume that this painting’s production was in motion long before the Netflix 𝚕̶𝚢̶𝚗̶𝚌̶𝚑̶𝚒̶𝚗̶𝚐̶ roast of Kevin Hart was released. Prior to the Netflix special, Kevin’s form of comedy was…tolerable. However, he has now given racists not only the platform, but the excuse to make degenerate remarks about the Black diaspora and verbally accost God’s people.

My concern is not with the Caucasian, who has for centuries maintained a perpetual hatred of God’s people as if it were innate. They claim “superiority” while psych-evals reveal they act out of feeling of immense inferiority. Rather, my loathing is directed towards supposed allies who align themselves across enemy lines whenever it matters most. I find this to be unacceptable. Kevin Hart is an example of why we should never expect someone to standup when they spend their entire life laying down. He accommodates white supremacy, never challenges.

With all of that said, I find only two issues wrong with this painting. One being that Kevin is depicted holding a royal sceptre of sorts. This is something that has historically denoted power and authority. I don’t need to elaborate further as to why this does not belong in the hands of the Caucasian’s famous court jester. And the second is like the first albeit slightly more egregious, the gold crown. The crown is a motif that artists have used to attribute meanings of regalness, sovereignty, and victory. To wear a crown is to be a king. There is a litany of attributes, kingly qualities, I can list which will never apply to Kevin Hart. A king may play the role of a fool for a season, like David did while in the land of the Philistines, but when the time comes, he preserves his nobility. A king does not bend the knee, but Kevin has the spine of an amoeba. A king has righteous pride in himself and his people, but Kevin’s dignity is for sale.

Had this image been made sans the sceptre and crown, I would have taken little issue with it. Kevin has a right to have a portrait made of himself, as does anyone else. Yet motifs like the crown and sceptre lose their meaning when they are attributed to those who are unworthy. At that point they become mere props. It cheapens their value and impact in previous and future works by the artist. Kehinde Wiley is undoubtedly one of the most important artists of our generation. Where Wiley’s earlier portraits confronted history and uplifted the Black image, there is irony in this piece because Hart is someone who gives Caucasians a voice to put Black people down at the highest level in media.

If you’re interested in the intersection of history, art, identity, and representation, my new ebook, *Saints & Icons: Black History Across the Ages*, explores these themes through original artwork and historical imagery. Spanning centuries of history, the book examines forgotten figures, contested narratives, and the visual traditions that have shaped our understanding of the past. Available now at SaintAndIcon.com.