Its based on skin colour .... Am mixed with black, white and middleeastern-arab ..... I look mixed race and usually get called mixed ... I dont care if someone calls me black or mixed etc.... But the general conception is if you look more 1 ov race then the other thats what folks view you as .... 1 ov my homies is mixed white n black but could easily pass as fulllyblack based on skin tone ... Another friend is mixed and looks more white as far as skin tone goes but has black facial features ..... Its alll about skin tone