White Artists Accused Of Cultural Appropriation

As popular and successful as some of the artists are on this list are, they have been criticized for or are often accused of stealing black culture. But do you see it? Check out the following celebs and let us know what you think about accusations that they’re trying too hard to be something they’re not: black.

JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE

This former member of ‘NSYNC has never  been discreet about his affinity for black style and black sounds! But some have accused him in the past of appropriation. Do you agree? Wendy Williams said he gets away with it because he doesn’t try as hard as others. He comes off more genuine:

“I think black people gave Justin Timberlake a pass because Justin Timberlake wasn’t trying so hard. It was just the soulful way that he was. It wasn’t like an affectation of silliness.”

IGGY AZALEA

Maybe it’s a coincidence that Iggy Azalea is dating a black basketball player and is being mentored by a black hip hop artist who put Iggy’s career on the map. But people say she’s trying hard to be something she she’s not. Including fellow female MC, Rah Digga:

“Teach me Australian Hip Hop culture. Don’t come to America and try to convince me that you’re Gangsta Boo. She’s a beautiful girl. Capitalize off of the supermodeling thing! But we’re not going to believe you if you’re trying to convince us that you’re out here trap shooting.”

EMINEM

We might get a bit of heat for including hip-hop icon Eminem on this list, especially since he’s developed a sound all his own that is appreciated by most hip-hop fans, but some still aren’t sold on the rapper after all this time.

JUSTIN BIEBER

Justin Bieber sure has come a long way from his early days. When he’s not getting into trouble, Bieber can be seen hanging with his fellow industry buddies knocking back a few drinks from a double styrofoam cup! When speaking on criticism that he’s trying to be black, he had this to say to The Hollywood Reporter:

“I’m very influenced by black culture, but I don’t think of it as black or white. It’s not me trying to act or pose in a certain way. It’s a lifestyle—like a suaveness or a swag, per se. But I don’t really like to say the word [‘swag’] anymore. It’s kind of played out.’”

MILEY CYRUS

They say you should believe half of what you see and none of what you hear and when it comes to Miley, we can agree on that. Some folks will have you thinking that Miley put twerking on the map but the rest of us really know better! But she told Rolling Stone that she’s not trying to steal anybody’s culture:

“I’m from one of the wealthiest counties in America. I know what I am. But I also know what I like to listen to. Look at any 20-year-old white girl right now—that’s what they’re listening to at the club. It’s 2013. The gays are getting married, we’re all collaborating. I would never think about the color of my dancers, like, ‘Ooh, that might be controversial.'”

THE KARDASHIANS

This family is known for keeping an active roster of rappers, athletes and other industry insiders by their side who all just happen to be black. Coincidence? Khloe Kardashian told Ebony that when she was younger, people used to accuse her of trying to be black because all of her friends were either black or biracial.

“A lot of my friends are Black and I used to get … (people calling me) ‘an N-lover.’ People would write on my locker and … they’d call me the white devil. I used to have five girls that I used to all run with, and all of them were either bi-racial or Black and then there was me. I’m Armenian, but I’m very fair and I look white … (and) I would always get such hate about it. Black people (would say) ‘you know you’re never gonna be Black,’ and people would always tell me stuff like that. I don’t think because I hang out with enough Black people, I’m gonna turn Black. What kind of rationalization is that? I’m just friends with people that I like. I don’t care what skin color you are.”

KATY PERRY

We understand she likes to keep audiences guessing, but she’s been criticized for mocking black culture more than once, and has even been called the ‘Queen of Cultural Appropriation.” But she doesn’t see it that way.

“I guess I’ll just stick to baseball and hot dogs, and that’s it. I know that’s a quote that’s gonna come to f**k me in the a**, but can’t you appreciate a culture? I guess, like, everybody has to stay in their lane? I don’t know.”

MACKLEMORE

Some of us might still be a little hot about the fact that Macklemore robbed Kendrick Lamar of a Grammy not that long ago, but many people don’t know what to think of him or his rap music. But he acknowledges that a lot of his success has to do with his skin color:

“If you’re going to be a white dude and do this sh*t, I think you have to take some level of accountability. You have to acknowledge where the art came from, where it is today, how you’re benefiting from it. At the very least, just bringing up those points and acknowledging that, yes, I understand my privilege, I understand how it works for me in society, and how it works for me in 2013 with the success that The Heist has had.”

ROBIN THICKE

This newly single crooner has been known for having a large black audience, but does that necessarily mean he’s trying to be black? We’re not so sure of that, but the family of Marvin Gaye definitely thinks he’s not just stealing black sounds, but specifically, they think he copied Gaye’s “Got To Give It Up” for “Blurred Lines.”

MADONNA

The Material Girl was in over her head when she thought it was okay to use the N-word as a term of endearment for her son. And she’s still proudly out here wearing grills like they just came out. The icon has actually been accused of appropriating a variety of cultures throughout her storied career, including gay culture (through voguing) and Latino culture. What do you think?

VANILLA ICE

We had to include some old-school flavor in this list and one of the first artists who came to mind was Vanilla Ice. His name was VANILLA ice for goodness sake! According to Mother Jones, he admitted to trying to be black for a check:

Vanilla Ice, for instance, lied about growing up in Miami’s inner city and confesses…that he got offered millions to wear “certain” clothes, dance “certain” ways, and to be a “novelty act.

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MACHINE GUN KELLY

He’s tatted up and swagged out all to the beat of his own drum. Or is he? The Bad Boy rapper grew up going to a predominately black school where he cultivated his talents, so that most likely has a lot to do with his style and music, but what do you think?

Kreayshawn

With a rap name like Kreayshawn when your name is actually Natassia, I think we can all agree that this female rapper was not trying to be authentic. At least, fans felt that way: Her debut album, Somethin ‘Bout Kreay only sold 3,900 copies in its first week of release.

https://instagram.com/p/vPEiVQGBaP/

PAUL WALL

We have to take it easy on the Houston-based rapper since we think his style and music comes naturally, but not everyone agrees. Here’s what Wall told AllHipHop about blending in well with black folks because of his upbringing in Houston:

“There’s bigotry and there’s a little hatred and racism but you especially see it from the older people who come from older generations, but we live in the MTV generation where race isn’t an issue. If you make it an issue, then it’s an issue. But it’s not an issue, especially in Houston. I see it more up North and in the East, and even in the West where there’s a lot of separatism and a lot of division and there’s a divide amongst the races but you don’t see that in Houston. We’re American. We respect you for who you are or whatever you are we respect that but above and beyond all other things we’re human.”