The ABC’s of Appropriating Black Culture
We have all been victims - and perpetrators - of cultural appropriation. While the first part of that sentence may be seen as being actual for many people who are BIPOC, the second part isn’t widely accepted. If we are to sit back and contemplate the society in which we live, the concept of democracy is Greek in nature. If we were to continue, the civic calendar that we utilize today is from Italy, more specifically Rome. To finish our exploration, the fact that you are reading this on a computer or cell phone is a testament to appropriating culture, as computers are Americans and cellphones are Canadian. See where I’m headed with this?
This summer saw people outraged with Justin Bieber’s feature on Wizkid’s “Essence”, claiming it to be negative and that the song didn’t need no other body. But if this is approved by Wizkid, who are we to judge?
The outrage culture that we currently live in likes to attack any slight indiscretion, not the major elements. Let’s take down the calendar and remake Washington D.C, as it is basically an ode to Greco-Roman art and culture. We should also take down every wannabe Chinese restaurant and stick to our own cultures. That would mean that the Afropop that “Essence” comes from wouldn’t be listened to by any person who isn’t Nigerian, as WizKid is Nigerian. No mingling. No globalization. If that thought scares you, then know that we’ve gone too far.
How does this all fit within the makeup of our fair Hip-Hop blog? Because Hip-Hop is the answer.
Hip-Hop has long had acts that performed the artform. Based on what some of them have done, one can see a pattern on how to be a part of the black culture but not take from it. To do that, we need to look at three specific acts and the way that they move within this very charged political landscape.
Eminem with longtime collaborator, Royce da 5’9.
If there is something that no one could ever say about Eminem is that he doesn’t appreciate the culture. Whenever Eminem talks about Hip-Hop and African-American culture, there is always a deep sense of reverence for the art form and the craft. Listen to his feature on Nas’s “EPMD 2”, off of King’s Disease II, where he says “I just pray for the day when I'm able to say that I'm placed with the greats / And my name's with the Kane's and the Wayne's, and the Jay's and the Dre's / And the Ye's, and the Drake's and the J Dilla's, Jada's, Cool J's / And the Ra's and amazin' as Nas is”. For someone to say such an extensive list in such an intricate way presents an appreciation for the culture. Hip-Hop was based on people of color and Eminem knows that. He also, indirectly, responds to Nas in the song, giving people their roses while they are still here to smell them. This remains a powerful first step when tapping into the Black culture.
Bestowing the honors to the people before you. We saw that with Eminem in the previous example, but let’s take it a step further. The people of that culture need to accept you. To stick with the Canadian crooner in Bieber, WizKid has to accept him on the track. We can assume that he did and helped him speak pidgin properly. In truth, we need to accept them as much as they want to accept us. As a black man, I understand that sharing elements like music and culture is powerful; it can lead to beautiful things. We all dance the "Macarena” and “Gangnam Style”. But this is too far? We should look at it as an opportunity for African culture to be seen around the world in a way that it has never been seen before. Take this opportunity and run with it.
Care might be the hardest of the three. If there is a reason to believe that Justin Bieber was actually a culture vulture, it would be because it would seem that he doesn’t care about the culture. An example of this is seen in 2017 when his remix of Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee’s “Despacito” held the world in a chokehold. In an impromptu concert, he couldn’t remember the words of his part and spouted some stupid rhetoric. That is not what the African and African-American community wants. In fact, we want the opposite. We ironically want people like Macklemore, who acknowledge their privilege and give back. You will see Macklemore protesting in the streets. You saw him protest the election of President Donald Trump in 2016 through “FDT 2” with G-Eazy and YG. Hell, he even has two songs called “White Privilege”. What else would we want? He cares for the culture that gave him a voice and a home for his family.
In truth, the reality of appropriating black culture will always be a touchy subject. The legacy of stars such as Elvis Presley has been ruined because he never acknowledged, bestowed, or cared for the people before him. Those who paved the way deserve their respect. Let’s not jump on things and people because it seems like it's our woke moment. Examine the moment in history and make a justifiable assessment before you start blasting your Twitter fingers.