Cultural appropriation mars many artists’ reputations

After a recent Saturday Night Live performance found Katy Perry somewhat awkwardly “dabbing†and dancing next to rap group Migos, the internet had a field day. 

Huffington Post writer Zeba Blay described it as “a perfect metaphor not only for this messy new era of the pop star’s career, but for the absurdity of white artists appropriating black culture at large for a buck.â€

Amidst these allegations of “cultural appropriation,†Perry sat down and spoke with Deray McKesson, the host of “Pod Save the People.†Perry acknowledged her appropriation of multiple cultures, regretting fashioning her hair into cornrows and even dressing as a geisha.

“I have made several mistakes,†Perry said in the interview. “I listened, and I heard — and I didn’t know, and I won’t ever understand some of those things because of who I am, but I can educate myself, and that is what I am trying to do along the way.â€

In art history, many have taken ideas and customs from one culture and passed it off as their own. Everything from music to fashion has been taken from one culture and claimed by another, according to Darron Smith, a sociology professor at the University of Memphis. 

“Don’t hate Katy Perry,†Smith said. “Hate the system that created Katy Perry.â€

Smith said he believes many celebrities portray ignorance because they do not know any better. He blames the public education system for this general lack of knowledge and said  another problem comes from attribution.

“Appropriation is a normalized function of artistry in this country,†Smith said. “A lot of these artists are not aware that their talents come from the artists they appropriate from.â€

Pop singer Miley Cyrus was also accused of taking advantage of hip-hop culture after her remarks in a recent interview with Billboard, but earlier, more extreme examples of cultural appropriation can be traced back to the 1800s.

Minstrel shows often featured white actors using blackface to mock African-American culture. Movies such as “Birth of a Nation†and television shows like “Amos and Andy†continued blackface as a trend and inadvertently encouraged the inhumane treatment of African-Americans.

Ultimately, modern day appropriation is based off an accused person’s history on whether they should be condemned for their actions, according to Eddie Yancey, an expert in African-American culture.

“The thing that is going to be a game changer in an ideological sense is 

the intent,†Yancey said. “It is hard to weigh in on what a person’s intentions are. That is why a majority of officers get off on cases because of the intent of their heart. It is hard to measure.â€

 

 

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