(JBC) Chapter 12: Music/Racism and Culture Appropriation
The title of this chapter for me personally, only makes me think of rap music because, for me, I’m a huge fan and lover of KPOP (Korean Pop Music) and in Korean pop music they take references from many different types of music like rap or electronic or Latino music even country music sometimes. Now, it’s looked at in a much more positive way then “cultural appropriation” and for me, a white American, to like kpop no one thinks of it negatively how most take the word “cultural appropriation” even though, sociologically, I now like to dress how kpop stars dress. It’s looked at more as an amazing way to spread and share culture rather then appropriating it. Now I understand for most- ‘back-in-the-day’, if you were to be a white rapper that would be looked at as cultural appropriation; but I think Eminem changed that immensely because of how he grew up in a black community and had black friends which has helped paved they way for many more amazing white rappers to be accepted into this rap community. Because like the book mentions, music is an art form and now it’s more about your actual talent; are you a “mumble rapper” or actually a rapper? Both can have financial success and majority of “mumble rappers” now are black which I personally think is caused by institutionalized racism, and perhaps, just not having the same education. With social media a lot of those barriers are being broke down where more then just the rich can listen to as many genres as they want I still agree with the book- that saying what type of music you listen you is a huge statement of who you are as an individual, but with social media and the internet a lot of these genres can be blended together and appreciated more widely by people. Personally, now I think it all comes down to that some people are negative but most humans appreciate when their art is praised and accepted by others no matter what race or social status they are.
necikait 