![]() I will keep dancing to Bruno Mars and around cultural appropriation and the big orange-haired elephant in the room while figuring it out. But was it because of their influence, or was it stealing? Does this mean what is garnered now is theft or contribution? The social media commentary was overwhelming, ranging from agreement to “so what is he allowed to do?”Īnd…so what is he allowed to do? What are the guidelines when it comes to cultural appropriation, especially when you are trying to understand what “cultural appropriation” is? There is the strong argument that earlier artists had to work harder, were never acknowledged, and now others are being acknowledged. Seren Sensei is a cultural critic, filmmaker, writer, and artist. ![]() An eye-opener, this book should be read in schools across the country. The essays in this book may be hard to read as a white person, but they are important, honest, and accurate. Yet Bruno Mars has an Album of the Year Grammy.” Seren is a voice that should be heard worldwide. The episode included a panel of artists and writers who attempted to answer the question Is Bruno Mars a cultural appropriator In an asinine rant against Mars, Sensei stated that the singer 100 percent is a cultural appropriator. He’s a karaoke singer, he’s a wedding singer, he’s the person you hire to do Michael Jackson and Prince covers. Last week, writer Seren Sensei appeared on an episode of a web series called The Grapevine. “What Bruno Mars does, is he takes pre-existing work and he just completely, word-for-word recreates it, extrapolates it…He does not create it, he does not improve upon it, he does not make it better. The argument that stirred the Mars debate was a writer from The Grapevine, a website that focuses on African American issues. (“You have to eat it like this…the way they do.”) From Ferguson, the movement that mobilized a generation, to Rachel Dolezal, the woman who had everyone questioning what it means to REALLY be Black, this book will examine the broader concepts behind issues of race and pop culture in todays society. Blatant examples of cultural appropriation might be the “Mikado” opera or trend-setting restaurants that claim the unique food culture they are introducing as their own discovery. 5 serensensei 3 ratings A Compilation of Essays on the Biggest Stories in Race and Pop Culture. The argument can be reduced to stereotyping versus understanding. What exactly is cultural appropriation? The definition is broad, but in essence, it means stealing from a minority culture and benefiting for personal gain, without tribute or true appreciation for the culture. His father nicknamed him “Bruno” after the Italian wrestler Bruno Sammartino.Īfter the Grammy Awards, there was backlash - primarily an online debate about how Mars was culturally appropriating music. ![]() ![]() His background is eclectic - his mother was Filipina, and his father is from Puerto Rico and also part Jewish. It’s not.Bruno Mars (Photo from Bruno Mars’ Twitter account)īruno Mars (Peter Gene Hernandez) won six Grammy awards this January, including Best Album for 24K Magic and Best Song of the year. In her rant on The Grapevine, Sensei left the impression she thinks this is a new argument. Of course, nothing is ever pure and simple when it comes to this question of who has the “right” to exploit black culture. Mars was defended by many African Americans, including R&B legend Charlie Wilson, who called him “a genuine talent, pure and simple.” In part 4 Seren Sensei discusses what she would replace the system of racism with and explains what makes her suggestion(s) different. Charlie Wilson, an R&B singer who Mars was accused of ripping off, clapped back at Sensei to praise Mars’ talent and his revival of new jack swing in the 24k Magic album, which won seven Grammy Awards. Yet Bruno Mars has an Album of the Year Grammy and Prince never won an Album of the Year Grammy.” A similar incident occurred with Bruno Mars (of Filipino and Puerto Rican origin), who was accused of cultural appropriation by Seren Sensei. Panelist Seren Sensei ripped him a new one.Īs she sees it, Mars’ success proves that many Americans “prefer their black music and their black culture from a non-black face.” Mars, she said, is “a karaoke singer … a wedding singer … the person you hire to do Michael Jackson and Prince covers. A few days ago, he was the object of a heated debate on The Grapevine, an internet series on African-American issues. Mars, son of a Filipina mom and a Puerto Rican/Ashkenazi Jewish dad, has been ubiquitous in recent years with a high-octane style fueled by hip-hop, funk and other African-American idioms. Singer Bruno Mars is the latest to feel their ire. But the term above, with its connotations of grand-theft culture, is the one favored by some African-American activists who’ve had it up to here with non-black performers borrowing the soul and style of Michael, Marvin and Prince. “Cross-cultural influence” would be the less pejorative phrase. I’m here to defend cultural appropriation.
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