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Over the last decade, hip hop and rap music has had issues regarding cultural appropriation among different artists. The copying of somebody\u2019s dialect and culture adds a different element to the music, creating aspects that draws much attention, but at the same time may seem and offensive and disrespectful. In this day and age, diversity is a common theme throughout our society, giving people the determination to step outside their stereotypical category and create different genres of music with different racial aspects mixed into their work. Artists like Post Malone and Iggy Azalea have been called out due to such accusations of cultural appropriation. While artists such as these have thrived in this music industry, critics have called them out for mimicking African American elements in their work. They discuss the unjust and inappropriate qualities that belong to cultural appropriation and how it is immoral in the music industry. The modern day transition of blending of cultures in hip hop and rap music challenges the idea that voice defines who we are and where we came from, creating controversy and confusion about racial identity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hip hop and rap music emerged out of New York in the seventies and has a long history of culture behind the genre. Primarily beginning with the African American community, the genre has become a global hit and has evolved into what it is today. According to African American historian, Tristan Pelton, \u201cThe earliest rap recordings in the 1980s were largely positive in tone even as they explored and exposed the gritty conditions of life in the nation\u2019s urban ghettoes\u201d (Pelton<\/a>). The culture behind the music itself is what gave the genre an extra element that is encaptivating to the audience. It allows the artist to deliver a message about their life as well as display a different type of music that was uncommon before the past fifty years. Hip hop and rap music grew in popularity due to the African American culture that was incorporated, but as the genre evolved, more and more people are trying to mimic the same style, creating issues about cultural appropriation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In this modern era, more and more artists outside of the African American community are getting involved in the hip hop or rap music genre. Many of these singers thrive due to their unique singing abilities and other talents, which has brought much success to the music industry as a whole. The problems arise when these artists attempt to copy the same elements found in the music created by the African American community. One online writer states how when people outside the African American descent decide \u201cto dip a toe into hip-hop\u2019s muddy waters, they face the prospect of either backlash or straight up neglect from the culture\u2019s originators, even when they do manage to garner success that\u2019s generally unprecedented for their darker-skinned counterparts\u201d (Williams<\/a>). While the hip hop industry is thriving with artists from different cultures and nationalities worldwide, the industry does have issues regarding people mimicking other cultural elements in their music that is not initially part of their lives. Cultural appropriation is a controversial subject because it is unjust to use another groups’ life background to gain publicity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One artist in particular is Post Malone who is highly well known in the hip hop and rap industry. He is a twenty three year old male living out of suburban Dallas, and enjoys to sing about his immense wealth and sexual conquests. This artist creates controversy regarding mimicking other cultures in his music. In one of his most famous songs, \u201cWhite Iverson\u201d (Post<\/a>) he draws questions about racial identity as he refers to himself as the White Iverson<\/em>. Using lyrics like \u201cWhite Iverson, When I started ballin’ I was young,\u201d (Post<\/a>) he compares himself to a famous basketball player. He juxtaposes his life to Allen Iverson\u2019s by referencing how they both started \u201cballin\u2019\u201d at a young age to illustrate that like Iverson\u2019s career, both of them began working in their field when they were young. He follows this with lyrics like \u201cCigarettes and a headband, Commas, commas in my head, man,\u201d (Post<\/a>) to contrast himself to Iverson, who is known for wearing a headband. At the same time Post Malone alludes to the money he makes through the repetition of the word \u201ccommas,\u201d which also relates him to the rich, African American, basketball player. This comparison of a white rapper to a famous African American basketball player sounds almost absurd and seems inappropriate on the subject of race. In addition to this, Nitsuh Abebe writes about Post Malone in the New York Times magazine on the Billboard top 25 as he states, \u201cHe performed his first hit single, \u2018White Iverson,\u2019 in gold teeth and cornrows, raising inevitable questions of cultural appropriation\u201d (\u201cThe Top 25 Songs That Matter Right Now\u201d<\/a>). This journalist points out the influence of African American culture on his work including his very first hit song. By placing himself on the side of an African American, he takes a step further by dressing and singing about his cornrows and golden grills. These aspects of his music are very peculiar as he places himself on the same side as the African American culture, raising many questions about racial identity in his career as a rapper. <\/p>\n\n\n\n