{"id":15966,"date":"2020-02-01T17:23:05","date_gmt":"2020-02-01T22:23:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/online.berklee.edu\/takenote\/?p=15966"},"modified":"2025-10-09T10:19:47","modified_gmt":"2025-10-09T15:19:47","slug":"cultural-appropriation-in-music","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/online.berklee.edu\/takenote\/cultural-appropriation-in-music\/","title":{"rendered":"Cultural Appropriation in Music"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Exploring Where Inspiration Ends and Appropriation Begins\u2014and How Musicians Can Engage with Other Cultures Responsibly<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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The following information on cultural appropriation is excerpted from the Berklee Online course Iconic Dance and Urban Movement<\/a><\/i>, written by Ruka Hatua-Saar White<\/a>, and currently enrolling.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

In an increasingly global society, extremely focused on innovation and originality, the issue of authenticity is more relevant than ever. What does it mean to be authentic in today\u2019s society? How can one remain true to themselves while engaging in conversation with other cultures? When is it okay to borrow, quote, or pay homage to a culture that is not your own? And how can we do that thoughtfully and respectfully?
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Think about high profile artists who have been accused of cultural appropriation over the past few years: Justin Bieber sporting dreadlocks;<\/a> Justin Timberlake beat-boxing;<\/a> Ariana Grande rapping in a \u201cBlaccent.\u201d<\/a> 
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In my course, Intro to Iconic Dance<\/em>, we start this discussion by introducing three key concepts: Appropriation<\/strong>, Acculturation<\/strong>, and Assimilation<\/strong>.
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Cultural appropriation<\/strong> is the adoption of an element or elements of one culture by members of another culture. This can be controversial when members of a dominant culture appropriate from disadvantaged minority cultures.
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Unlike acculturation and assimilation, cultural appropriation echoes domains of economic dominance and is a form of colonialism, which seeks to reign extended authority over a group of people, and\/or territories. 
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The debate around cultural borrowing and appropriation is ongoing\u2014examples abound in the arts, music, and fashion fields. Model Karlie Kloss wore a Native American headdress in 2012 Victoria\u2019s Secret Fashion Show. Both the model and brand executives apologized profusely, but unfortunately, the brand has continued to feature Indigenous-inspired fashion in their shows, like in their 2017 \u201cNomadic Adventure\u201d-themed fashion show. 
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The artist Kenneth Coutts-Smith wrote one of the first essays on the subject in 1976, entitled \u201cSome General Observations on the Concept of Cultural Colonialism,\u201d as reported by Ash Sarkar for The Guardian<\/em>. Sarkar notes that while Coutts-Smith never actually used the term cultural appropriation, he was the first to bring together the Marxist idea of \u201cclass appropriation\u201d (in which notions of \u201chigh culture\u201d are appropriated and defined by the dominant social and economic class) and \u201ccultural colonialism,\u201d which describes the way Western cultures take ownership of art forms that originate from racially oppressed or colonized peoples.
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Acculturation<\/strong> is a process of social, psychological, and cultural change that stems from the balancing of two cultures while adapting to the prevailing culture of the society. Acculturation is a process in which an individual adopts, acquires, and adjusts to a new cultural environment.
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Cultural assimilation<\/strong> is the process in which a minority group or culture comes to resemble a dominant group or assume the values, behaviors, and beliefs of another group.
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Authenticity comes from being original, which can include everyone, as no one individual shares the same unique experiences as another. Authenticity evolves with experience. We expand our own authenticity by repeated exposure to other cultures and people. Borrowing from other cultures is inevitable, but there are positive ways in which it can be done. We should engage with other cultures on more than just an aesthetic level. And we should also give credit to where credit is due. Pay homage and acknowledge the source.
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In order to better illustrate the implications of these terms and how different people interpret them, some of the most controversial and well known contemporary examples are in pop music. 
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The pop\/rap artist, Iggy Azalea ignited a firestorm of criticism with her music video, \u201cBounce.\u201d This video starts with no music on a shot of an urban neighborhood in India, and then cuts to Azalea in traditional Indian wedding clothes and wearing a bindi, the traditional red dot between the eyes symbolizing a spiritual or religious awakening. The criticism came at Azalea from many corners of the world, all with a variation of: \u201cHere is a white woman from Australia wearing traditional and ceremonial Indian clothes singing rap as if she was a Black person from Atlanta.\u201d Was that a disrespectful appropriation of Hindu culture? Was that a disrespectful appropriation of Black American culture?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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