Eat the cake, Anime: On White Cluelessness (and Beyoncé)

Dear Kitty Pryde,

Hey there, White Writerperson. How goes it? Good, I assume.

I have just been introduced to your work via your liveblogging of the new album, BEYONCÉ for VICE. You, like me, were hyped and extremely eager to dig into this surprise album that appeared out of nowhere like a new face on the proudest sidepiece in Hip Hop, Lady Potato Head herself, Lil Kim. Do you know her? Of course you do. Anyhow, your enthusiasm shined through in your writing and it was a generally readable unterrible stream of consciousness. Congrats.

Let me back up.

You probably don't know me. I'm sure you don't, actually. I'm a regular ol', though brilliant, Coloured person with nothing going on worth co-opting in that predictable and shameless White way you may be used to, so why would you know me? Silly me. But you certainly know my family, The Keepers of the Cool. Your VICE bio lists you as a rapper, so I'm sure you're more than familiar (and enamored) with various aspects of our wonder. I don't blame you, though. We make the pop culture world go 'round. We're everywhere. We made Off the Wall and gave you "My Neck, My Back." Even when famed Culture Vultures like the Mileys and the Robins and the Biebers and Macklemorefish strut and gesticulate porcelainly with rapper hands and objectify and jiggle their long, curveless backs and call it twerking. We're there.

You're welcome.

But if we're to coexist in this world, there must be some tweaks to this Culture Creator-Culture Appropriator dynamic, okay?

So, this morning I handed over my coins and pressed [PLAY] while going about my morning. Email. Porn. Coffee. Checking around to see how the world was reacting to this bomb She just dropped, I happened across your post:
"Oh, look, excessive capital letters and ellipses with more than three periods. Drugs. Or Immaturity. Or enthusiasm. At least one for sure. Let's have a gander." -Me
So I'm reading. The first thing that gave me pause was when you referenced Skrillex while commenting on "Haunted." Skrillex. King of ElectroGoutPox and eardrum-daggering AudioSyphilis. That's what you took from it. Alright.

You were initially apprehensive about "Blow."
But then,
Alright, it's a Daft Punk song now. False alarm, I'm fine. 
And later,
Because the White makes everything alright, I reckon. If you look out the window to your left, you'll see that we've arrived to our first Teachable Moment.

Teachable Moment One:
Everything isn't influenced by Whitefolks.

After the opening of "Flawless" which features Nigerian literary Superthug Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, you thought it sounded like a Miley song.
Uh oh, I already feel like Miley Cyrus is about to happen to me. Wait, I  think I've heard this one. If Miley Cyrus is in it this time I'm gonna be so fucking mad.
You hear a bass-heavy beat in 2013 and the first person that pops into your white mind. is. Miley. Motherfucking. Cyrus. This tells me everything I need to know about you, your family, your point of view, your music, your breath, and the color of your gums. In a word: HELLTHEFUCKNO.

For you, a person who has made it to adulthood and toured alongside Danny Brown, to deflect so frequently to White references shouldn't be surprising. Yes, all of your musical references here are White. That doesn't lessen the irritation, though. You must know that, despite being the mascots of the drippings of the Cool that we ooze effortlessly, you don't own any of it. You, a rapper or something, can't possibly think Miley or Justin or anyone lacking melanin originated any of their conveniently Blackened antics. Don't they teach that in White Rapper School?

Any White musician worth their weight in cocaine should know that.

Required reading: this little ditty I penned on Convenient WhiteBlackness, inspired by WhiteBlackness Champion, Justin Timberlake.

If that name is a Miley Cyrus pseudonym I'm going to bed. Dang, it's getting feminist up in this track.
Naturally, "that name" refers to Chimimanda, whose contribution you later dismissed as an annoying "soundbite." Okay.

Teachable Moment Two:
Learn about a culture other than your own.

Look, White Writerperson, I imagine your cozy Cave of White Clulessness is comfy and fantastic. I'm sure it has central air conditioning in the summer and heat in the winter and a friendly, well-dressed Negro gentleman at the door to help you with with a smile when your non-burdens get too heavy to bear on your own. And all the coleslaw and unseasoned chicken one could ever want, I'm sure. Color me relieved envious, really.

But here's where you get to be a good Privileged Person and learn about a culture other than your own. I know Chimamanda, a Regular Black Person Who Isn't Doing Anything Worth "Borrowing," isn't a pop culture icon. But do yourself a favor and look her up. She wrote Half of a Yellow Sun, for fuck's sake.

To suggest that Miley would dig deep enough into the barrel of Blackness, doing overtime at the Appropriation Station to adopt a Nigerian pseudonym is telling: You, too, know how serious your skinfolk take their culture vulturing. It's a full time job. So vast, our Sea of Awesomeness, right?

Teachable Moment Three:
Learn how influence works.

French fries do not influence potatoes. Britney does not influence Janet. Justin does not influence Michael Jackson. Lessors do not influence The Great Ones. Similarly, Miley Cyrus does not influence Beyoncé. Now bite your motherfucking tongue.

To say such a thing is akin to saying that the car influences the paved road on which it travels. The Great Ones Blacked Excellently so that the latecomers could siphon that Black Excellence for profit and Blackpoints. Not vice versa.

Now, we arrive to why I felt compelled to even remember your name.

Teachable Moment Four:
Eat the cake.

You know Miss Tina Turner, yes? Think: pre-Beyoncé.

Wait. Let me make her more relatable:
With famous white guy, Mick Jagger
With me? Okay, So you got to "Drunk in Love," which features Blue Ivy's Dad, or Beyoncé's BABY DAAAAADDY *Miley blackgirlface*, Jay Z.

My Jay Z senses are tingling, I'm pretty sure he's about to rap and I really hope it's EXACTLY like his verse in Suit & Tie. Yes, it definitely is. Is this the same exact verse? I'm pretty sure it is. WAAAAAIT HE JUST SAID "I EAT THE CAKE, ANIME". JAY Z JUST FUCKING USED THE WORD 'ANIME' AS A PUNCHLINE. THIS IS THE BEST SONG I'VE EVER HEARD. Am I supposed to be like explaining what these songs are like? I don't know what kind of music this is.
The important part:


Do they teach context clues in White Rapper School? Damn you, failing American education.

Alright. Because we're friends now, I'll break this down for you slowly. I know rappers talk nonsensically and talk about silly things like bling bling, and phat, and Coogi, and Africa, but with the exception of Lil Wayne and Lil B, there is typically some sort of discernible logic in punchlines, even when not drugged.

Care to share with the class what you think "Eat the cake. Anime," means?

He doesn't know either.

Anime, though. Is Jay calling his wife Goku because of her blonde hair?

I don't think so.

That's because Jay Z was referencing a pivotal scene in What's Love Got To Do With It? wherein a high Ike Turner forcefully suggests that Tina Turner, real name Anna Mae Bullock, eat the cake that he ordered to celebrate their upcoming tour.

There are no rappers in the movie, so I understand if you don't care. BUT it's worth the time investment. You'll learn something.


No: Eat the cake. ANIME.
Yes: Eat the cake, ANNA MAE.

Listen along. Fast forward to 4:35.

What he said:

Catch a charge I might, beat the box up like Mike
In '97 I bite, I'm Ike, Turner, turn up
Baby no I don't play, now eat the cake, Anna Mae
Said, "Eat the cake, Anna Mae!"

And while the line was in fact poor in taste, it's important to know what was actually said.

You're welcome. I don't blame you for not recognizing that reference because I can admit that I don't understand certain things about your culture, such as why Flo Rida is a thing. That's your fault, not ours. Oh, and french kissing dogs. I dunno.

Now, go forth and prosper listen to motherfucking context clues next time.


(edit: Read what happened after this was published, here.)

View the rest of my writing here.

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  1. LMFAO. ugh, these silly ass crackers. i can't

  2. Ok. You sir are EPIC

  3. Thank you for this. Forever sharing.

  4. I find this hilarious! Unfortunately, I'm willing to bet our dear genius friend would not understand this all. lol You might consider putting this in 4 word sentences with more pictures and a diarama.

  5. READ her! "Some people" always wanna claim something they had NO hand in creating NOR bringing to the masses.

  6. This dude is my new muthafukkin hero.

  7. You just kind shut the internet down today, bruh. I'm using this in my class, next semester.

  8. Mannnnnn. You know what? This made my week. I'm talking about NEXT week. I'm slain.

  9. shut down, vol. 4
    epic post
    thank you, bless you

  10. I have passed on to glory. I would maime someone to hear you read this aloud! Perfection

  11. This is the kind of intellectual shade that only comes by once a year. You went the fuck in! Please continue to school the clueless. White ignorance met its match today!

  12. Ummm, just yes! Can i just say that her alluding to Chimimanda in any capacity IRRITATES the HELL out of me! "Oh goddamnit this title makes me feel like this shit's going to be inspiring. Oh, there's a soundbite happening. This is going to be mad inspirational right now. I don't want this. Yep, it's getting inspirational as fuck, she's talking about some emotional mom shit. I really want to skip this. Yeah, I feel like I'm supposed to believe in myself right now. WOW CAN YOU PLEASE STOP BEING INSIGHTFUL I DON'T WANNA FEEL BETTER ABOUT MYSELF RIGHT NOW. SHE'S WAILING "IT'S THE SOUL THAT NEEDS A SURGERY" IS THIS PANIC AT THE DISCO RIGHT NOW? WHAT THE FUCK? I'M SKIPPING THIS ONE. SORRY." I think part of the problem is that we don't have enough people being insightful about themselves. Don't do it to yourself, missy!

  13. White dude here, standing up, cheering, fireworks, marching band, tickertape, the fucking lot. Straight fire.

  14. You sir.... Have given me life...and slain me all at the same time....

  15. This old white lady thinks you are a great writer..thanks for doing this.

  16. Love this, but watch yourself...I'm from the Bronx ;)

  17. No clue how I found this post but.. Bravo! And, thank you!

  18. Treated! Epic! Salute. She should go get some of that purple drank and trip! Take that instrospective trip while eating that good 'ol cake you so delicately and culturally served!



    *the mobile version was too dynamic. My comment posted to the wrong post. Nonetheless, I enjoyed reading your other writings.

  19. this.was.EVERYTHING! that is all.

  20. While I agree with most of what's said here about Kitty Pride being ignorant and a terrible writer, do you want to, maybe, ease up on the racism?

    Wow, one white American girl said some ignorant shit, just another case of white ignorance from those ignorant-ass white people. All white people are so fucking ignorant.

    Oh wait, shall we talk about black ignorance in America? That kind of ignorance that's just as widespread as 'white ignorance'? Or we could just talk about human ignorance, because ignorance comes from all colours, including yourself, as you've demonstrated here. Stop making everything a fucking race issue if you ever want racism to be taken seriously and to go away. Also you come across as a real smug cunt here, nice work.

    1. While I agree that all folks can be ignorant, I doubt many white people have to be someone different at work just to keep a job. That line about learning Friends was funny but true

    2. Shut it. He is entitled to his points just like Kitty. You're not on her blog beseeching her to get a quicker clue that her privilege is showing...take your ass somewhere else with that shit.

  21. so the last commenter was clearly white

    1. Yep. White people can't stand when you call them out on their bullshit. Then they are all "No, YOU'RE RACIST!" and/or "racism will never go away if you keep calling out our ignorance".

  22. "Stop making everything a fucking race issue if you ever want racism to be taken seriously and to go away."

    Lol. Yes, of course, if we all just stop talking about racism it will go away. Why didn't we think of that sooner?

  23. I didn't say not talking about it would make it go away. I said stop making things that don't have to be about race into race issues. It's the same as when radical feminists get mad over irrelevant, insignificant things and as a result lose credibility and make people less sympathetic to real issues.

    I mean, how do you expect anyone that isn't already part of your choir to take you seriously when you're just shitting on an entire race left right and centre? That's called fighting fire with fire, and it's not known to work. All you're doing is creating more problems. Common sense, really.

    1. It's only a problem for you (and folks like you) handling your cognitive dissonance, confronted with the reality that the pedestal is not befitting nor real. Shut the fuck and get off this thread.

  24. lol "reverse racism" lololol and the comments were going so well until that clown
    Aamer Rahman (Fear of a Brown Planet) - Reverse Racism

  25. Kitty Pryde get your cracka ass the fuck off anon; we know it's you lol.

  26. How is this not a racist article?

    People make music. Not just black people, people.


    My question is: Why are you assuming that Kitty Pryde is viewing Beyonce from your lens? And why, because you are assuming that, do you then have the right to serve her the riot act, when, if you listen to music and also probably are making music on this kind of celebrity level, an occurrence of "pop influence" would be possible? Music is designed to sell these days. Kitty Pryde is a listener and a rapper. KItty Pryde's commentary I also believe to be a self-critical mix of both persona and awareness of that persona and the accompanying perspectives, so before you take it with a grain of assault, take it with a grain of salt. You truly don't know Kitty Pryde. And GUESS WHAT!! HIP HOP CAN BE A LANGUAGE FOR EVERYONE!!!!! NOT JUST BLACK PEOPLE AND PHONEY BLACKFACE WHITE PEOPLE!!!!! PEOPLE OF ALL RACES MAKE BASS-HEAVY MUSIC IN THE WORLD TODAY THAT IS INFLUENCED BY A LOT OF DIFFERENT MUSIC! STOP MAKING IT RACIST!

    And then you go and dis Danny Brown as a "toothless wonder." Great subtle racist-class slurring in the description of Brown; you could go with any descriptor but instead you instead conjure up the image history of a term like the aforementioned and tape it onto Danny Brown as a subjugating label, but of course i'm not allowed to even go where you go with your own racist comment because of my race.


    To me, this is just ridiculous.

    I am white.

    I don't know what it is to be black.

    But this is some bullshit-ass racism.

    Serve me up on a racist platter like the sick guilty pig I am.

    1. Then call me racist, too, because you're an idiot. You took time to write that dumb shit, too. Shut the fuck up.

  27. And another thing. You claim that "We (meaning all black people in your context) made Off The Wall." I get your greater point but in actuality, whites, blacks, brazilians and whomever-s made it, Mike Boddicker (synths) is white, Paulinho Da Costa (perc) - brazilian, John Robinson (who i think is on Off The Wall but I know for sure did the drums to Billie Jean off of Thriller)- white dude. The musicians aren't thinking, "oh shit I'm commiting racist-cultural assassination and genocide of the timeless, unforgivable order by playing funky music," they just play that funky music. (White boy.)

  28. Damn "Anonymous". We can't have SHIT can we?!?!?! Yes, we realize that folks OTHER than Black worked on "Off the Wall" (White folks love getting into semantics when they're called out lol), but it's cool. We'll just keep doing shit that we KNOW you'll try to make your own. You'll have something to talk about with all of your friends in your gentrified neighborhood apartment. I bet you're the type to call a place "ghetto" that just so happens to NOT have a Starbucks in the neighborhood or some shit. Girl. Bye.

    1. And you really think your passive aggressive replies and assumptions doesn't make you ignorant? You must be the kind of person that thinks black people can't be racist. All it takes is lack of knowledge sprinkled with a little bit of incompetence. You say you know that all people make music, but that doesn't solidify yhe foundation of the remainder of your comment. So what if he's white? It's so easy to dismiss someone when they differ in the slightest.

    2. The examples that he author used: Miley Cyrus, Justin Timberlake (whom of which I am a fan), Justin Beiber and such, when they wanted to be considered "cool", what did they do? Turn to what is looked at as a "Black" form of music. All of a sudden Miley's "twerking" and wearing a grill, Justin (Beiber, I mean) decides he wants to "up his street cred" and add every hot rapper to his newest release, along with so many other examples of cultural (mis)appropriation. It's happening. It's a thing. Deal with it. We don't like it and we're speaking up about it. There is no lack of knowledge because I see and deal with the shit everyday. You're only on the outside looking in. While you feel that I'm the type who thinks that Black people can't be racist, you seem to be the type to think that "racism isn't an issue in these times" because White people are also making rap and r&b music.

    3. Hey shakira. You don't understand music. Should Justin bieber only have white performers on his records? Can i remind you his first major hit had luda himself on it?

  29. so you hit me with racist stereotypes and assumptions? As if you know anything about me or my background? I'm white, that's all you need to know, right? Starbucks and gentrification, right? Explain to me how that is not a racist frame for this discussion. You can make judgments all you want. But culture is not static, and people are allowed to have influences. Black music has brought us together as people and a planet. You can white-devil me all you want but black music has brought the world together. I refuse to think of myself as an interloper, a blackface asshole because I grew up a white kid in black music and my cultural output reflects that deeply. The truth is neither black nor white, but somewhere in between

  30. Looks like Kitty Pryde found your post dude. Whitesplaining all over the place about it's YOU who are the true racist here. White people never miss an opportunity to show their asses.

  31. Weighing in as a white reader: Anonymous, why are you mad? this piece is spectacular funny and spot on, not "reverse racist" at all (as if anything could be?). White people need to cool it and stand back awhile. Hundreds of years of oppression where whites like us get rich/powerful/protected/win and its STILL HAPPENING and you want to get mad when a person of color tries to claim ownership of literally one of the only places of power whites LIKE US deigned to allow Black people access to (role of entertainer)? I don't know who Kitty Pride is but it's the responsibility of white people (maybe especially white rappers) to manage our racial hubris, which includes fucking dealing with it when we or other white folks get called out for saying or writing suff that IS RACIST. And yes, it sucks when you fuck up and some bit of the racist ideology that permeates contemporary culture slips out oof your mouth/fingers and you get called on it. its embarassing, but like, you just have to own that and deal with it (by like, trying to unlearn some of those ideas?) Your comments strike me as a well-written, kind of snarky variation on "I don't even see color because I'm colorblind." I wonder also how old you are. When I was growing up in mostly white schools, my teachers taught me that the answer to racism was colorblindness. They were wrong though. Racism is an ISM, a system of racial privelege. In that context, you have to adjust your lens, not just be like "oh well this is how I see it so it's fine." This is a great, funny, anti-racist post. I think your outrage is misplaced.

  32. yo you went in!! this is journalism

  33. As a white guy (in the UK) I know very little about the context in the lyrics. But at least I admit it ;)

    Good read.

  34. I think that there are some white people who won't understand the article on a broken-down, dissected level. For example, when the author says "We made Off the Wall," it's not just about who created the actual music. Off the Wall is a collective result of Michael Jackson's life experience and musical preference - just like any artist's record. If you'd like to take a look at MJ's life experience and musical preferences, it was largely influenced by the fact that he was a Black American. All that has constituted the black American experience is manifested in his music and the work of any black musician. That's what the author means by "We." I'll put this in terms of "all people" so that anon can understand. People's individual experiences influence what they create. And in the United States (and across the world), individual experiences are often a result of race (in a historical, social, cultural, etc. context). Culture is a manifestation of all experiences. No, white people have not had the same historical experience as black people. Therefore, when white people so easily participate in (read: appropriate) the result of the black experience and then pretend that it's "the human experience," there will always be an issue.

  35. Biggest case of "not getting it" in recent memory. Kitty probably read this and laughed. The punchline is you.

  36. She posted an apology on her blog and it is very sincere.

  37. In all seriousness I would totally read a novel by Alexander. This writing captures the times we are in extremely well. Peace.

  38. Damn, you're racist. So only black folks have real "culture." Got it. Whites and blacks should have separate cultures--one white and one black. Got it. Any intermingling of these cultures (one real and one a co-opted ersatz version of the real) is bad. Got it. Hearing a bass-heavy beat in 2013 and NOT automatically thinking it's from a black musician is terribly wrong and reveals a point of view that you can't possibly fathom because it is so mired in its wrongness. Got it. (I bet if I hear a bass-heavy beat in 2013 and the first thing that pops into my mind is a black musician, you would hate that too, wouldn't you? Are you starting to see how full of shit your hateful, exclusive worldview is?) We're never going to be able to coexist in this world as long as people like you are around: A white woman hears a black song and experiences it through the prism of her past experiences--which just so happen to be those of a white woman (as she IS a white woman, after all)--and you flip your shit over it? You can't accept that? You can't handle that? What is wrong with you? I'm sure if you watch Leave it to Beaver you'd experience it through the prism of your individual experience (which just so happens to be black). Kitty Pryde never made this shit about race, but you took it straight there. Learn some acceptance of different points of view. If you're mad that Kitty Pryde doesn't understand the references or the context, wouldn't it make for better use of your time to educate her on them in a constructive way that might lead to some mutual understanding across racial lines, than to berate her stupidity. You're not helping anyone out at all.

  39. Uggh Avery go away, but read the comments by POC above and get your life first. I'm tired of every post being derailed by know nothing white people years and hurt white fee fee's. Like nobody cares about that shit. Also, can there please be a moratorium on clueless white people saying POC are racist for pointing out their painfully oblivious race fails? Seriously, I don't want to hear that mess when 99.99% failed Race 101, have never read or even heard of critical race theory, and when none of them have one iota of the lives experience of actually living with racism.

    1. Thank you for this! Speaking as a white person, I have to say, I am down for the moratorium on white cluelessness and white reverse-racist cries. People need to stop living in guilt, shame, or anger, or trying to pretend they aren't complicit, benefiting and thriving from the racist systems we're all part of and that whites maintain, even if only through their passivity.

      Avery, sweety, honey, darling... I promise. White and Black (and all other) people live together just fine. My friends have their experiences and struggles and so do I. The difference is, I don't try to pretend that my struggles are anything similar to the caliber of real oppression that they face. You need to educate yourself. Let me help.

      First, how the fuck is being critiqued on a blog the same as racism? Last I checked, noone was lynching Kitty Pride for not appropriately embracing her expected social position. And second, black folks wanting to be given AGENCY OVER THEIR OWN CULTURAL REPRESENTATION isn't wrong. It isn't an example of them demanding a separate culture. If you had been subjugated for hundreds of years, divorced from your history, heritage, ancestors and culture, wouldn't you be ready to fight to get ANY of that back?

      What have white people lost? We're the ultimate settler-colonists! I get to have my coffee, cookies, Italian Christmas, German bread, Fish and Chips... but on top of that, I get to have Tea that the Brits colonized from India, I get to have Chinese food (modified to fit my American palate, of course), I get to indulge in African music and if it offends that it's too primal I can always have Elvis lighten it up for me. And noone says shit when White America borrows, plays with, adopts or tries on native or african culture. And, in fact, we even forced everyone else to adopt our mish-mash "Americanisms" and English? Why? Why?

      Not to create some magic "melting pot" of equality. Make no mistake... this is not an American Recipe where all parts are equal. Whites choose the ingredients, they choose the acceptable ratios and proportions, they define what is tasteful and they serve this melting pot bullshit up hot and steaming through THE MEDIA.

      There is no room for colorblind fantasy ideology. Because wandering around with rose-tinted glasses doesn't stop the killing, it doesn't stop the "Stand your Ground" laws, it doesn't stop the fact that people of color are dying of chronic disease, poverty, crime and malnutrition, diseases like HIV and Tuberculosis and still making less, working harder and all while at higher risks. And it wont' stop it. Read some fucking Foucault or Angela Davis (yes, philosophers of all colors get it even while you don't), ignoring and repressing the reality of social inequalities doesn't erase them; it simply naturalizes, normalizes and masks them.

      Call me and cry racist when your entire ethnic group is being exposed to otherwise preventable violence, illness, struggle and death. Until then, shut the fuck up. There are plenty of seats. Sit in one. Zip your fucking mouth, stop playing victim and listen, learn and wait to be called on to be useful. Do your best not to be part of the problem. Otherwise, don't waste our time. The struggle is too real and we're too busy fighting real problems to trifle with you.

      On behalf of inequality-conscious White America,

      The end. -John

    2. Hmm making enormous broad assumptions about someone based on the color of their skin. I didn't take race 101, but i have read a book or two, that sounds like this "racism" thing the kids are talking about.

      So does addressing someone as whitey instead of their name. Or maybe the writer didn't feel he could prove his point without mentioning the woman's race 6000 times. To me it seems antagonistic and lazy. Not to mention hypocritical.

  40. She is young, which I think plays a bigger role here than you give it credit for, and you are depressingly self-satisfied in your Manichean understanding of race and culture. I completely dispute what you are doing, because Macklemore and Miley's appropriations WERE extremely troubling and problematic, and deserved the blowback they got-- and more. I'm sorry, but this is not in the same league, and did not constitute some exploitative career-making turn for Kitty Pryde.

    It is ironic that you are doing this for an artist who so clearly positions herself as everything to everyone. Perhaps that is precisely why you are so anxious to claim Beyoncé for some imagined closed community that has privileged access to all her signs and symbols. Personally I think the resonances that KP got out of the music were precisely what that music was designed to do-- to appeal to as broad a range of listeners as possible based on different frames of reference. That is precisely what the most successful pop does. There is something pathetic about you spending so much time with a response that you supposedly don't take seriously, just to convince us that there is only one way to interpret the most open, generalized cultural product since Thriller.

  41. Crystal. Yes. You are so right. It is tiring how all of these threads eventually go in the same direction. I think there should definitely be a moratorium on clueless white people screaming about reverse racism.

    Seriously, fellow white folks, stop it with the defensiveness. Our defensiveness which leads to offensive commenting is not acceptable. And, it doesn't add anything useful to the conversation. This is the same old tired conversation that has been happening FOREVER. Time for us white folks to stop talking over PoC.

    Avrey, yes, like Crystal said, read the comments by PoC. And, go read the apology on Kitty Pryde's blog. She admits that she is ignorant and that her statements were racist and that her whiteness has made it so that she has never had to learn about black culture even though she works in the music industry as a rapper. She also said thank you to @thecoloredboy for schooling her. She doesn't need defending.

    And, if you are a fellow white person, please, when you recognize defensiveness rising up and you want to in you try to see what would happen if you just listen and learn. Go read these articles rather than making any more defensive/offensive comments on race related issues. You will learn things. It will be good. If we want to stop being called on for being racist and ignorant then we need to start recognizing our own racist beliefs and start working to educate ourselves. We need to have some grace and say thank you for calling us out on our ignorance shut our defensive mouths and EDUCATE OURSELVES.

    Okay. Thanks for letting me hijack this thread for the benefit of white folks. I totally hear that it is tiresome.

    White people that are feeling defensive, get to reading and learning and being quiet for a bit.

    Awesome website full of resources on understanding racism and cultural appropriation:

    When White Women Cry: How White
    Women's Tears
    Oppress Women of Color:

    A Look at the Myth of Reverse Racism:,80611,.shtml

    History of Intolerance:

    1. Stop addressing whole races of people as if they are all the same. It is tacky.

  42. If you're going to make an argument - and I'm not saying yours isn't valid - at least don't make any blunders that can disprove your point. You jumped down this girl's throat for saying "Blow" sounded like a Justin Timberlake song... when, in actuality, Justin Timberlake is the one that WROTE the song for Beyonce. He actually wrote two of the songs on this album. Which leads to this teachable moment: White people CAN, in fact, write songs that fit the personality of Black performers. Just sayin... (and yes, I'm Black)

  43. I'm white and the only thing I'm salty about is you saying I don't season my damn chicken.

  44. I have to say I'm getting real tired of the poo-poo parade on the net that is constantly crying "cultural appropriation". The tone of what I read of the article had a very racist coat to it that made me uncomfortable. Is the blogger telling white artist what genres of music they're allowed to perform? Maybe he should go sit-and-spin, because this is America. Our nation's nickname is the great melting pot. I don't want to live in a world where people are not allowed to express themselves via multi-culturalism. Not to mention, my view of what cultural appropriation ACTUALLY is, is much different than the authors. Yes, it does exist, when a piece of art is usurped from a maker of one group and used by a more powerful group, without giving 'artist a' any credit (don't forget to factor institutionalized oppression and disallowance of 'artist a' and his/her group from participating in general society. Miley Cyrus twerking to a dirty beat is not appropriation, it is a Millennial artist using the influences that have been privy to her to express herself. For every Caucasian rapper/r&b singer this blogger chastises, I challenge him to break the guitar of every Afro-Emo teen that walks into a Hot Topic in middle-America. The beautiful thing about the country is that we share cultural entities with each other and we use what we've learned to create more great things. Emulating something from a different group, while still respecting that group, is not theft, it's learning. To conclude, I use the phrase 'Oy Vey' all the time, because I loved the sitcoms 'Seinfeld' and 'The Nanny' growing up, not because I'm an anti-semite trying to abscond away with Jewish culture.

  45. John, I hope you keep a copy of your comment folded in your wallet so the next time you "get too black" with your cool black friends you can whip out ol' girl and blow they minds with yo whylin'-out sympathies. Or maybe you and the writer of this article should have a coffee and you can air endlessly your "white awareness and free-floating guilt" that you feel both empowers you and allows you to "know where other people are coming from."

    Look, with a line like


    that is just straight-up racist.

  46. "To say such a thing is akin to saying that the car influences the paved road on which it travels. " Which is true, or rather as true as "the paved road influences the car which travels on it." Like do you think when people build new roads they do it without considering the type of traffic it will have, or how that type of traffic might evolve over the expected lifetime of the road?
    Do you think that farmers (agribusinesses) randomly choose what type of potatoes to grow?
    Do you think that Beyonce has never listened to a "white" cultural product? Or do you think that somehow both she (and her numerous collaborators/co-producers/whatever) can "filter out" all of that white noise (lol) when they make an album?
    I think it's really important to realize that interactions are multi-directional and constitutive. Cultural appropriation goes beyond the appropriator and the appropiatee (idk what the proper word is, but the linguistic object of the verb) - it also creates a nebulous environment where white people can write songs on a beyonce album and beyonce can listen to wrecking ball or even skrillex. An environment where everyone, regardless of racial identity, can consume some of the same products, and these products aren't easily classified as "same" or "other." You want to claim that beyonce's blackness gives her status outside white culture ("other"), but at the same time she is clearly produced, readily accepted, and consumed by white culture ("same"), and as this is the case, why is it somehow clueless or wrong, to approach beyonce from within white culture?

  47. i can understand where your anger is coming from, considering how deep-rootedly racist our world is, especially here in the united states. the cultural and actual violence towards blacks is a horrible symptom of a horrible world system, capitalism. black rage is an inevitable reaction to the super-oprresion faced by blacks. but we must look for deep answers to a deep and complex problem; what does it accomplish to simply critique individuals? some people, like this girl, are idiots, and perhaps they are beyond help; in any case, it's not worth thinking about. focusing on racist and ignorant people will make your head explode. we must think bigger. the question of black liberation is far deeper and more urgent than analyzing the landscape of pop music. pop is, like all manifestations of society, a reflection of the sickness of our system. to pin every racist attitude or act on "white people" is oversimple, and it doesn't account for the fact that some white people (many white people) are not racist. the most backwards sections of white people are racist, but very, very few white people are actually responsible for shaping our world which creates and recreates racism, and uses it as a tool of power. when it comes to racism or other such harmful ideologies which poison society, it is far more useful to blame those in power than powerless individuals who exhibit and recreate the racism of society. first and foremost you have to blame those in power in society, because they are the ones who create and shape society in their image. we are all just reflections of their ideologies, until we recognize these facts, and therein develop our consciousness, allowing us to see racism not as a set of attitudes exhibited by individuals, but as an ideology which supports society as it is today. and those interested in keeping society just as it is today are those who are in power: the ruling class. racism keeps the people in order, so as better to be controlled, and keeps the rulers' wallets fat. that is the reason for its existence. it is a question of society, of radically altering it so as to eradicate the ideology of race and racism. if there was no ownership class, there would be no need for division of people according to the myth of race.

  48. I take offense to your appropriation of Goku, a beloved shounen DIVA ICON, from my culture.

  49. JOHN!!!!! WE NEED TO CLONE YOU!!!!! If more white people had the insight, boldness and intelligence to articulate what you've so astutely said in response to this discussion...our world would be a MUCH different place!!!! KUDOS! #someonegetsit

  50. So a friend of mine posted this and it's been on my mind all day, so I went back and read some of the comments. Then I went back and re-read the "reveiw" he's bagging on and some of the comments there, a few of which refer back to this article.
    How can you read something that is obviously a humor piece, using an overblown caricature of "white cluelessness", then criticize it for it's cluelessness and feel like you have proved something?
    Seriously, I find it hard to believe that many of these commenters actually read the "reveiw" in question. It's pretty funny, in a fluff-piece kind of way. I also find it hard to believe that no-one is bringing up the possibility that the author is not using her own voice, but speaking through a hyper-ditzy persona for comedic effect.
    What, can't a young hipster white girl writer be savvy and self-aware? As a PWM I'm in the uncomfortable position of having to call possible sexism on this shit.
    It's not even like the humor is subtle. There are so many over-the-top "Hey! I'm joking!" lines inserted throughout, that they themselves become part of the joke. Also Vice magazine is well known for this style of writing so context alone should help you know what you're getting into...the magazine is famous for being iconoclastic and offensive. There is definitely some cluelessness going on here somewhere, but I'm not 100% sure it's with the author in question.

    Sorry if not everyone feels the need to take Beyonce seriously.

    Also, I guess I want to say that white privilege is a serious issue that needs to be addressed, and I'm with this gentleman on that. I also liked his writing style and energy. Just hoping he takes more time to consider his targets before using his considerable burnamotherfuckerup skills.


  51. Sorry to burst our collective "let's lynch a bitch" bubble, but it was a humor piece.

  52. To all those saying that Kitty’s comments are either clueless or simply humorous; or that the colored boy's comments went too far west and ended up east, consider this:

    1. A friend of mine posted today, "The aim of an argument, or a discussion, should not be victory, but progress." This isn’t about which blogger 'wins'; consider what this dialogue suggests about the world we're living in.

    2. In our news today: white people went on social media to state their displeasure at presence of characters of colour in the Hunger Games; women of colour who win pageants (USA, France) receive unbelievable backlash from non-coloured people who don’t believe they should represent what they believe is ‘their’ country; and according to a fox news talking head, santa claus is irrefutably white. Kitty wasn’t kidding. She meant what she said.

    3. We're living in the age of cultural appropriation. Do we have to revisit Halloween? And don’t bring up the argument about ‘appreciating’ other cultures. Blackface, turbans and feathered headpieces are not worn out of admiration. If you want to show true appreciation for a culture, read a history book.

    One of the above commenters spoke about how cultures intermingle and collaborate. Understood. But everything has an origin. The mere fact that some people who are not of colour can't accept that black people CREATE on their own speaks volumes. Watch ‘Something the Lord Made’, with Mos Def.

    4. Many of the commenters said they think colored boy went too far in his response or answered in kind to a ‘clueless’ kitty. But Kitty isn’t just some random element in the blogosphere; she’s a human being who really exists, makes decisions, and, influences her readers. And there are others like her. And even if she said it in jest, her readers may have taken her words seriously.

    Look past the punchlines, this is a serious issue.

  53. Great piece. Hilarously and harshly truthful. Unfortunately, some people take offense to this article; and 9 out of 10 more than likely live in the "Utopian America" where all forms of slavery and oppression, gentrification and classism, both physically and psychologically, died with the "abolishment" of slavery.
    Though this piece had little to do with what I just stated, their mindsets remains the same. Do not be mad at one man's opinion when fact-checking someone on there misguided rants involving his own culture. Merely state your rebuttal and keep it pushing.
    Generel Statement: Nothing gets accomplished until ALL sides UNDERSTAND where the other is coming from, and meet in the middle, as BRUTALLY HONEST as possible.

    -A Bi-Racial Man

    P.S. Keep up the great work

  54. to the above anonymous,

    love the first point there, glad were are on the same page with that one. Let's make progress!

    second point, again totally with you, shit is fucked up. but the last two sentences seem unrelated to the main point. "She meant what she said." Please read the article again, It's blatantly intended to be a blown-out parody of clueless white privilege. If you don't catch it I think there is a link to her site where she has posted an apology describing herself as a professional internet troll. She knows it's not ANIME, and she knew it when she wrote it.

    OK, three. Again, her using white artists who are known for appropriating black music/dance/style to describe Beyonce is part of the parody. The parody of clueless white people.

    Point four. You are again right in that many of her readers have taken her seriously. Including the author of this post and the vast majority of the comments, both here and on the original piece.

    Lastly, I agree with you again that this is a serious issue. So, in the name of making progress here in these comments, where it seems to be devolving a bit (reverse racism? cracker please, you are embarrassing), I would like to suggest that Kitty, as an author, has written a fairly sophisticated article, about an obviously sensitive topic, that due to it's tone, has gone completely over many, many heads.

    again, peace

  55. Yes, yes and YES!! Thank you.

  56. i figured it out. black people should only make music for black people, purchased only by black people. Then we need to make sure the Black Keys never touch any instruments ever again, because not only are they influenced by black music, but they covered Jerry Butler and are turning white devils onto classic soul music. Make Daptone answer for their multi-racial, world-wide cutural crimes of appropriation. It's like climate change: There's still time to stop it if we just act now! Find your roots and stick to them! They are your weapons against the enemy of false progress.

  57. This was SOOOOO worth the read. This boy was blessed in shutting people up. Im definitely going to keep myself posted on what he has to say from now on.

  58. But how do you feel about the lyric itself? Jayz comparing himself to Mike Tyson and Ike Turner was disturbing to me.

  59. I'm a little confused as to why it is a black "joke" that Ike Turner used to beat the living hell out of Anna Mae Bullock/Tina Turner? Why is it funny or sexy or cool that Mike Tyson, a convicted rapist, bit off Evander Holyfield's ear in '97; and that a movie chronicling the abuse the Tina suffered at the hands of her husband had a scene where he forced her to eat cake? Ike beat up and raped Tina for years. Beyonce has worshiped at the alter of Tina before. And yet somehow it is sexy talk between them for her husband to say he's going to beat up her box like these two awful men? Yeah sorry. I don't see the joke in that. I see the continued permissiveness for women, and in this case, black women, to suffer from sexual violence and domestic abuse. I think this lyric is all kinds of fucked up.

  60. Ironically enough you reference Lil B right before digging in at her about the Anna Mae, when he fucking invented that line on Wonton Soup

    Did Jay bite the Based God? Yes. And you blow at writing.

  61. I've been following Kitty for a while now (over a year). She has a pretty unusual perspective relative to most people who get internet attention which is why she is so interesting. Everything she writes about (on her blog or in her lyrics) is clearly carefully considered and articulated in a really balanced way. Its a pretty unique thing to find on the internet maybe and it is part of what makes me follow her loyally.

    The noisy "live blog" she wrote about Beyonce is obviously an embarrassing mis-step on her part, a fact which she certainly seems to be aware of. I think this is a really tricky situation for her though. She made a "mistake" (debatable); however, I feel like a "live blog" is probably the best possible venue in which to make a mistake. She was under pressure to produce something funny, topical and interesting really quickly. It is not presented as an "editorial" or "critical response"... it is presented as a flow of her base, initial reactions. I think you have to consider that when criticizing it.

    Troubling comments regarding race/culture seem to be dangerous when they originate from a place of hate. This is clearly not the case with Kitty; you can't argue hateful intent in her Beyonce review. Something much more valuable than criticizing Kitty as harshly as you have done here is to start a discussion about how certain cultures are ignorant of other cultures as a result of how fucked up the development of American society is in ways that are beyond the control of the personal upbringing of Kitty. We should talk about what that means in a larger societal context, using this example as an indicator but not cause of the issue. None of these problems are a result of anything Kitty has done. Tearing her apart like this is like getting mad at an excited dog for jumping up and knocking over a kid: she's not trying to hurt anyone, she's just really excited and your judgement is really misplaced.

  62. Anon: I'm a little confused as to why it is a black "joke" that Ike Turner used to beat the living hell out of Anna Mae Bullock/Tina Turner?"

    Obviously because the movie 'What's Love Got to Do With It?' is known for being a movie most black people have seen/know of/understand the references, therefore they understand where the line "Eat the cake, Anna Mae." came from and know better than to think he said "Eat the cake, anime." Clearly. No one's making fun of the domestic violence Tina Turner went through, it's the fact that Jay-Z used the line in the song and we understood it's purpose and where it came from. Come on now.

  63. Kititsy Pryde confirmed overrated.

  64. First of all, I enjoyed your post. I think that it was an extremely interesting, and humerous read. That aside, I have some problems digesting some of the points you are making here.

    1. I can understand that when a "group" of people that has segregated, oppressed, and devalued the "group" of people you categorize yourself within, it is hard to accept their opinions on anything. (For me, I was raised Jewish, so I know the feeling!) However, I hate, loathe, and detest the idea of people arbitrarily categorizing themselves based on physical appearance. We all have melanin, just different types to produce different hues! In fact, all of our ancestors had an MC1R gene that produced eumelanin (the type of melanin that creates brown pigmented skin). This skin hue was advantageous in protecting our folic acid stores from harsh UV ray damage. Some of us, when we moved out of Africa, ended up in areas of the world that recieved less UV rays (which are important in creating vitamin D), and lighter pigmentation was more sought after. "Race" is a SOCIAL construct. There are usually more biological differences between people of the same "race" than with people of a different "race." So, this whole "we did it first, they stole it" attitude is really damaging to several important historical figures (Frederick Douglass, Martin Luther King, etc.).

    2. The reason "whites" often end up copying "blacks" is due to the fact that white culture dominates the media (a sad, but true fact). Whites do not need to construct culture, because they have no reason to define themselves as a separate group of people. "Black" people construct different cultures to separate themselves and create a separate "race" from a "race" that historically has sucked the big one. But, instead of freaking out and saying that it's a white v. black thing...maybe everyone can enjoy it? If there are creative people in the world, like John Lennon, Billy Joel, Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin, Michael Jackson (who fits in both categories), why must we say that Aretha Franklin is any less part of a culture as John Lennon is just because of skin color? I don't segregate these artists based on eye color, height, or any other physical gage. What's the big damn deal?

    3. Okay, Kitty Pryde is absolutely stupid. She makes me equally as enraged (because of who she is, not what she looks like). However, she does deserve a break for not knowing about a line in a movie that came out well before she was born. I have probably seen little to no films from around that time, just because of my age. I am not an avid old movie watcher, and "Anna Mae" would sound like "Anime" to a girl that knows no better, whichever way you twist it. Her ignorance is obvious to a lot of people, but not everyone (including "black" kids her age) would know this quote.

    4. You're funny, and your blog is totally amazing, but please be a little more sensative to the message you are spreading about skin color. All people deserve equal representation based on merit, but in order for that representation to exist, colorblindness will need to first.

    That said, I love your humor. I hope to see tons more from you soon!


  66. The original piece had something to do with VICE. Why even bother to write this response when it's just rising to their tried-and-true bait? The "Kitty Pryde" template may be all about hair-twirling and American Apparel unwashed chic, but take her stance seriously as the voice of anyone other than a shrewdly calculating internet outrage instigator monkey at your own peril. I doubt she's actually as calamitously stupid as the voice she assumed for this tone-deaf schtick (her rap incarnation included) indicates.

  67. I just dont understand why it had to be all about the colour of her skin? Surely theres more to a person than how pigmented their skin is?

    Or maybe im being stupid and dont get it because im a white woman??

  68. I would love to have a serious convo about this. Anyone interested?? I gotta warn ya, I'm about to school ya. ...By the way, I am NOT the "Anonymous" that has been posting-this is my first post. And to that point, "Anonymous"' last post-you should really remove it. Monkey is NOT something you should be saying, ever! I am white, but am married to a black woman and have black brother in laws and many biracial family members-and even if I didn't I still was not raised to use that language. Now you're playing into his hands.

  69. You wrote all of this garbage in response to some one line tweets from a white rapper?

    God, you're pathetic. Grow up already. Somebody makes fun of Beyonce and you act like MLK just got shot again.

    She's a singer. She's not the president, she's not a civil rights leader, she's not a public intellectual.

    She's a singer. Grow up.

  70. I have reached a point in life where I literally do not value anything white women have to say in regards to race.

  71. How about this, black artists DO appropriate white music. How many times have we heard a black hip-hop artist using a white artists song from the 80's or 90's as their background music?

  72. Here's an idea: Everybody shut up and go watch a Beyonce video.



    Come on now? Yeah okay. He explains what the quote actually is and then says "I've just let you in on a Black inside joke".

    Inside joke? Riiiiiiight. Excuse me for my lack of laughs.

    Oh and I'm white and I understood both references - to Mike in '97 and about Ike and "Eat the cake Anna Mae" - immediately. A lot of non-black people have seen that movie too you know.

    So, 1. explain to me how it is a joke as this outraged-at-racism-but-apparently-not-abuse author proclaims.

    2. Explain to me how it is not a bigger deal that Jay-Z is referring to beating his wife's box up like Mike in '97 - when he was an awful rage-monster, and like Ike, a famous wife-beater and wife-rapist? I haven't missed that Beyonce does a lot of bowing down to Tina either. How is it sexy or cool to refer to wife-beaters and rapists when talking about sex with your significant other? I'm all for consensual sex that can be a bit rough, if that's what you want. But that is consensual and what he's referring to most definitely was not the same thing.

    It just makes me think that a lot of people get all worked up about the race card; but they are leaving out the women an awful lot. Black women are statistically the most abused and neglected of any group because no one seems to care when they are beaten, raped and otherwise. Sorry, but this BOTHERS me. I've also just come off reading a story about R. Kelly going into detail about how his documented abuse of teenaged black girls just goes ignored and one of the only people who seems to give a shit says "The saddest fact I've learned is: Nobody matters less to our society than young black women. Nobody. They have any complaint about the way they are treated: They are 'bitches, hos, and gold-diggers,' plain and simple."

    So here's my reaction to this. 1. Pretty sure Kitty Pryde and Vice are known for doing tongue-in-cheek pieces and that this wasn't a serious piece in her true voice but a piss-take of the vacuous white chick. Doesn't mean it was actually funny or not in poor taste; but I wouldn't take it on face value. I don't think people should do this kind of thing because it obviously upsets other people. Or if they do, at least EXPLAIN that it is a piss-take.

    2. The outrage is being aimed purely at the fact that she wrote this piece and yet no one seems to be taking issue with the fact that there is a series of rather horrific lines in this song that perpetuate violence against women. Particularly black women. Why is no one outraged? I love this couple but this really bothered me. And yet here it is actually referred to as an inside joke.

    3. This piece is funny but also incredibly racist at times. It can work both ways you know. But whatever, I'm a white chick, I'm well aware of the fact that, as much as a read about it and open my eyes to it; I'll never truly understand what it is like to be discriminated against on a daily basis due to the colour of my skin. I do wish that it could be more inclusive so that we could all laugh at stupid, ignorant shit together, but... such is life!

  74. woooooow. i seriously feel like i just dropped into an alternate universe. not because i'm surprised at whiteness being itself but i just wasn't ready. came here from tumblr and just was not ready.

    so here i am enjoying a funny Read sipping my tea and high-fiving my people then a whole buncha butt-hurt white folk come by blasting elvis presley and generally taking over. but not just taking over -- they're completely mad and irate and insulted and overwhelmed and can't believe it and all "how could you state the obvious like that?!?"

    whiteness is a hell of drug.

    as usual we start something. it gets play because we funny and start good shit. a whole buncha white people come and take over. some crying. others consoling. and we have to go to the sidelines or leave the party and go start something else somewhere else cuz the whole joint is now contaminated.

    you people. yes, you people. completely disgust me and tire me the f*ck out.

    le sigh.

    oh: this part was funny tho. i can't leave w/out quoting this from the mayonaisse upthread who said: Do you think that Beyonce has never listened to a "white" cultural product? BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA kikikikiki. DEAD. that just kilt me and i just can't w/ y'all.

  75. Dear white people,

    Is it so hard to give us some fucking credit? A very large majority of pop icons would not exsist without our influence. That's all you have to say. I'll even take it down a notch and not ask for "routinely"; just every so often. Please?

    black people

    1. Dear anonymous.

      you had nothing to do with the creation of black music. You don't get to take credit for Michael Jackson and hip hop any more than i get to take credit for the beatles. Nobody took anything from you.

  76. i think this was generally a good post with good critiques seeing as theres been SO much talk about all this.
    however i do think that your concept of influence is over simplistic. cars DO influence the roads they travel on, when technologies in tyres develop, technologies in road paving adapt/catch-up/change, and depending on how many cars are being bought, or what types, different roads will be built or not. beoynce IS influenced miley, simply because miley is prominent in the pop scene atm and part of the context into which the production and reception of BEYONCE has come.

    this obviously is not meant to detract from the critique of appropriation of black music/art/culture by white people. and im not trying to be facetious, but i think its an important point. its important because Beyonce doesn't exist outside of the profit driven music industry, no matter how secretly she releases her album. this profit drive is so deeply built in, not only to cultural appropriation (and its racial history and present), but to the broader complexity of influence in contemporary culture.

  77. uuuhhh ooohh white people are outraged in this comment section.

  78. I did laugh, but you need to read this too my brother, and up your game a nothc or three:

    on violence, Ike, and feminism...

  79. To Anonymous who wrote "Dear white people,
    Is it so hard to give us some fucking credit?"

    Are you kidding? Imitation is the highest form of flattery. As well as buying "black people" music.

    Step up. Jesus.


    No. People in the entertainment industry make pop culture go round.

    As far as Off the Wall goes, these are the people who wrote the songs on that album: Michael Jackson, Quincy Jones, Stevie Wonder, Paul McCartney (about the whitest a human can get without being Nordic), David Foster (Canadian guy), Rod Temperton (British Guy, actually wrote the biggest hits from the album, Don't stop til you get enough, he also wrote (the song) Thriller and 1/3 of the album of the same name, so), and on and on. Actually 6/10 tracks on that album were written exclusively by white people. If you're gonna claim pieces of history for your culture, pick a better one.

    Like I see where you're coming from. But beyond the fact that it's absurd for you to take credit for something that other people did, a really long time ago, you're dead wrong about it, too. I think ultimately it's a good learning that you can't discredit people for being a certain hue, it's rarely that simple. Teachable Moment # 5.

    This Kitty lady is having fun, the artists she listens to happen to be white. She's young, and while youth doesn't excuse racism when present, it does excuse not getting a pop culture reference from before you were born. Nothing she wrote referenced Ms. Knowles race in any way.

  81. I stumled upon this interesting and well-written blog post while trying to figure out if I was the only one who found this reference to be deeply misogynistic to the point where I stopped enjoying the song - but I realize as a white, (non-american) something may have passed me by.Is he painting a picture of being rough in the bedroom or is he making it clear to her that no matter how far she reaches professionally he will always be her superior? She has expressed an submissive stance earlier that intrudes with my listening experince, like in 'upgrade u'(Still play my part and let you take the lead role).
    I realize this discussion is about race and music rather than misogyny or feminism,(and I also realize I might be extra sensitive to these things coming from a scandinavian culture which is more progressive concering gender equality)- but seeing all the eloquent responses to the original post I figured you might help me clear this up? :-)

  82. Posting: Cracka Boy: On Black cluelessness and defending beyonce, who steals dance moves form white people.

    Of the many things I found highly offensive to all white people (as he does categorize his address to this young, uninformed white girl as a slight to all white boys/girls) was his...(uh-oh careful it's an ellipsis) "eat all the cole slaw and unseasoned chicken" comment. Having cooked for a house full of black people, as in I was the only white boy, for Thanksgiving, I received praise upon praise-and I done cooked me up some chicken! And in the South, and to some serious country folk. I am typically the only fleck of white rice when I visit a KFC in the ATL-in ANY part of town, but alas we can't cook good chicken. I scoff at thee. Aside from that, yes this girl seems to be lacking the skills to recognize what some would say are obvious references and her POV may be mostly, or all, white influenced. Having said that, that is like me picking out the dumbest, most ignorant black person that may be interviewed on the local news and me saying that is what represents all black people. Do people make that stereotype? yes. But it is still wrong. Just as this young man's assault on this girl is, as if her ideas and article represents all white peeps. On top of that, I can easily show you just as many black kids, or those in the same age group as this white girl, who have NO CLUE about Animae eat the Cake. Even if you spelled it out, "Anna Mae..." they would still be clueless. On top of that Beyonce is a semi no talent, an entertainer for sure, a good spirited person, but her voice is suspect. We could talk about Jennifer Hudson instead. And Jay Z is done. Old Jay-Z=awesome. But new Jay-Z is cocky and has no meaningful, good releases to back his attitude up. And Beyonce? Hasn't she stolen many dance moves and choreography for MANY of her songs? And it's usually white folk she be stealing them from. Day-Um I might feel a little weird posting this if it weren't for so many black folk who agree with me-(REAL black folk, not the triflin' ones wigging out over levels of color-they all shades believe that), even MORE adamant that I, about what I've said about Beyonce. It sounds like jealousy to me, this "Mr Black Writerperson"...

  83. ...Imitation is the highest form of flattery-if the girl gets her "black inside jokes" wrong, which makes sense as to why she would-hello its a BLACK INSIDE joke, or so he says, then educate her, and yes use some comedy mixed in with some careful, or careless, sarcasm-she won't get it anyway. But please don't hold me, and many other white boys/girls up to your pure and just Black candle, because quite frankly my brother you done making a mistake. We, as a whole, are not accountable for her ignorance and misinformation as you generically refer to her and thusly are including me and every white person out there-unless you want me to put you in a similar stereotypical light. And please don't defend Beyonce as someone who is so upstanding in her music when she obviously has copied people and never gives them credit-see that works both ways and for some, like this cat, if we were ALL one color-he probably would have NO problem with copycats, mashups, samples, etc. But if a white person imitates a black person and does not give propers, he (as do many others trifling cats) gets mad, while simultaneously and quite hypocritically, does not confess the same of blacks unto whites-copycatting, that is. Sounds like a jealous cat with too much time on his hands. And let's be real-if Aerosmith did not welcome RUN DMC into mainstream and be their crossover introduction into white households, who knows where they would be, or at the very least how much longer it would have taken them to get, "paid and laid, not 'jayed or 'fraid, and stayed and made", and known! I hated when they came out with Walk This Way-I liked DMC way before and I like to separate my rock and rap-which, too, btw has been put together in many a rap song-you don't hear me bitchin' about it. Ima half to drop ma mic now, and Krush!! Lesson ova. haha. ...(oops its another ellipsis) And that's just off the top of my head-no craftin necessary or warranted for my refutation of this young mans impersonation of a white public defamation, thinly guised but is overt racism. Peace BTW me=white boy, with BLACK wife and 2 black brother-in-laws and many a biracial nieces and nephews. Everyone should check out my mans FB page and see true racism-from a white girl that obviously cant season chicken bc shes white to dating outside your race being a "pathology". Do you even know the definition of a pathology? HAHA-SMH I wonder if the pathology is one the black person "suffers" from when dating a white person? Or is it the white person who has the pathology? Uh-Oh, careful there or that might be considered white racism. But if the former, then that's just a black person having a (light-sknned-ED) identity crisis. Haha-ya'll is just too funny for this cracka. However, ...this crackas much blacka than you. I got a black wife, how 'bout you. I bet you got a blonde, blue. This cracka, BOOM BOOM, this cracka, BOOM BOOM, this crackas MUCH BLACKA THAN YOU! Aww Yeah!!

  84. Cracker boy back-Im not defending this girl, or making a verbal assault on my man here-just saying there ARE white folks that know black culture-if you have a problem with that, thats ur fault. Please dont lump me in with this girl. Last 2 long posts are mine too. ...Unfortunately, the kids today, both black and white, have no clue about where music prior to the day they are living in, comes from. And some might argue equally unfortunately, but I wouldn't, the whiter audience is what shot black music to fame. Talking about biting the hand that feeds you. Forget NWA, Luke Skywalker aka Luther Campbell will tell you all the frat parties he played helped shoot him to a higher fame w more money. Now, not saying he is exactly the prototypical rapper, and he obviously pandered to his audience, but the fact is frat boys and white america shot rap to fame-as far as $$$ goes. I mean I have old newspaper articles, being a collector of such things-music and rap skyrocketing that is, not that whites made them the dollarZ, but the two are incontrovertibly tied together. And I very vivdly remember having some triflin cats calling white boys racist in the 80's simply b/c they did not like rap or want to give it a chance. And it was THRUST down white ameriKKKas throat as well-I didnt mind and was aboard before that hot mess. But still, One might argue that's what some folks get for jamming their music down persons throat who did not want to support it from the gitgo-which probably was racist based, and that is an uneducated public about black music. it's easy to cast aspersions, bhut who is trying to educate anyone about it? I dont see anyone. it's like some trifling bruthas want to just say, "Ya'll whites are ignorant and listen to our tish and get all the references wrong and don't know tish." I know I attempt to educate somebody when clueless, but the unfortunate outcome, or some would say it's unfortunate (again I wouldn't) is that it's no longer a "black thing." And that REALLY bothers some people. it's like "Our Thing." Cosa Nostra, but for the bruhs. Cant claim something, want people (excuse me the MASSES) to make you rich off it, then refuse to educate or explain the background to songs, cultures, etc and at the same time ridicule those who be makin ya rich. That's some whiny tish right there. I remember when Mexicans rallied, hundreds walked by my house, which was in a heavily populated illegal immigrant area on Buford Highway in GA-and gathered nearby at Plaza Fiesta, and across the nation, to protest the immigration laws that were being passed. As if I need to say htis, but I was not for those racist laws and was not running scared b/c Mexicans were on my lawn-hell I jogged through them and then joined the rally. BUT, remember what happened after that?? Deportations, mexicans on the run and I saw all black work crews in my neighborhood, which was heavily Mexican. Soooo, while the masses are still white, it's a tough decision to alienate your purchasing base. One might not like, but please someone tell me that isnt the case? We all know it is. It doesnt mean bloack people, as a whole, do not have buying influence and power, just that white purchasing power and yes, the 10-early 20 year old white girls in particular. To quote a "black saying" (sarcasm) "dont hate the player(s) hate the game".

    1. Why would you feel the need to respond to defend yourself? I'm always amazed at how narcisstic some are...this had nothing to do with you. Damn.

  85. One person here said it best, I think it was a female, and it was to this effect: "Damn, white people just cant let black people have anything." I do understand your emotions, but hell, if I was black I would be PROUD as tish and not trying to proved I'm better, smarter, etc. than white folk. Sounds like an inferiority complex. The cradle of civilization is AFRICA-it's a known fact-so the jokes on white people. We ALL come from the Mother Continent. it has been 100% scientifically proven, so why the color beef? If you're hating on someone, and ridiculing them, brotha you might just very well be dissin your great X 10 granddaddys momma's sisters descendants-aka your great cousins. Imagine that? Tough to swallow? Well, its true-we ALL related. ...And have I been the victim of racism? Did I mention I live in Atlanta? Ive been told I am not going anywhere in a company b/c I was white, and then fired for no reason. had this happen twice. Oh well, that's life. ...Pulled over by cops in an almost all black area my friend lived in in NY, and we went out for more beer just before 2 a.m. 5 of us got pulled over and thrown against a wall and batoned for a quick sec and thrown into and held in a police car. Meanwhile, I HEAR on the RADIO that the 2 suspects that eyewitnesses called in for a crime were both black. We were all white. Now this happened on the way to get beer. On the way back, got pulled over by SAME COPS. Oh well. How many of yall can say that? White boy has some stories and can be backed up if necessary. doesn't make up for what I'm sure most of you have experienced, but please don't think all white people have it easy. Because I am on hard financial times with all my college degrees here in atlanta, and if there is a "White Man line her for GREAT jobs, FREE healthcare and CAREER STABILITY, will one of yall please tell me. Pretty Please! Cause, as my black wife will attest, we apply to the same damn jobs all the time and shye gets them over me. So, I guess I missed that line, but will give $$ and Finders Fee to ANY one that can point me to that line. Because here in the ATL, I see exactly OPPOSITE of that.

  86. I can't believe how fuckin racists y'all are. A lot of white people are racists, doesn't mean we all are! And just because someone makes a racist comment, doesn't give you the right to say one back! That doesn't make you any better than them! People act like black people have a right to say shit like "the white man" or "fuckin crackers". UM NO you aren't any better than a racist white person. I am married to a black man and get put down by WHITE and BLACK people. I see nothing but stereotypes

  87. Let's see I a couple of those comments-and a pair I didn't. Sooo, that's the problem w open forums like this-shoulda logged on with Gmail acct. People pretend to be same person extending a thread, when in fact not all posts were from me. But alas, every1 is playing right into the hand of getting upset. Although I did think some things the other "anonymous"-well there seems to be many of them- was trying to point out was merely to try to imitate original writer. Who knows, maybe not. But like with many threads, which is why I RARELY type anything in, you have people who write something and that dude, or woman posing as a dude, is long gone after he/she stirs stuff up. For me, yes the girl was off base, but I agree with some posts here, I don't like to be cast in one group as a whole. Bottom line, and from that I wont ever back up my opine. Other than that, if this dude wants to hate on all white girls and call them all privileged, have it brother. If putting people down makes you feel better about yourself, not only do I feel sorry for you, but do whatever makes you feel good.

  88. And with the 1st thread stating, "Ugh these silly ass crackers" and someone refers to oneself as that, why do you have a problem with that? A person of another race is putting down white people, and people are supposed to stand by and let it happen? I don't put up with it if I see it when a white person calls a black person a derogatory name and I shall not put up with it when a black person calls a white person a derogatory name. But again, there seem to be imbeciles in most of these forums. And had I not seen this on a friends page that I like, I would never have been steered here. And I did check out the writers page-and everything the one anonymous person said is true, a white cant cook chicken bc she is white and dating outside your race as being a pathology. SMH on the complete and utter ignorance in the year 2014, practically. WOW!

  89. This is cool. A very interesting post and spot on, but Beyoncé' and co.'s chosen methods of presentation perpetuate all the issues black people have with white people and each other. Kitty is fully representative of Beyonce's core audience. For all she does, It is clear Beyoncé doesn't think a lot of things through, not unlike this Kitty person. Beyonce does little to contribute to any transformation of how black women are represented and accepted in society. That's her prerogative, but I'm less angry at the ignorance of some foolish young white woman when compared with the willful manipulation and self-degradation of famous black people whose acquisition of wealth, gives them a false sense of importance so deep that they ACT like the egocentric garbage they put out is actually some labour of love or empowerment.

    That said, I'd love to hear your thoughts about other things like why its acceptable that black people to continue to use violent or objectifying euphemisms when referencing "lovingly" each other? The Anna Mae line is the epitome of bad taste.

  90. Truly stupid. White Privilege is an absolute myth and you know it. Grow up.

  91. The "anime" mistake was absolutely ridiculous and embarrassing.


    Just because someone references all white people doesn't mean they think it has to be white to be okay or that they are culturally appropriating. Getting this indignant about it is just as ignorant as you're accusing the liveblogger of being.

  92. If my children were this stupid I would eat my young.
    That said, bravo on Miss Turner not even acknowledging this song's existence.

  93. Did I miss something?
    Where is everyone getting "racism" from in an article about the co-opting of culture and this generations ignorance that it is happening??

  94. I Love this post BUT i LOVE Carla Chambers(whoever she is)'s comment more!

    "Carla Chambers said...



  95. I'm exhausted after reading some of these comments! But the reason I actually wanted to comment here was to ask a simple (and maybe silly?) question: Can you please explain to me what the "in joke" is about "eat the cake Anna Mae"? I was just lead to your blog post after reading comments on an Australian website and someone linked you in, and I found your blog post to be quite amusing and spot on at times. I was quite disappointed with Beyonce's performance at the Grammy's the other night, it just lacked "oomph", and after realising what the lyrics were in J's part of the song (I heard him say Ike Turner during the performance and was like wahhhhh?), I was curious to find out why on earth they would be uttered? So if you can explain to me what the "in joke" is I'd be most appreciative! Then I can hopefully put something in to context as to why why why it was used! Thanks!

  96. Natalie FisherJanuary 29, 2014

    Hello any human beings out there? Any women?
    So everyone just glossed over the actual point that upset me which was the actual lyric eat the cake Anna Mae being a ref to the very real and violent abuse that beautiful Tina Turner went through. I don't care as much about the rest. There is a lot of ignorance stereotypes and assumptions going on in these posts and As I read comments there's a few that hurt me coz they hurt us all. For example the white apologists sorry for existing after the terrible things that have happened, the assumptions that all white people consciously keep black people down, we all live in gentrified areas blah blah blah, well I don't nor do all the white people that are homeless in this country, it's not a competition, in case you didn't notice the world is controlled by a few elite who love to see this division as it distracts from the fact that every one is now a debt slave under the system we live in, as for history lessons, I am half Irish! did you know about the fact half of Ireland were sold as slaves to West Indies aristocracy before black slaves? That they were listed as animals and worth half the cost of a black slave? Talk to me about being uneducated because I am white, 99% of whites as you put it crystal are uneducated in matters of importance regarding race ethnicity etc. well I'm not and I won't shut up or be told I am defensive! I am defending yes my should and humanity and everybody's collective humanity against hate to each other! I find it offensive to even talk about people as blacks whites gays etc! it's really obnoxious? yes this article is really angry and really racist. My kid is mixed heritage as are half her class, our town had more mixed kids than any city in Europe so to those kids this would shock them! they don't see it so black and white and I'm glad, my daughter is Irish French and Iranian and she raps and beat boxes, she is 9 , she didn't steal anyone's culture, that is her own culture living in the u.k as it is part of the mainstream but it's probably ok coz she's brown and has really dark curly hair and dark eyes, but the little ginger or blonde kid isn't allowed to rap? Check yourself people, in psychology it's called projecting, when you attack others and dismiss them because culturally as a people you feel that has been done to you, what are you but more of the same problem? I'm glad none of my black friends have these attitudes, they are all secure in who they are and don't need to belittle others to validate themselves. It really is shameful they passive aggressive undertones and outright racism towards 'whites' What would Mandela say to these comments eh? Bet some of the same people dissing and dismissing also hailed him as a hero when he passed, maybe Bob Marley is revered also? You can't have your cake and eat it, pardon the pun, they both preached love and equality so let's see some of that, just coz the world is fucked up there's no need to judge individuals you never met, a great many white people have given their whole lives to helping achieve justice for black people under oppression, it's really disrespectful to them and ironic to judge them with same ignorance they were standing up against for others don't you think?

  97. Can you please explain why Jay Z would rap the lyric eat the cake Anna Mae. I get the reference from the movie What's Love Got To Do With It. But what's the inside joke? It's a heartbreaking scene that shows just what a bastard/loser Ike Turner was. Why would Jay Z want to associate himself with Ike Turner especially in a song about being in love and having awesome sex with his wife. And yes I'm white. I was born this way.

  98. Cry the fuck more, nigger.

  99. This is some of the most racist shit I have ever read. Maybe you should read it on your racist media network. BET would be a good place to start.

    People like you make your entire race look like animals. Enjoy the hatred you bring upon yourself.

  100. *yawn* I dont care either way, but I didnt think it was funny or intellectual. It is easy to make fun of the obvious.

  101. Stupid WhitefolkFebruary 18, 2014

    I liked the part where you were condescending and brought no insight. I particularly enjoyed your assumption that any cultural context other than your own is invalid. Oh, you know what else tickled my pickle? The way you managed to call out all "Whitefolks" for relating to their surroundings by referring to their own cultural context, thus being culturally inferior, while simultaneously claiming cultural superiority simply for being black. Oh excellent. But my favourite part about this article is the way your condescendingly titled "teachable moments" were shallow and failed to actually provide insight. White people are obviously the only people who are ignorant to other cultures, so we obviously only need to state that "everything isn't influenced by Whitefolks"! Any culture encompassed by "Whitefolks" is obviously unimportant, so clearly Whitefolks need to be taught to learn about your superior culture. Irish, English, Scottish- fuck Whitefolk and their individual cultural backgrounds. Influence is clearly one-directional! Thank you so much! Of course you weren't ignoring the influence of the lens of cultural context by assuming that Kitty Pryde initially thought of Miley Cyrus because she is immersed in this particular element of pop culture. We needed to be enlightened, and goodness me, we certainly are. And finally, most importantly, we don't need to talk about whether Beyonce is romanticising domestic violence! FUCK THAT SHIT. The important part is putting stupid fucking Whitefolk IN THEIR PLACE.

  102. I gather you believe people should be prohibited from or entitled to a culture exclusively on the basis of race?

    Why should I owe YOU congratulations for, or should YOU take any pride in, the contributions of African American individuals?

  103. I'm Latina and I thought Jay-Z said "eat the cake, anime" as well. Not everyone was born in the time of Tina Turner. Not everyone saw that one specific movie. I have a feeling that there are Black people (I know a few Black anime-nerds so this is totally possible) that thought he said "anime" too. Calm your tits. lol

  104. Hilarious. I found this article by entering the phrase "eat the cake anime" into google and searching. I wanted to know why the heck he would say that and what anime he watched. LMFAO

  105. Or maybe she just hasn't seen a movie about a singer from way beyond her time considering the fact that she's TWENTY ONE years old...

  106. I could've sworn I heard anime, too. There is a trope in anime where there's always one character obsessed with sweets. I literally thought cake = beyonces ass, tying into the sexual theme of the song and the anime part was supposed to be clever.

    That being said, I think the other points you made about her comparing the songs to white artists were just... off. I literally do that shit all the time. Ifthere is a specific sound to a song I've heard somewhere else, I will allude it to that because that's what I heard first. It has nothing to do with race. The Anna Mae misconception is understandable, but not everyone knows Tina Turner's background or has seen the movie.

    Just. This article was reaching hard to be offended. Not many 20 something white girls are brought up with black culture and to turn something this unimportant into a race thing is just... :l
    A Latin@

  107. Did her live blogging really warrant such a viciously scathing hit-piece?

    She made some dumb comments on Twitter and didn't get a reference to a film that's probably older than she is, and for that she gets utterly character-assassinated by some passive-aggressive dickhead putting words in her mouth. About 80% of what you wrote here is completely unnecessary; by all mean call out her ignorance, but there's no need for such cruelty. I guess you saw an easy target here.

    Cultural appropriation (theft) in rife in American music, but Kitty Pryde is merely a symptom (and a tiny, powerless one at that), not the disease. You really went for the low-hanging fruit; how admirable of you.

  108. "And while the line was in fact poor in taste" indeed...

  109. I have never left a comment on a blog or any sort of controversial social media piece but I wanted to share the interesting method by which I arrived at this piece today. I was procrastinating (as per usual) by surfing around some social media vessel when I read in a random bio “Thank you Based God”. I had heard that phrase before and finally I was like, “who the/what the fuck is Based God?” So there I was, perpetuating my procrastination looking up Based God, who, as it turns out, is rapper Lil B. I’m probably a little off in my understanding but what I gathered from my brief research is that Based God is what he likes to call himself when he’s fucking your woman (lol). If you search for Lil B in google the first video that comes up is for his song Wonton Soup and I was like, “Yum” so I decided to listen to find out who this Based God fellow is. After the charming intro about Based God fucking your girl and eating Wonton soup (again, YUM), the first line of the song is literally “Eat the cake like Anna Mae”. Hmmm, where have I heard that reference before? I looked up the release date for the song and confirmed that it had indeed been released well before Beyonce and Jay-Z’s “Drunk in Love”. So I got a little curious… just how many songs have included Anna Mae allusions? So I searched, “songs containing Anna Mae references” or something like that and, as expected, the results were greatly overshadowed by controversy sparked by “Drunk in Love” (and rightfully so). Then I searched some other variation of the topic and that’s how I ended up here… and boy am I glad I did! I at first planned on not reading the article because I have homework and shit to be doing so… but then I saw the snarky remarks starting to look like a real verbal schooling of some girl named Kitty Pryde. I was hooked! First I went and checked out her live blogging session or whatever and that was some sickening bullshit to be sure. Like, super-embarrassing-how-could-anyone-publish-that-shit-on-her-behalf, sickening kind of bullshit—especially the “I EAT THE CAKE, ANIME”. Both horrific and pretty fucking funny. I also watched her “rap”. Lollllll. That’s all I have to say about that! Then I read your post, which is very well written and immensely entertaining. Who doesn’t love reading a good internet verbal smack-down/cultural appropriation schooling?! AM I RIGHT?! So I’m reading along and then I see it: Lil Wayne and Lil B. I’ve gotta hand it to ya… Lil B’s use of the Anna Mae reference seemed pretty lacking in any sort of meaningful metaphorical sense. I simply think it’s a little funny that I had found your post in the first place because of his use of the line in his song before Jay-Z’s. But yes… YIKES! Kitty Pryde is one (likely) uneducated and ignorant girl. They’re everywhere. Shit sucks. However, I’m gonna go ahead and throw it out there that there are a lot of ignorant and uneducated youths out there of all races and ethnicities. Shit, there are a lot of ignorant and uneducated people out there, PERIOD.
    Again, I really enjoyed reading this post. But, there are a few things I would like to say. First, I am a young, white woman. I was not raised in a super diverse place. However, I don’t think that means that I’m a naturally ignorant, culture appropriating member of the “white folks”. Also, I happen to really enjoy rap music—and NOT the Lil Wayne/Lil B kind. Does that mean I walk around twerking on shit and throwing up gang signs because I think it’s a cool thing to do? No. Do I try to attribute the features and accomplishments of black-musician’s work to white influence? FUCK no. I sincerely hope that pitiful people of the likes of Kitty Pryde don’t influence people into believing that all “white folks” behave this way. Music is good, regardless of who made it. There are white rappers who have put out quality rap that is arguably better than the mainstream shit (Lil Wayne, Plies, Flo Rida, etc.).

  110. AnonymousMay 18, 2014

    fuck you NIGGERS. you should have never been freed you stupid NIGGERS. Go eat your fried chicken and watermelon coon you fuckin black pieces of shit. Id spit right in your spook face if id see it

  111. dear nigga this its not your culture
    if you Google African culture you will see your real one
    and blacks should kiss white people ass for bring them from Africa oh wait black sold black to the white
    black will never have the same good life in Africa if they never get help by white
    and I see a lot of blacks shit dress like white people and no one say something black music are the shit

  112. To the writer:
    You sound like you're taking credit for an entire genre of music and the influence that culture had on the public conscious just because you're black.

    But then where's your album? Even if hip hop is created mostly by black musicians, they draw influences from a lot of things outside of black culture. Lupe Fiasco from anime and nerds, Wu Tang from kung fu movies, Erykah Badu and Mos Def are very political while Lil Jon just wants to party. Jay-Z samples from Indian music and German techno samples from American hip hop. So it's a very diverse landscape and everyone draws from each other. It's not "culture appropriation," it's globalization, and it'll only happen more and more as the world become more connected, and it's a good thing. Why not learn from each other and appreciate each others' cultures instead of "claiming" certain things belong to you based on the color of your skin?

    Either way you personally as an internet writer that most hip hop artists don't care about or read, you had very little to do Beyonce's new album. A Chinese rapper living in Shanghai should be considered a step of you in the hip hop hierarchy. What you do > what you say > the color of your skin

    To the racist commentators: You are guilty of the same thing. Colored Boy is clearly an American, and a part of American culture, not African culture. He is influential and this piece has gone viral and effected the thinking of many Americans, not Africans. Saying that African culture is black culture and American culture is white culture is taking credit for things you had little to do with, you're just picking sides based on the color of your jersey.

    I don't understand the outrage of either side of this argument. It's so petty and arbitrary to me.

  113. WOW!! a racist post by an obviously racist nigger. and if you scroll through the comments section, nothing but racist comments by more racist niggers. I've got a fucking idea, let's send your black asses back to Africa. or you guys can all move to ONE city. preferably Detroit. you become your own nation. you elect your own officials. you depend on your OWN people. whites will not pay for your welfare anymore. you can take ALL of the white nigger wannabes to. I'm sure it won't be long until you kill them all off because of their skin color. but they will NOT be allowed back onto our side. you think you've got it so rough. you constantly look to play that race card that you love to play. so let's take that card and rip it up. then let's get rid of your sorry asses.

  114. Annnnddddd it's that motherfucker spouting hateful shit that I implore this author to keep writing about the subjects he does. There's obviously more educating that needs to be done.

  115. Reading this article was a waste of time. I'm a colored person and crap like this is defeatist and counter-productive. And Beyonce ain't shit. Grow the Hell up and get a more positive attitude. Negativity and anger lead to self-hate and depression, which applies to all people, not just whitey.

  116. AnonymousMay 03, 2015

    stupid nigger


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