Cultural Appropriation in Music and Art

As it is in the 21st century cultural appropriation is considered as something very harmful as a whole. This research essay will focus in evaluating the authenticity of Taiwo’s arguments towards cultural appropriation based on the case scenarios from the article. Cultural appropriation Instances of cultural appropriation are many and widespread around the world. This practice, simply put, is the use of artifacts belonging to one social culture by a member of a different cultural group, (Young and Haley 270). Perhaps an example that has brought a lot of debate and controversy is that of Pope singer Selena Gomez, who donned a Hindu Bindi to a Musical Awards ceremony. Taiwo begins by addressing the conversation is very hostile to artists. He gives a clear deal on the way of music direction through various points in which he gives out in the discussion.

Taiwo also suggests that the heritage of the American people could likely be the reason for the worries but gives an account of how this should not be the case. He argues that mostly the music in which the people were listening to was very simple and straight forward and was not to be the reason as to why the discussion should be based on cultural appropriation. There are some major things that Taiwo talked about and one of them is slave trade as this really was a very huge reason as to why the type of music being played in America was as it was, (King 11). This was not a bad thing according to him and argued that to be able to attract the market for the various musical bits in which an artist is trying to make then he is entitled to do this.

Hair style was a major way in which according to Taiwo cultural appropriation was being shown though he argued it was for the best of the musicians, (King 13). This was not be encouraged at all but in his argument, he indicates how hard it is to stop this culture from coming up in so many places that he saw this observation. Funeral practices are also different from various groups of people. Some of these people make the process fast as some make it long. In my case, if someone dresses in an Asian style and he or she is not Asian, then this can be categorically be classified under culture appropriation. Based on the arguments stated by Taiwo, a counter-argument can be based on strategic views and position that a person from a specific culture can observe and not support while those from the opposite culture do practice them through portrayal of talents and showcase of ideas through dressing and music.

Imitating a specific accent from a certain region can be awesome and entertaining. This can be related with how Trevor Noah, a comedian with mixed origin, South Africa and America, style of mimicking. The action or the show can be rated as a cultural appropriation by a specific group of people though most of the people find it entertaining. A mixture and blending of people are what has triggered the mode of speaking that most of the musician use today. However, the main reason why Taiwo is not worried about cultural appropriation is music is because genres of music were not developed by one specific culture. The use of jazz as an example is a perfect model that most people refer to a African diasporic genre of music though it is reported that the genre was developed from Greece culture.