Gwen Stefani’s music sparks another cultural appropriation conversation

May 11, 2021 at 08:53 PM CDT

Straight Arrow News

Gwen Stefani Cultural Appropriation

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Critics say Gwen Stefani continues a pattern of cultural appropriation with her newest “Slow Clap” video. Viewers believe her obsession with appropriating other cultures dates back to the 1990s.

Straight Arrow News

Tags: Society at Large

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TAYLOR KNIGHT, REPORTER: ONCE AGAIN, GWEN STEFANI IS STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF CULTURAL APPROPRIATION CONTROVERSY. LET’S GET THIS STRAIGHT.

HER LATEST SINGLE, SLOW CAP, WITH THE RAPPER SAWEETIE DROPPED IN APRIL AND BLEW UP OVERNIGHT WITH 10 MILLION VIEWS ON FACEBOOK IN THREE DAYS, MAKING IT HER MOST VIEWED FACEBOOK VIDEO EVER.

CRITICS ON SOCIALS MEDIA ARE CALLING STEFANI OUT FOR BLATANT CULTURAL APPROPRIATION. THE VIDEO CASTS MAINLY PEOPLE OF COLOR AND SHE WORE ATTIRE THAT’S TYPICALLY WORN IN THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY LIKE BAMBOO HOOPS, LONG BEDAZZLED NAILS, AND THICK GOLD BANGLES.

THE VIDEO ALSO INCLUDED DOUBLE DUTCHING WHICH IS A MAJOR PAST TIME IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY.

THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME STEFANI HAS DONE THIS. LET’S HOLLABACK TO THE EARLY NINETIES.

YEAH SURE GWEN WAS A TREND SETTER BACK THEN, BUT WHEN SHE STARTED WEARING BINDI DOTS AS A FASHION STATEMENT…WELL, AT THE TIME SHE WAS DATING TONY KANAL. HE’S OF INDIAN DESCENT AND A BAND MEMBER OF GWEN’S GROUP NO DOUBT. HIS MOM GAVE HER BINDIS AS A GIFT.

GWEN STEFANI: “I WOULD JUST BE LIKE, ‘OH YEAH I NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT,’ SO SHE GAVE ME A LOT OF BINDIS.“

BUT ONCE THEY BROKE UP SHE SPLIT WITH THE BINDIS TOO.

IN THE EARLY TWO THOUSANDS, STEFANI STARTED USING HARAJUKU CULTURE IN HER MUSIC.

SHE WOULD BRING AN ENTOURAGE OF HARAJUKU WOMEN WITH HER TO EVENTS AND EVEN WORE HARAJUKU ATTIRE, SOLD PERFUME AND CLOTHES AROUND JAPANESE CULTURE.

WHEN PEOPLE STARTED TO CALL HER OUT SHE DEFENDED IT SAYING SHE WAS PAYING HOMAGE TO A CULTURE SHE LOVES.

ASIAN AMERICAN COMEDIAN MARGARET CHO COMPARED STEFANI’S HARAJUKU BRAND AS BLACKFACE TO THE ASIAN COMMUNITY.

THEN IN 2012 NO DOUBT RELEASED A SONG CALLED “LOOKING HOT.” PROBLEM WAS THEY ALSO DECIDED TO DRESS LIKE NATIVE AMERICANS IN THE MUSIC VIDEO.

AFTER 48 HOURS THEY TOOK THE VIDEO DOWN AND RELEASED AN APOLOGY.

DURING THIS ENTIRE TIME MANY HAVE CALLED FOR STEFANI TO STOP USING OTHER CULTURES FOR HER MUSIC, WHILE SOME BELIEVE SHE IS JUST BEING AN ARTIST AND SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO BE CREATIVE.

WHAT DO YOU THINK? DID WE GET IT STRAIGHT?

COMMENT BELOW AND LET US KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS ON GWEN STEFANI’S SINGLE SLOW CLAP.

AND DON’T FORGET TO USE OUR BIAS METER.

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