While some artists exercise their outspokenness when convenient, Miley Cyrus is doing so while in the firing line.
In 2013, the former Disney darling ditched the bubblegum Pop of her earlier bops and embraced a more hard-hitting Hip-Hop sound and aesthetic for the ‘Bangerz’ project. A move which yielded her both hits and headlines.
It wasn’t without its issues, though. For, many took offence with what they felt was the star playing dress-up with layer upon layer of cultural appropriation.
The sentiment was lent credence years later when Cyrus, then pushing a more Country kissed project named ‘Younger Now,’ distanced herself from Hip-Hop and claimed it pushed her out.
Now, with recent EP ‘She Is Coming’ seeing her return to similar sonics, a viral video – ironically uploaded by a fan – has probed the problematic nature of this.
Catching wind of this, Cyrus responded.
The video and her comments below…
In an unexpected move, the singer used her official YouTube page to comment under blogger Kenya’s video, saying:
Just watched your video. Thank you for giving me this opportunity to speak up. Being silent is not like me at all. I am aware of my platform and have always used it the best way I know how and to shine a light on injustice. I want to start with saying I am sorry. I own the fact that saying … “this pushed me out of the hip hop scene a little” was insensitive as it is a privilege to have the ability to dip in and out of “the scene”. There are decades of inequality that I am aware of, but still have alot learn about. Silence is apart of the problem and I refuse to be quiet anymore. My words became a divider in a time where togetherness and unity is crucial . I can not change what I said at that time , but I can say I am deeply sorry for the disconnect my words caused. Simply said ; i f*cked up and I sincerely apologize . I’m committed to using my voice for healing , change , and standing up for what’s right. Miley
While we still have reservations, kudos to her for acknowledging her privilege. The “dip in and out” part is one that is particularly resonant when thinking about how many of her contemporaries effectively “rent” R&B and Rap when required, only to do away with it when not.
In any case, one has to wonder whether her words will see her finally embraced by the Urban “scene” or nah.
No one cares what her horse mouth has to . She fuxed up and there’s no turning back from it.
*has to say
This is why culturally appropriating is wrong. For her our culture was a costume and now she is on to the next. Everyone wants to be black until the police come! The Kardashian’s can wear box braids but if any black person comes to work like that, they are being thought of as ghetto!
Nicki Garbaj had no problem “dipping in and out” of hip hop with all those pop tart records. She also had/has no problem dragging female rap unity through the mud to further her career. White musicians are not your punching bag. Keep that same energy.
Wow so true
Nicki started in hip hop tho
Why do u keep talking about Nicki? She is doing us all a favour and keeping quiet….leave ole girl alone she proberly got knocked up by Petty and don’t know who to tell her Barbs?????
So does every Black c*** celebrity who feels becoming “mainstream” is success instead of respecting those who put them on. What’s your point? Skinfolk ain’t kinfolk.
Michael, Prince, Whitney, Janet, and Mariah crafted everything we see in pop today, so how is Nicki culture theieving with pop records?! Hip hop& R&B is pop, which is why Miley had to address this… her doing anything else FLOPPED.
Apology not accepted
F*** that b****!
I’m kind of OVER whether or not white music artists culturally appropriate cause they be FLOPPING REALLY HARD too ? Miley has flopped, Ariana has flopped, Taylor has underperformed, Gaga has flopped, Eminem has underperformed, Katy has flopped and many others…Michael Jackson STILL has the world’s best selling album of all time as he should…Quincy Jones still produced the world’s best selling album of all time as it should be…Whitney still has the world’s best selling female album of all time with The Bodyguard…so carry on hunnies ??? Hell, Lil Nas X is about to have one of the world’s biggest selling country songs of all time (with Miley’s father) and the informed already know that African-Americans helped create the country genre too…now carry ON *Nicki Minaj voice* ? …I love ALL music artists that make great music cause I love music…PERIOD. ?
Thriller will never be topped. Its sales have sold more than most those artists you mentioned entire careers – just that one album! Truly the King ?
Correct me if I’m wrong but isn’t Come On Over by country music artist Shania Twain the biggest selling female album of all-time?
You’re right Caleb! Shania has the world’s biggest selling female STUDIO album of all time! Whitney has the overall female and best selling female soundtrack album…it’s just one of those things! I ❤️ Slaynia!
http://www.mediatraffic.de/alltime-album-chart.htm
Oh I see!
Stop letting these people into the culture and you won’t have these problems. Ain’t black people especially African Americans tired of being picked up and discarded, worn as costumes, milked fo cash? The list is endless. It’s time black people stopped inviting everyone to the cookout protect your culture like every other race does. Black people are too nice. Miley has already put her black costume on she is just waiting for yall to open the door and let her right back in.
She’s only saying this now because the surfer girl country act she was going for didn’t work our commercially for her.
she said a proper apology. she did say sorry, not “sorry if you’re offended.”
i’m willing to her apology. ultimately, if the music is good, i’ll listen to it.
Miley the cultrue vulture at it again. Her country album flopped hard so she turing back to hip hop thinking she can repeat the sucess of Bangerz.
She’s flopping hard that’s why she’s all over the place talking crap.
Miley nobody is checking for u no more. Ur 50 something year old daddy is more relevant than u. Smh
That staged feud with Nick when she hosted VMAs was the final straw. I knew it was scripted but dang that was dumb as hell, after black music helped shed her Disney image & propeled her adult career. IMO she should do more acting projects for now. Her Black Mirror EP was good. Still got that acting chops.