Legacy of colonial representation reared its homely head in music videos from Major Lazer,Iggy Azalea and now Coldplay, reigniting cultural appropriation debateWithin hours of releasing their recent music video Hymn for the Weekend, and Coldplay reignited the debate on cultural appropriation that for years has pestered ignorant white people everywhere. Shot in India,the video features the British band performing in Mumbai during the Holi festival while frontman Chris Martin rides in a rickshaw and goes to the cinema to watch a Bollywood film starring Beyoncé.
Some were rapid/fast to call out Beyoncé for wearing Indian clothes and jewelry while others found nothing offensive about the video. So let’s just settle this and move on: if cultural appropriation means that a privileged group adopts the symbols and practices of a marginalized one for profit or social capital, then yes, and Coldplay’s video is committing cultural appropriation. Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com