Well consider me dismissive — because at this point no one can explain the difference between appropriation and assimilation. Now, I could think of specific examples that would be of each, but I can’t in any way find out how JT or any other specific white singer is “appropriating” black music rather than just being assimilated by it. In fact, the entire idea of a race owning a style, owning dance moves or owning a sound, is beyond ridiculous to me. It’s a problematic viewpoint.

I would definitely be concerned in a circumstance in which white people were profiting and benefiting wildly from this so called “black music” while the real perpetrators of the music were not getting credit whatsoever — but umm…that’s not happening. I’m not saying it doesn’t happen on a small scale, but broadly speaking black artists are very much given props for their genius and creativity.

As I wrote here on this topic I asked the question of whether it would be better for “black music” to only be made and distributed by black artists and appeal to a black audience or wouldn’t it be better for it to be popularized for everyone? Wouldn’t that be a symbol of acceptance and potentially progress in some way? White people growing up listening to “black music”, even if it was JT or Eminem who originally piqued their interest (but it always expands from there and black artists are going to be in the mix), are far more likely to have empathy for the black community than those who have no ties whatsoever — wouldn’t you think? That’s precisely why JT wrote that he was inspired, because he’s more involved than your average white man in his 30’s.

This isn’t a “be happy with what you have” type of argument. Progress is never good enough until it’s good enough. But don’t get it twisted, white artists who have been influenced by black culture and artistry have helped push those boundaries with the common public and backlash against them is frankly stupid and misguided. Talib Kweli once wrote a beautiful post on here in which he acknowledged that white fans really drove the popularity boost of rap and he was thankful for it, because it opens up an audience to spread a message to. That’s what “appropriation” has done here, it’s allowed the spread of a struggle to seep into a new audience, and they are far more in tune with the issues and far more sympathetic than they may have been otherwise.