Why People Need to Stop Criticizing White Rappers

Lately, we've all seen a ton of divide among everyone about race. This argument has been especially highlighted because of all the police brutality, new president, and immigration laws.

It is really important for minorities to stand up to injustices and make sure their voice and the voice of their community is heard. We must all take steps to make sure we are setting up and actual equal world for our future children.

Lately I've been reading a lot of articles about what white people can and cannot do. As, a minority, I agree that white people come from a higher privilege and should use that to help others who are not as fortunate. But when do people trying to be "PC" take it too far?

One article claimed that white rappers such as Post Malone, Eminem, and Logic are problematic because they adopt the rapping style and profit off of it while being white.

The cultural divide of what trends, styles and music belong to whom, become a bit blurred when it comes to certain things. For example, many people of color have called out other people for things like: laying their edges, having long and over the top designed fingernails, braided hair.

For the sake of what actually happened in history: let's break it down. Yes, there was a lot of discrimination against black people. They were under-appreciated and shoved into low-income communities and treated as lesser. This is not an argument.

In these same low-income communities, we find those who were labeled as "white trash" and all the Hispanic people as "dirty Mexicans." Hispanic children, white children, and black children all intermingled, grew up together in these neighborhoods. They learned customs together, ate together, played together, listened to music together. The "chola" era back in the late-80s to early-90s began with Hispanic women and their gangs. Big hoops, laid edges, big nails were a big part of their culture as well as for black women. White children who grew up invited to dinners and to hang out with black children adapt and grow into the same cultures. (Braids—by the way—are dated far back in many cultures whether they be dark or lighter skinned.)

This fusion of cultures and race is what happened to Eminem.

Eminem grew up in some of the same neighborhoods as a lot of black people did back in the day—Detroit. He lived the same struggles and customs that all his neighbors did. He grew up around people who listened to rap and it became part of him. He felt the need to rap about his life and how much he struggled.

Some rappers don't rap about anything other than women or money. They don't know what drug addiction, homelessness, or gang related violence feels like first hand. But, these rappers are openly welcomed into the rapping community for being black.

Eminem wrote and still writes about things that are real. He tells stories through his music and a lot of people in his era can relate to his words. He became insanely popular not for being white, but for being a great lyricist, and an amazing rap artist.

Moving on to some "new" guys in the rap scene: Post Malone and Logic.

Logic is actually of mixed race and therefore most people give him a pass. From just looking at him, people criticize that his "white passing" appearance gives him the privilege as well. But he grew up around drugs and also had a lot of struggles. He now advocates and supports many positive messages as well.

Post Malone was labeled as a rapper by pop culture. Post Malone is a young man from Texas who grew up listening to a lot of different music. He learned to enjoy country and rap and rock. He incorporates many different genres into his music and does not consider himself to be a rapper who makes rap- but an artist who makes music.

He understands what he can and cannot do. He respects the boundaries of what language he can and cannot use. He brings in his own style into a genre of music that he enjoys. Most people who have listened to his music can admit, they don't know if they can necessarily call it just flat out rap. It is a fusion.

All music genres and sub-genres we know and love today all started and derived from artists making the music their own and giving it different perspective here and there.

People have even criticized Elvis Presley of appropriating black music. He grew up in a mixed race and low-income community. His parents took him to mixed race churches where he fell in love with gospel music. His heart turned to a certain genre and then he started to make music. Should he be labeled as a cultural appropriator for loving a certain type of music?

Music has not been "stolen" by anyone. Everyone can listen to any type of music, and fall in love with the style. No one can "steal" something away from you. If you love the music and like to perform, go out and make something for yourself. The likes of colored people in the industry are proof that there is room for everyone, as long as you have talent.

Shouldn't we all be able to enjoy music no matter what color we are? It's important to of course, give credit where credit is due, and make sure that those with more privilege are sensitive to the topic of race and all that comes with it. We should embrace the fact that as time goes on, we are all becoming more united. By dividing what some races can and cannot do, those "PC" type of people who want equality are just causing the same divide they are advocating for. More mixing of everything as a united people will and can shape the thinking of people and our future generations will not worry about these types of things.