Cultural Appropriation

[Fidel_Castronaut]

Haven't read anything beyond the OP so sorry if it has already been said.  But why is cultural appropriation anything which even raises an eyebrow.  Isn't imitation the sincerest form of flattery?

I feel like it's a double edged sword. Think about how black people have been entirely pushed out of rock music. On the other hand you great cultural exchanges like Macklemore breaking into the rap industry but respecting the roots of its source. And this is my issue I feel like people don't know the difference between exchange and bastardizing.

There is no difference. Black people do not 'own' rap anymore than white people 'own' rock music.

This line of thinking is so ridiculous it's hard to even form a coherent counter narrative. And not for lack of trying, just because the pro-narrative is so ludicrous and unfounded.

How, exactly, have black people been 'pushed out of rock music'? How do the mechanics of such a thing work and how does that process even operate? Some of my favorite Rock musicians of recent times have been black, including one of my favorite bands of the naughties: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloc_Party what about these guys? https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Libertines

You've probably never come across the British/European music scene, but there are loads of black artists involved in rock and pop music. What about Laura Mvula? Fucking great musician. Or Maxim? Iconic face of the Prodigy who revolutionized happy hardcore and rave in the 90s scene for wider audiences? https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maxim_(musician)

Silliness.