Let's Talk Serious:Bruno Mars

Hey Everyone so Last night I thought about how much fun we have on the blog but I don't feel I would be doing my part as a content provider if I didn't talk about things that are a bit serious as well. I was on facebook  when I came across this article discussing Bruno Mars and how he is a cultural appropriator and

So today marks the day, I will be putting some more important and discussion-worthy topics on the blog as well.

Now as an African American Woman and one with great pride at that, I take black culture extremely seriously and I know that cultural appropriation is a huge problem in my community.

Now let's talk about  the definition cultural appropriation

The act of taking or using things from a culture that is not your own, especially without showing that you understand or respect this culture:

Now let's get back to Bruno Mars, I personally am I pretty big fan of his music. I love how he brings the old school sounds of my childhood to the 2000's. I have never heard a song of his that didn't move my body or my soul and I think that's a pretty good thing.

Do I personally think Bruno Mars is a cultural appropriator? 

In all honesty, no, Mars is constantly thanking the greatest African Amerian artists in history including Baby Face, Teddy Riley, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis for being his inspiration. I feel that this is something that people do not understand when it comes to appropriation. Someone is inspired by a culture and appreciating it's music is not the same as seeing someones cultural and claiming it as your own. Bruno Mars is not saying Motown jazz and R&B are his cultures, he's saying this is the music I grew up on and this is what I want to create for my fans.

The more we accuse people who love our culture of stealing it the less interested they will become. We do not want our culture to be alien or taboo to others we just want it to be you know .. ours.

And I personally feel like as long as he is acknowledging the fact that African Americans are a source of inspiration for his music he is not stealing anything and portraying it as his own.
Do I feel that the fact that Bruno Mars is racially ambiguous plays a factor in his success? Maybe but I also think it has to with the feel-good, can do attitude his music presents making his music itself racially ambiguous allowing it to reach all different types of races and ethnicities

This is just my opinion, tell me what you guys think below in the comments?