The Line Between Culture Appreciation and Culture Appropriation

Even in the early emergence of Korean hiphop it's been noted how artists in the early era have been to be straightforward about it - try to be black. I think some may say it's unavoidable because the genre is an export from the America, specifically the Bronx. Korean rapper JP have called out these early Korean hiphop artists in a diss in 1998:

"혹시 그거 아냐? 여기는 미국 아냐

You know something? This isn't America.

얼어죽을 East Side, West Side 외치지만 말고

Stop saying freakin' "East Side, West Side"

제대로 좀 해봐 몇 년 후에 깡통 매봐

And do something real. Or wear a can a few years later. [="go bankrupt and become a beggar."]

그럼 두고두고 땅을 치고 후회할 테니 그럴 테니 하하하하

Then you will regret it for the rest of your life, that's right, hahahaha."

It's also still visible in today's Korean hiphop scene. As I've said in previous posts rapper Keith Ape have been see to have culture appropriate aspects of the Black-American hiphop culture. Og Maco called him out over his "black stereotypes" like grills and lean cups in his It G Ma video.

OG Maco's tweets about It G Ma

Though most viewers have collectively said the track isn't cultural appropriation as most of them have said it was a mere appreciation of the Black-American culture as well as appreciation for Og Maco's 'U Guessed It'.

Zico had similar circumstances in his track Bermuda Triangle where he states a line:

"Were the yellow race but I got Black soul", although this line has been quickly explained as (Zico though stating his Korean "yellow race", through his rap profession he has obtained the 'black culture' or 'soul'. He has somehow praised his music for have the same authentic emotion as the people who shaped 'black music' (RnB, Rap, Soul, Blues etc.) 

Fashion has also been seen to  be culture appropriation, imitating black culture through dreads and grills. Korean rappers have often been criticised and sometimes mocked by the public and often their fans, calling them out e.g.

*https://medium.com/@93/a-look-into-korean-hip-hop-culture-16850a441019

*http://askakorean.blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/whats-real-in-korean-hip-hop-historical.html

*https://genius.com/10926820 

*https://www.allkpop.com/buzz/2015/02/american-rapper-og-maco-accuses-korean-rapper-keith-ape-of-cultural-appropriation-by-copying-u-guessed-it