Katy Perry acknowledging her mistakes regarding cultural appropriation, this is extremely respectable of her pic.twitter.com/RkvIhEnXxX
— ㅤ (@touchnick) June 11, 2017
Katy Perry’s attempt to explain to activist Deray Mckesson her frequent and continued appropriation of Black culture did not fly at all with Black women.
“I’ve made several mistakes even in the ‘This Is How We Do’ video with how I wore my hair [in cornrows] and having a hard conversation with one of my empowered angels, Cleo, about ‘What does this mean?'” Perry told Mckesson Saturday, June 10, on his podcast, “Pod Save the People.” “Why can’t I wear my hair that way? Or what is the history behind wearing the hair that way?”
Perry said Cleo explained the power behind Black women’s hair, which the singer admitted was something she “will never understand.”
“But I can educate myself and that’s what I’m trying to do along the way,” said Perry, who is making the rounds to promote her new album “Witness.” “It takes someone to say — out of compassion, out of love — ‘Hey, this is where the origin is … and not just a clap back because it’s hard to hear those clap backs sometimes.”
Black women were not satisfied with the explanation, however.
Culture vulture apology:
I didn't know! I'm learning. Please teach me. Don't yell at me or hurt my feelings when I do it again next week.— Vanessa Veasley (@VanessaVeasley) June 11, 2017
I just…there's a video of Katy Perry crying cross legged on a sofa asking black people to be nicer to her in front of Deray.
— Yemi Thee Stallion (@unicornyemi) June 11, 2017
Your WCW has a new album to sell so she's going on an apology tour but not speaking to the WOC from whom she appropriated. She's 32. 🙃 https://t.co/tIBRDqF7hB
— April (@ReignOfApril) June 11, 2017
https://twitter.com/moepriester/status/873744754470772736
Black women have been telling Katy Perry this for how many years now???? Now she's all "😢😢😢 I just realized that I did it wrong". Girl. Bye
— Jeannette Thee Feminist Influencer 🏳️🌈 (@YaaAsantewaaBa) June 11, 2017
Still, the singer had some supporters.
I’m proud of Katy for acknowledging her mistakes with cultural appropriation. She’s learning pic.twitter.com/uyHd3upmzx
— la bella vita (@drugproblem) June 11, 2017
Katy Perry acknowledging her mistakes regarding cultural appropriation, this is extremely respectable of her pic.twitter.com/RkvIhEnXxX
— ㅤ (@touchnick) June 11, 2017
Black people don't even know what they're mad at Katy Perry for. LOL! Katy doesn't need a pass from you cause she didn't do anything wrong
— SERJEEOH (@SerJeeOh) June 11, 2017
Others claimed Mckesson was taking up for Perry.
So Deray's got a new role playing white woman whisperer with Katy Perry? Clearly I need to step my game up. pic.twitter.com/pLa82LG6lr
— Zoé (@ztsamudzi) June 11, 2017
I see Katy Perry pulled a Bill Maher and got a Black consigner.
— la policia = basura (@HalfAtlanta) June 11, 2017
Militant DeRay: White privilege is violent!
Katy Perry: …so I touched her locs & realized Black hair is truly magical!
DeRay after the💰: pic.twitter.com/ym37dMXAFq
— Haze (@GodSon83) June 11, 2017
Amid the fallout, Mckesson took to Twitter to explain why he had Perry on his program.
I invited Katy, like many others, back in April/March when the podcast was finally coming together. Both schedules led to this weekend.
— deray (@deray) June 11, 2017
Now, I have always understood the way we talk/think about the world to be a key part of any change, esp. w/ artists, hence her invite.
— deray (@deray) June 11, 2017
& if you've listened to my conversation with Katy & have feedback on the questions I asked or approach, please let me know. I'm listening.
— deray (@deray) June 11, 2017
And yes, we talk about race, appropriation, what she's doing to grow and learn. And I ask one/two questions about music.
— deray (@deray) June 11, 2017
