This weeks reading, “Theft and Artistry,” was a really fascinating article that made me rethink how much of an impact the way the art/music industry portrays a message through culture.
I found the specific examples of the effects of cultural appropriation in music videos like the Coldplay/Beyonce one very interesting. Cultural appropriation is such a widely debated topic today and a lot of the entertainment industry is having to address this issue. I believe it is very important that ones culture is respected and not stereotyped in any way, although sometimes I think the line between social stigma of “disrespect” seen in art, and art representing another meaning is often blurred.
The quote I feel really illustrates the negative aspect the art/music industry faces today is how “It’s just seems so damn corporate.” Even though these artists, such as Beyonce or Taylor Swift, hold so much power and influence, they are still simply motivated by money and the corporate companies that help to run everything. Corporate will take anything they find the public will be attracted to and reproduce it (such as how Justin Bieber’s song supposedly was based off Latin-American reggaeton), no matter if its appropriating a culture or not. The industry is often so focused on the money aspect of the art that it often ignores the message being presented to the audience and how it might effect others.