10 White Celebrities Who Love Black Culture - MadameNoire

When it comes to culture, is it only for a particular ethnic group? The new Moguldom Studios documentary Bleaching Black Culture takes a look at many of the trends and success from the Black community and how it translates into the American culture. From influences in music to fashion, there’s no denying how Blacks have played a role in our nation’s evolving identity. The question is whether or not our contributions have been acknowledged or stolen.

“Don’t do my thing and not give me my share,” says actor Lamman Rucker (Why Did I Get Married?). “That’s when it becomes theft.”

Is Black culture only for Black people? If others try to make contributions, is it cultural appropriation, or theft? You be the judge. Here’s a look at 10 white celebrities who have embraced Black culture. Obviously we can add many more to this list, but what do you think about each person?

Check out the trailer for “Bleaching Black Culture,” which is available on iTunes, Google Play, and Amazon now.

Elvis

Crowned the “King of Rock and Roll,” Elvis Presley is a cultural icon known for his music and fast hip action. With an estimated 600 million albums sold around the world, his legacy continues to live on with his Graceland home and tons of impersonators. While Elvis has noted musical influences from the Black community, there are many who still believe he stole music from less popular African-American artists.

Quentin Taratino

If Sam Jackson vouches for you, does that mean you’re alright?

Quentin Tarantino is a director and screenwriter who has given us memorable films like Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction. While his work covers a variety of topics, one that remains at the forefront is his love of the blaxploitation era. His 2012 film Django Unchained received great praise and controversy as it depicted a cowboy slave (Jamie Foxx) on a quest to free his wife (Kerry Washington) from the hands of Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio). The film was nominated for Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Supporting Actor. (Cristoph Waltz won for supporting actor.)

Critics of Tarantino that include Spike Lee believe he purposely exploits Black culture for monetary gain. He’s currently working on a Django and Zorro comic book project.

Iggy Azalea

Some folks have a lot to say about rapper Iggy Azalea. The T.I. protégé has been making us dance with her songs “Fancy” and “Black Widow.” She currently has the longest-running number one song on the Billboard Hot 100 list and doesn’t appear to be losing momentum. While she’s still a relatively new artist, critics have been quite harsh–questioning everything from her authenticity to her butt. Does her being from Australia make us dislike her?

Macklemore

Many people weren’t too happy with Macklemore and Ryan Lewis’ success. It’s not that they don’t have talent given their songs “Thrift Shop” and “Can’t Hold Us” were very popular. This year, they took home four Grammys including Best Rap Album, Best Rap Song, Best New Artist, and Best Rap Performance. They beat out Kendrick Lamar, Drake and Jay Z, which has some questioning if the industry celebrates the rarity of white rappers.

Eminem

One artist who has earned his respect in the Black community is Eminem. Calling the Detroit area his home since around age 11, Marshall “Eminem” Mathers is the best-selling artist of the 2000 decade. His talent on the mic is just one of the reasons why he has been able to sell over 45 million albums and become the first artist to earn not one, but two Digital Diamond Awards (not to mention Grammys, an Oscar, etc). He’s a complex artist that’s not afraid to use an alter ego.

Vanilla Ice

A run-in with Suge Knight would make anyone reconsider their profession. Putting his break-dancing moves to the test, he experienced mainstream success with the record-breaking album, To the Extreme. Ice made major waves in the early 1990s with songs like “Ice Ice Baby” and “Play That Funky Music,” but later shifted to dreadlocks and the Rastafarian movement. While Robert Van Winkle enjoys more of the rock life these days, he still capitalizes on his time as Vanilla Ice. After a pretty steady life of construction and real estate, Van Winkle returned to his Vanilla Ice persona touring with New Kids on the Block and Boyz II Men in 2013.

Justin Timberlake

Growing up in Memphis, Tennessee, it was hard for Justin Timberlake not to embrace Black culture. Once a lead singer for the popular boy band NSYNC, Timberlake created a name for himself with the success of his studio albums Justified, FutureSex/LoveSounds, The 20/20 Experience and The 20/20 Experience–2 of 2. He’s known for his R&B sound and has collaborated with noteworthy names that include Timbaland, Jay Z, T.I. and Snoop Dogg.

Riff Raff

Some folks might not take the antics of Horst Simco seriously, but he does in fact rap. The Houston, Texas native has no problem showing off his tattoos and bling. Aside from his homemade mix tapes, Riff Raff released two studio albums with the most recent, Neon Icon, debuting at the number 22 position on the Billboard 200.

Baauer

You might not know his name, but more than likely surfed social media to watch videos of the viral phenomenon know as the “Harlem Shake.” In case you were confused, it wasn’t the original dance that came from Harlem, New York. DJ Baauer released the electronic song “Harlem Shake” in May 2012 that grew like wild fire over time. This, however,did not sit well with many folks in the Black community, including MSNBC host Melissa Harris-Perry who considered the reboot a misappropriation of Black culture.