Advertisement
IRL

Lilly Singh accused of cultural appropriation for singing with fake accent

‘To be brown and exist in the same timeline as Lilly Singh is to live in a perpetual state of embarrassment.’

Photo of Brooke Sjoberg

Brooke Sjoberg

Lilly Singh cultural appropriation

YouTube-turned television personality Lilly Singh is facing accusations of cultural appropriation with her remake of the classic “Badman Forward.”

Featured Video

She tweeted out the video of her singing with a fake West Indian accent.

“A classic dancehall tune,” Singh wrote. “Badman Forward remake and this time it’s for the ladies. No matter your size, shape, colour, orientation, preferences or style, this one is for you sister. Tag every badgyal you know! #GirlLove.”

Advertisement

Singh’s use of the West Indian dialect, which is very different from her own speaking voice, has raised a few eyebrows online.

“Why does the only desi representation we get come in the form of Mindy Kaling being a white man’s whore or Lilly Singh appropriating culture, or Priyanka Chopra just being straight up problematic I’m tired of this,” Twitter user @mnlfrhn wrote.

https://twitter.com/mnlfrhn/status/1254969058086260745
Advertisement

Some have expressed a sense of second-hand embarrassment from Singh’s appropriative actions.

“To be brown and exist in the same timeline as Lily Singh is to live in a perpetual state of embarrassment,” Twitter user @yaynova wrote.

https://twitter.com/yaynova/status/1254949384552415232
Advertisement

Another user pointed out a glaring difference between the South Asian Indian and West Indian dialects.

“Ma’am, are you West Indian or Indian from the subcontinent?” Twitter user @timethief420 wrote. “You have to ask yourself if this is your culture to ‘remake.’”

https://twitter.com/timethief420/status/1254916308224733185

READ MORE:

Advertisement

H/T Meaww

 
The Daily Dot