top 10 youtube videos : taylor swift shake it off

Screengrab via TaylorSwiftVEVO/YouTube

New Taylor Swift video blasted for twerking and cultural appropriation

Earl Sweatshirt claims you don't even need to watch the video to know it's offensive. 

 

Ramon Ramirez

Streaming

Posted on Aug 19, 2014   Updated on May 30, 2021, 6:09 pm CDT

Taylor Swift dropped “Shake it Off” with an adorning music video Monday night. The first single from the upcoming 1989 is a dance-centric cut that finds Swift crawling between twerking women. Critics claim it’s an instantly grating, post-Miley Cyrus and Iggy Azalea fit of cultural insensitivity.

Earl Sweatshirt, the brilliant 22-year-old Odd Future rapper, took to Twitter to voice his eye-rolling disdain in what’s been a summer of white people camping out in the R&B and hip-hop charts.

perpetuating black stereotypes to the same demographic of white girls who hide their prejudice by proclaiming their love of the culture

— EARL (@earlxsweat) August 19, 2014

haven’t watched the taylor swift video and I don’t need to watch it to tell you that it’s inherently offensive and ultimately harmful

— EARL (@earlxsweat) August 19, 2014

for instance, those of you who are afraid of black people but love that in 2014 it’s ok for you to be trill or twerk or say nigga

— EARL (@earlxsweat) August 19, 2014

He’s got a point. 

But back to Earl Sweatshirt, the artist. If you’re not familiar with his music it is sprawling and magnificent. “Sunday” is the centerpiece of Doris, one of 2013’s finest releases. Just listen to it instead.

Screengrab via Taylor Swift VEVO/YouTube

Share this article
*First Published: Aug 19, 2014, 11:42 am CDT