In Defense of Jay Park, and Korean Hip-Hop, Part 1

I really like music from Asia. I generally find the music industries in Asia to be very interesting. There is so much diversity, instruments, music styles, cultures, languages, and fashion in Asia, and I think that is reflected in music. I think, when you really look at it, the world is reflected in music across Asia. Since I like music from Asia, especially East Asia, I sometimes like to keep up with what’s going on in those industries.

I recently saw an article, several articles, actually, about cultural appropriation and the Korean hip-hop scene. The articles I saw focused mostly on the physical appearance/dress of Korean hip-hop artists--i.e. tattoos, braids, “hip hop clothes”, etc. I’ve read about cultural appropriation and the Korean music industry before; however, I never really paid attention to it--not because I don’t find the topic interesting or important, I just didn’t think that there was anything I felt like saying at the time.

The articles I read recently were about Jay Park, and his cover/version of the song “DNA” by Kendrick Lamar. I know this is “old news” now, but I just have a few thoughts.

I’m going to be completely honest at the very beginning and say I simp a little bit for Jay Park. He was one of my first experiences with Korean hip-hop, so I have a little bit of a soft spot for him. Saying that, however, I can understand that many people, particularly in the west, may find him to be a bit... much. I’m going to preface what I’m about to say with, despite liking Jay Park, I think I am able to be unbiased and I would say this about any artist being accused of cultural appropriation.

Again, I am going to be completely honest. I find the conversation of cultural appropriation within any country’s music industry to be hypocritical, inconsistent, small-minded, and a little boring. I know that may sound wrong, in a lot of ways; however, I’ve been thinking about this for a while and have a few thoughts about cultural appropriation and music, specifically within Korean hip-hop.

Again, I know I’m a little late, but since I recently read about Jay Park and accusations of cultural appropriation, I’m mostly going to be using him to illustrate a few brief points about the inconsistencies, hypocrisy, small-mindedness, and perceived identity attached to hip-hop.

Hypocrisy/Inconsistencies

I think the conversation about cultural appropriation is very interesting. I do think that there are documented cases about people from one race/ethnicity attempting to appear like or claiming to be a member of another race/ethnicity (for example, Rachel Dolezal, Oli London, Elizabeth Warren, and Hilaria Baldwin). I think cases like the ones previously mentioned need to be discussed, and I do think that something needs to be done to address attempting to take on phenotypical characteristics of a particular group, in addition to attempting to take resources, benefits, and roles specifically given to members of a particular group. Personally, I think it is gross and unethical that a person can claim heritage within a group they don’t belong AND receive resources/benefits/roles (such as job positions or awards/grants/scholarships) specifically designated for people of a specific group.

I do think, however, that having a heritage/cultural connection/identification to a specific group is different from having a personal connection/identification with a specific group. For example, I lived in Japan when I was younger--I am not Japanese, but I can identify with certain cultural beliefs/practices because that is what I grew up with. I have a personal connection with Japan, but I do not have a heritage/cultural connection to Japan (because I’m not Japanese). I think having a connection with a certain person, group of people, a place, a song, anything, can be expressed in multiple different ways. Some expressions are more obvious, some expressions are more subtle--both ways are valid (because we all express ourselves differently).

Saying that, let’s pretend we aren’t talking about the way we express our connection to something/someone. Let’s pretend we are explicitly talking about “taking over” someone’s culture and presenting it as our own. Let’s say that with his remix of Kendrick Lamar’s “DNA”, Jay Park is stepping outside of his bounds and is appropriating something he doesn’t belong to. With this statement, we have decided our baseline: no one is allowed to step outside of whatever group they belong to… for any reason. Don’t forget!: this is what we have decided.

If we stuck to our baseline, I might be able to entertain the conversation about cultural appropriation; however, we definitely don’t, so I can’t. The people I have personally spoken to about the idea of cultural appropriation are the same people who have no problem rocking out in karaoke bars, going to Korean BBQ restaurants, eating ramen and sushi (with chopsticks), joining a yoga or karate class, watching kung fu movies and anime, using fireworks to celebrate holidays, or drinking tea. If we aren’t supposed to participate in cultures we don’t belong to, then why are we OK with doing the previously mentioned things? I don’t understand why it’s wrong for one person, or (in the case of the remix) a group of people, to do one thing, because “it’s not their culture”; but, we are OK with participating in that other person’s/group’s culture…. In the music video for “DNA”, Kendrick Lamar himself is participating in a culture that doesn’t belong to him. I didn’t notice it at first, but in the music video, Kendrick Lamar is wearing an outfit associated with Kung Fu, he has objects associated with China in the music video, and has Chinese characters in the video. Is that not technically cultural appropriation? I don’t understand why it doesn’t seem to be a problem that Kendrick Lamar is dressed like Bruce Lee and can use objects/languages associated with China, but it’s a problem that Jay Park and other Korean/Asian artists are rapping and wearing braids.

I think if we were being consistent, there should be just as much outrage over Kendrick Lamar’s use of “Chinese culture” as there is about Jay Park’s use of “black culture”. I think if people really cared about “cultural appropriation”, then they should care about Kendrick Lamar’s “The Damn Legend of Kung Fu Kenny” as much as they care about Jay Park’s original video for “DNA Remix”.

For me, this applies to any conversation about cultural appropriation. If we are going to get mad about one group of people committing the disgusting act of “cultural appropriation”, then we need to get mad at every instance of “cultural appropriation” (no matter where it comes from). If we are going to get mad at Jay Park, then we need to get mad at Kendrick Lamar. If we don’t, why is it OK for Kendrick Lamar to use representations of Chinese culture but Jay Park can’t use representations of “black culture”? Are we concerned that black artists aren’t getting the recognition and respect they deserve and are entitled to, or do we just not like that Asian artists are doing what black artists did first? Do we have righteous anger for black artists, or do we just have some resentment and prejudice towards Asian artists?

Technically speaking, people engage in some type of cultural appropriation every day, be it eating with chopsticks, listening to reggaeton, celebrating certain holidays, going to a yoga class, or watching anime. To be a complete purist, about cultural appropriation, everyone would have to stay within their own groups, and within what comes from those groups, we’d have to practice isolationism or segregation. That’s boring, uninteresting, cruel, and, I think, completely unnecessary. Life is much more interesting and beautiful when we all exchange and enjoy each other’s countries, music, food, languages, clothes, movies, literature, beliefs, customs, and traditions. It’s completely impossible to have true inclusivity and diversity without eventually some type of “cultural appropriation”, or some type of cultural mixing. Since it’s inevitable, since the world isn’t bland and unilateral, since many examples of “cultural appropriation” aren’t malicious, and as long as people don’t claim to be what they are not, with everything that is going on in the world (and within the black and Asian communities) I don’t understand why doing a remix of a song is so upsetting. I’m not saying that perhaps there isn’t a concern or conversation that needs to be had; however, what I am saying is I think that, especially within the context of music, we need to expand our mindsets and refine our ultimate goal a little more.

Small-Mindedness in Music

I’ve previously heard people say that context matters in the conversation about whether or not something is cultural appropriation; however, in the many YouTube comments, articles, and Twitter comments about Jay Park’s “DNA Remix”, we can see that’s not completely true. Jay Park said that the reason he chose to do his version of “DNA”, and hip-hop in general, is because the lyrics, the meanings, the experiences, the attitude and feelings expressed in the song, and songs across hip-hop, resonate with and speak to his soul--which is the point of music. Nevertheless, the context/intention of his actions don’t really matter because, from the articles and comments I have seen, Jay Park is stepping into a sphere he doesn’t belong in.

I think people forget that music is more than just “sound” or “lyrics” or even a "sentiment". Music itself is a language. It is the only language which can cross countries, ethnicities, races, SESs, genders, political beliefs, religions, sexualities, and any other category out there. Music is the only language which can completely describe and capture the human experience. When music is good, you can feel it. When it’s good, it feels like electricity in your body or like butterflies in your stomach or like when you’re just about to go down the highest point of a rollercoaster. No matter the genre or form, you can feel music emotionally, mentally, spiritually, and viscerally.

Like with all languages, there’s a dialect that speaks the most to each of us. Personally, hip-hop doesn’t move my soul like other genres do; however, it moves Jay Park’s, and other Asian hip-hop artists’. So, as a person and as a musician, hip-hop is the medium Jay Park can best express himself, his experiences and views, and what’s going on in his mind and spirit--so, who cares if he wants to rap, do his version of song originally created by a black artist (or an artist from any other race/ethnicity), or encourage others to do the same? Who is any one of us to tell Jay Park, and others, that he doesn’t belong in a sphere that deeply moves and inspires him, and a sphere he cares deeply about? We wouldn’t do that in any other field or professional/artistic space, so why do we do that in music?

I think it is also important to understand that Jay Park is not taking anything away from black artists by covering/remixing a song by a black artist; similarly, a black artist would not be taking anything away from Jay Park if they chose to cover/remix one of his songs. I think it’s very narrow- and weak-minded to think that there is some type of corruption or degradation of black artists’ influence in the music industry if someone from a different race/ethnicity covers or expands on their work. There is no doubt, in any rational person’s mind, the important, valuable, and extensive influence black artists have made in the world of music. No matter who covers or remixes or changes or expands on the work of black artists, the historical, cultural/social, and professional impact and influence of the black community will never be belittled, taken away, or destroyed.

I also think it’s important to understand that music doesn’t just belong to any one person or group. Music is not something that can be explicitly owned or appropriated because it’s something that deeply impacts, speaks to, and influences every person, in one way or another. For many people, music is freedom, it’s what gives them a voice, it’s how they find their power and potential, it’s what gives them a sense of connectedness, belonging, security and hope, it’s what brings them out of the darkest depths--as dramatic as it may seem, for some, music may be the difference between physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual life or death. I don’t understand why we would want to take away someone’s freedom, peace, security, or voice just because they don’t fit into a little box.

Additionally, I think it’s important to understand that certain concepts/ideas within hip-hop aren’t exclusive to the black community. There are certain ideas, experiences, and concepts which easily and accurately translate to other cultures and people groups. While I think certain concepts and presentations are generally associated with hip-hop, I don’t think it’s beneficial for anyone to get into the mindset that these concepts and presentations are only common in and represent the black community--not only because of the differences within the black community, but also because of the differences and variations within other communities and groups. Every person, every group, regardless of where they come from, SES, race/ethnicity, sexuality, religious and political affiliation, profession, etc. all experience the same things: every culture, every society, every group, every person all experience love, anger/hatred, pain, sorrow/sadness, jealousy, lust, cruelty, abuse, greed, loneliness, desire, prejudice and discrimination, and frustration. The only difference between every one of us is that we express our experience with these things differently--some of us write poetry or short stories, some of us take pictures, some of us cook and bake, some of us create films and videos, some of us exercise, and some of us hip-hop. Everyone copes differently, everyone expresses themselves differently--who are any one of us to tell someone else that their way of expression or coping is invalid? As long as the coping mechanism isn’t unhealthy, or dangerous to themselves or others, who cares how someone processes, understands, and works through their experiences?

I think that hip-hop is becoming the genre that speaks to people the most. I think that hip-hop is no longer being seen just as the genre of rebellion, sex, drugs, and high-risk lifestyles. I think hip-hop is being seen more as a genre that can accurately represent the human experience, which I think is what it was originally designed to do. Since hip-hop is being seen more as music of and by the people, wouldn’t it make sense that people from various backgrounds would participate in it?

I think music is incredibly important because, in the end, it really is one of the only things that completely unites us all. I think it’s really one of the only things that relates and speaks to us all. I think it’s a shame to weaponize something like “music” and use it to bring someone, or a group of people, down.