Karol G’s Tone-Deaf Post Highlights the Silence of Reggaeton Stars Right Now
Our country is in turmoil
Photo: Instagram/KarolG
Our country is in turmoil. Countless are fighting for justice. This is not a time to be ignorant. Get educated. Listen to black people. Think before you post. Here’s a perfect example of what NOT to do. Colombian singer Karol G thought an excellent way to exemplify solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement would be to show a picture of her doggy.
https://twitter.com/wheresurthesis/status/1267396475052580864
In a now-deleted post she captioned in Spanish, “The perfect example that Black and White TOGETHER look beautiful,” and she added the hashtag, #BlackLivesMatter. Is something wrong with Karol G, or is she that dumb? Social media quickly schooled Karol G — not before making fun of her — about her ignorant and insensitive post.
https://twitter.com/__mariaramos/status/1267516540846391296
https://www.instagram.com/p/B-Scd7DhRRF/
The 29-year-old artist deleted her post and then apologized for her vulgar social media post saying, “I was wrong and I apologize. I want to make clear that my intentions were right in the photo I posted earlier. I meant to say that racism is terrible and that I cannot begin to understand it,” she wrote. “These past few days have been hard and its extremely painful to see it continue to happen. IT NEEDS TO STOP. There is only one race and that is the human race. I recognize that the way I expressed myself was not right.”
“I am still learning and taking active steps to help, aid, and evoke change and I continue educating myself to understand the experience,” she added.
https://twitter.com/ohsokarlaa87/status/1266769646574645249
Her tone-deaf post shines a light on a much bigger issue: Some in the Latino community have either turned the other cheek to the racism that plagues black people or have exposed their own racism — sometimes both. It’s no secret that some people in the Latino community are racist. Anti-blackness is clearly evident on Spanish-language television, but it’s also in the music.
Karol G… cancelled
Univision… cancelled
Telemundo… cancelled
All other Latinos who are not using their voice to stand up for justice are CANCELLED— ☁️ shortynextdoor ☁️ (@xenhernandez) June 2, 2020
Reggaeton stars have, at times, failed to acknowledge the black roots of their music and culture. And in this current hostile climate, while many are honoring the Black Lives Matter movement, other reggaeton artists have stayed silent. Karol G’s fiance, ANUEL AA hasn’t acknowledged BLM or George Floyd at all, neither has Alexis y Fido, Trebol Clan, and others. Bad Bunny hasn’t been on social media since mid-May.
J Balvin did honor Black Out Tuesday by writing today, “After taking time to speak to those close with me, I am educating myself on the deep significance and horrifying history that is the root of the #blacklivesmatter movement.”
He added, “I appreciate that it is my responsibility as a leader in the Latino community to educate myself of the plight of Black citizens in America – to learn about their struggles and the ongoing, systemic racism they face each’ and more importantly, to learn how I can be a better ally and help change the system through my voice and my action.”
And that is how you do it.
The lesson of the day: if you don’t know what to say, get educated, and listen to black people.
