People are Split on Whether Beyonce's 'African-Themed' Baby Shower is Appropriation
Folks weigh in on Beyoncé's African-inspired baby shower.
DIASPORA—In yet another showing of her love for all things "African," Beyoncé held a baby shower this weekend inspired by the fashion, music and culture of the continent.
<p>Pictures from the event aptly called, the "Carter Push Party," overtook social media, with Beyoncé posting three, striking black-and-white photos of her and <strong><a href="http://okayafrica.com/tag/jay-z" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Jay Z</a>. </strong></p><p>Bey showed off her henna-embellished baby bump and blue and colorful ankara-style skirt, while Jay Z rocked a black <em>fila</em> and African continent chain. Beyoncé's mother, <strong>Tina Lawson</strong>, shared a video of her and some of the attendees, which included <strong>Kelly Rowland</strong>—who wore a flowing number by one of our favorites, <a href="http://www.okayafrica.com/style-2/a-designer-qa-inside-archel-bernards-liberian-fashion-wonderland/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Liberian designer <strong>Archel Bernard</strong></a>—<strong>Serena Williams</strong> and <strong>La La Anthony</strong>, to name a few, in an elaborately decorated "wax-print wonderland" with Fela's "Lady" playing in the background.</p><p><div class="preroll-video"></div><ora-player></ora-player></p><p></p><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-version="7" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 658px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);"><p></p><div style="padding: 8px;"><p></p><div style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 0; margin-top: 40px; padding: 58.19444444444445% 0; text-align: center; width: 100%;"></div><p></p><p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BUXxDb0grod/" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Beyoncé (@beyonce)</a> on <time datetime="2017-05-21T22:35:18+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">May 21, 2017 at 3:35pm PDT</time></p><p></p></div></blockquote><p><script async="" defer src="//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js"></script></p><p></p><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-version="7" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 658px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);"><p></p><div style="padding: 8px;"><p></p><div style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 0; margin-top: 40px; padding: 58.19444444444445% 0; text-align: center; width: 100%;"></div><p></p><p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BUXxFs4AAQJ/" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Beyoncé (@beyonce)</a> on <time datetime="2017-05-21T22:35:36+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">May 21, 2017 at 3:35pm PDT</time></p><p></p></div></blockquote><p><script async="" defer src="//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js"></script></p><p></p><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-version="7" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 658px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);"><p></p><div style="padding: 8px;"><p></p><div style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 0; margin-top: 40px; padding: 58.19444444444445% 0; text-align: center; width: 100%;"></div><p></p><p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BUXxGkogkke/" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Beyoncé (@beyonce)</a> on <time datetime="2017-05-21T22:35:44+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">May 21, 2017 at 3:35pm PDT</time></p><p></p></div></blockquote><p><script async="" defer src="//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js"></script></p><p></p><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-version="7" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 658px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);"><p></p><div style="padding: 8px;"><p></p><div style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 0; margin-top: 40px; padding: 50.0% 0; text-align: center; width: 100%;"></div><p></p><p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BUVPft1B8bU/" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">All theses beautiful ladies at The Carter Push party! ❤️❤️</a></p><p></p><p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by Tina Knowles (@mstinalawson) on <time datetime="2017-05-20T23:03:35+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">May 20, 2017 at 4:03pm PDT</time></p><p></p></div></blockquote><p><script async="" defer src="//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js"></script></p><p></p><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-version="7" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 658px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);"><p></p><div style="padding: 8px;"><p></p><div style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 0; margin-top: 40px; padding: 50.0% 0; text-align: center; width: 100%;"></div><p></p><p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BUZs9jYlhCM/" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">Kelly is just everything 😍 #KellyRowland #CarterPushParty</a></p><p></p><p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by The Top Tea (@thetoptea) on <time datetime="2017-05-22T16:38:01+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">May 22, 2017 at 9:38am PDT</time></p><p></p></div></blockquote><p><script async="" defer src="//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js"></script></p><p>The superstar's affinity for Africa has long been documented,<a href="http://www.okayafrica.com/video/beyonce-fela-kuti-album-the-dream/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> she recorded a Fela-inspired album</a> a couple of years back, she referenced <a href="http://www.okayafrica.com/culture-2/beyonce-lemonade-ibeyi-laolu-senbanjo-warsan-shire/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Afro-diasporic spirituality extensively in <em>Lemonade</em></a>, she visited Nigeria back in 2006 as part of the Beyoncé Experience world tour, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGSQH51bN-Y" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">where she sang the country's national anthem,</a> and she consistently looks to <a href="http://www.okayafrica.com/culture-2/art/awol-erizku-ethiopian-artist-beyonce-pregnancy-shoot/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">African creatives for inspiration and creative direction</a>.</p><p><div class="dfp_atf-slot" data-not-loaded="true"></div><script type="text/javascript">
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</script></p><p>She's often been largely excluded from conversations about cultural appropriation (see: the Beyhive), but there was slight backlash this time around, with some folks arguing that her love for Africa doesn't translate to her making an actual impact on the continent.</p><p>Does the queen only acknowledge the idea of Africa and not the actual place? Does her appreciation for African-inspired looks and culture go beyond just an aesthetic admiration and love of Fela and wax print? Does she play too heavily into the "Africa is a country trope?" As a Black American, is it even possible for her to <a href="http://www.okayafrica.com/news/to-dot-or-not-to-dot-thoughts-on-the-african-american-cultural-appropriation-debate/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">"appropriate" African culture</a>?</p><p>Responses varied.</p><p></p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p></p><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Beyoncé had an African themed Push Party and there was Fela Kuti jolting in the background. I'm smitten</p><p>— Berry (@ericamarisas) <a href="https://twitter.com/ericamarisas/status/866695440523243523">May 22, 2017</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></p><p></p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p></p><p dir="ltr" lang="en">"African themed" party...</p><p>Maybe today isn't the day for me to talk about the homogenising of African cultures, by your faves.</p><p>— Kelechi Okafor (@kelechnekoff) <a href="https://twitter.com/kelechnekoff/status/866574240774017024">May 22, 2017</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></p><p></p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p></p><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Ok, she has no choice but to name her twins Taiwo & Kehinde. <a href="https://t.co/gmoD3YUfJ2">https://t.co/gmoD3YUfJ2</a></p><p>— Uncle Ṣeun (@NigerianBadass) <a href="https://twitter.com/NigerianBadass/status/866290436066902016">May 21, 2017</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></p><p></p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p></p><p dir="ltr" lang="en">African-themed baby shower... The only Africa this Beyonce recognizes is in a dodgy history book she needs to throw away yazi.</p><p>— perfect hlongwane (@poet_perfect) <a href="https://twitter.com/poet_perfect/status/866229944422207488">May 21, 2017</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></p><p>South Africans, in particular, had a lot to say on the matter.</p><p></p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p></p><p dir="ltr" lang="en">For all this Africa themed baby stuff, Beyoncé seems pretty reluctant to come here. Stinks of cultural appropriation.</p><p>— AKA (@akaworldwide) <a href="https://twitter.com/akaworldwide/status/866561264302084096">May 22, 2017</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></p><p></p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p></p><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Solange: I'm performing for my fans in South Africa</p><p>Beyoncé: what's that? <a href="https://t.co/xgbXjw9QEr">pic.twitter.com/xgbXjw9QEr</a></p><p>— Darren (@darrendehahn) <a href="https://twitter.com/darrendehahn/status/862753428426108928">May 11, 2017</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></p><p></p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p></p><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Beyonce can do everything African inspired, like music, clothing, hairstyle and even baby shower push party. Except for touring in Africa.</p><p>— Chief Of Staff ▪ (@MrNotwane) <a href="https://twitter.com/MrNotwane/status/866603477593706496">May 22, 2017</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></p><p></p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p></p><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Why are people on here saying Africa can't afford Beyoncé when 1) African countries* have very diff economies 2) Even MJ has toured there.</p><p>— EFY (@Bitxina) <a href="https://twitter.com/Bitxina/status/866437793278566401">May 21, 2017</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></p><p>Others came to her defense.</p><p></p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p></p><p dir="ltr" lang="en">What if Beyoncé is busy planning the biggest tour for South Africa and AKA out here trying to ruin it with his mouth? <a href="https://t.co/6INIGjuuLP">pic.twitter.com/6INIGjuuLP</a></p><p>— Inno (@Innomatijane) <a href="https://twitter.com/Innomatijane/status/866641326779109376">May 22, 2017</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></p><p></p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p></p><p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/akaworldwide">@akaworldwide</a> Beyoncé has been to South Africa before in 2003. She's performed in Nigeria. She hasn't performed here because we can't afford her.</p><p>— lusanda beauchamp (@lusandabeau) <a href="https://twitter.com/lusandabeau/status/866645192161579009">May 22, 2017</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></p><p></p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p></p><p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/akaworldwide">@akaworldwide</a> For Beyonce to be African enough for you She must come perform in Africa? That's some dumb logic right there.</p><p>— moi me (@domCheddar) <a href="https://twitter.com/domCheddar/status/866615284232335360">May 22, 2017</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></p><p>There's certainly no denying that Africa is the "wave," right now. Beyoncé has championed this reemergence, and she's done so for quite some time now—arguably even before it was considered a "wave." Of course, none of this puts her beyond critique.</p><p>Africa is not only "now," but "right now," and Beyoncé's unremitting love affair is only further proof of this.</p>
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