Bruno Mars Responds To Critics Accusing Him Of Cultural Appropriation: “This Music Comes From Love”
While appearing on “The Breakfast Club” to promote his new single “Leave the Door Open” with Anderson Paak along with their newly-formed band called Silk Sonic, Bruno Mars addressed claims that he was appropriating Black culture.
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During the interview, host Charlamagne the God asked Bruno, “People love to accuse you of being a cultural thief, which I find interesting because you are a person of color. What would you say to those people?” In response, Mars, who has a mixed racial background that includes Ashkenazi Jew, Puerto Rican and Filipino, explained that he does draw inspiration from Black legends like Prince and James Brown:
“I’ll say, you can’t find an interview where I’m not talking about the entertainers who have come before me. The only reason why I’m here is because of James Brown, Prince, Michael [Jackson], that’s the only reason why I’m here. I’m growing up as a kid watching Bobbie Brown saying, ‘Okay, if that’s what it takes to make it, then I gotta learn how to do the running man, I gotta learn how to do the moonwalk.’ That’s it. This music comes from love. If you can’t hear that, then I don’t know what to tell you.”
He added,
“It’s the truth, it’s not a secret. Like I said, we’re wearing the inspiration on our sleeve. What is the point if us as musicians if we can’t learn from the guys that come before us? I hope later on, down the road, there’s going to be a band that’s taking what we did and flipping that, and freaking that, and putting their own spin on it. Because if we don’t, then what was the point of us doing this?”
Charlamagne then asked Mars if he was ever “pissed off” by these claims to which Mars admitted that it didn’t faze him at all. Rather, he understands that Black creators are oftentimes not given the credit they deserve.
“There’s merit to what people are saying about Black entertainers not getting their flowers,” he said. “I’m champion of that, I’m with that. […] I understand. It’s just Twitter, man.”
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