Just a few years ago white millennials and Gen Zs considered Elvis the worst cultural appropriationer ever because he recorded "Hound Dog" (written by two Jewish guys from NY) after Big Mama Thorton.
Now he is loved by those same folks and even has an animated series - Agent Elvis.
I am glad they have solid convictions.
He also appropriated Karate from the Japanese. Calling it "My Stuff" (as in "Don't make me use my stuff on you, baby!") doesn't change that fact.
Uh-huh-huh!
I've never heard anyone complaining about Elvis "appropriating" music or him having a tarnished reputation. Some people did think his relationship with Priscilla was perhaps innopropriate but him and his music are still popular today.
Really?
Google: https://www.google.com/search?q=did+elvis+appropriate+black+music&sca_esv=df054736d75a2025&sxsrf=AHTn8zrVVDWtR5LGr2j8L0QMmQzdAl3dXw%3A1738772516647&source=hp&ei=JJCjZ5rsJZ_nkPIPu4K8oAw&iflsig=ACkRmUkAAAAAZ6OeNLhUgEbzVQkmMWjwO4DmflUwmA2U&oq=did+elvis+approoiate+&gs_lp=Egdnd3Mtd2l6IhVkaWQgZWx2aXMgYXBwcm9vaWF0ZSAqAggAMgcQABiABBgNMgcQABiABBgNMgsQABiABBiGAxiKBTILEAAYgAQYhgMYigUyBRAAGO8FMgUQABjvBTIIEAAYogQYiQUyBRAAGO8FSIJzUABYq2FwAngAkAEAmAGqAaAB9w-qAQQxOS40uAEByAEA-AEBmAIZoALFEMICBBAjGCfCAgoQIxiABBgnGIoFwgILEC4YgAQYkQIYigXCAgUQABiABMICDhAuGIAEGLEDGNEDGMcBwgIUEC4YgAQYsQMY0QMYgwEYxwEYigXCAggQABiABBixA8ICCxAAGIAEGLEDGIMBwgIOEC4YgAQYsQMYxwEYrwHCAggQLhiABBixA8ICCxAAGIAEGJECGIoFwgIOEAAYgAQYsQMYgwEYigXCAgQQABgDwgIKEAAYgAQYRhj7AcICBRAuGIAEwgIGEAAYFhgewgIIEAAYgAQYogTCAggQABgIGA0YHsICBxAhGKABGAqYAwCSBwQyMC41oAf0wAE&sclient=gws-wiz
https://www.google.com/search?q=was+elvis+cancledl+over+black+music&sca_esv=df054736d75a2025&sxsrf=AHTn8zoLvHSowIhEeqk59tzSM7iUp7ow7w%3A1738772678089&ei=xpCjZ-aMBZjIp84PneOZoAM&ved=0ahUKEwjmh8r--KyLAxUY5MkDHZ1xBjQQ4dUDCBA&uact=5&oq=was+elvis+cancledl+over+black+music&gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiI3dhcyBlbHZpcyBjYW5jbGVkbCBvdmVyIGJsYWNrIG11c2ljSNO4AVCXBVi4nAFwAXgBkAEAmAGwAaABpRWqAQQ0LjIwuAEDyAEA-AEBmAIUoAK0EcICChAAGLADGNYEGEfCAgUQABjvBcICCBAAGIAEGKIEwgIIECEYoAEYwwTCAgoQIRigARjDBBgKwgIEECEYCpgDAIgGAZAGCJIHBDQuMTagB4VU&sclient=gws-wiz-serp
Vanity fare had an article about the film and this subject. https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2022/06/elvis-biopic-black-musicians?srsltid=AfmBOoqOoBNFh12FwvXqbj8fLuyVLckyXXDoxGfEgUcZD-68JKkVIO1R
I think it's become a "woke" thing though. Anyone that remotely does something "black" gets called out for it but we never do it when the roles are reversed. When artists of color sound "white" do we ever complain about it?
Those articles are wrong though, plenty of black artists were successful doing blues/rock back in the day. I mean, Chuck Berry was immensely popular and many do credit him for creating rock and roll not Elvis. Like many artists before and after, Elvis was a product of his time. His style wasn't entirely unique but he was one of the best at doing it. Kind of like Eminem is one of the best ever at rapping. Funny how we rarely hear someone complain about Eminem but I would gather that his day is coming, thanks to idiots like those in your links.
You are correct. Also, Chuck Berry borrowed elements of country music to create R&R. People! They're the worst!
share“I am the worst thing since Elvis Presley, to do black music so selfishly, and use it to get myself wealthy” - Eminem, Without Me.
shareSo he outed himself. lol... sounds like something he might do. How well did Without Me do on the charts?
share"Without Me" is one of Eminem's most successful singles, reaching number two on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, and number one in fifteen countries.
"Without Me" was nominated for Record of the Year at the Grammy Awards of 2003 (losing to Norah Jones's song "Don't Know Why"), being Eminem's first song to receive a Grammy nomination in a major category. It also received a nomination for Best Male Rap Solo Performance, but lost that award as well to Nelly's "Hot in Herre", behind which it had peaked on the Billboard Hot 100.