Adele in cultural appropriation storm over her Bantu knots hairstyle
British musician Adele has stirred controversy on social media after she posted a picture of herself wearing a Jamaican flag bikini top and her hair styled in Bantu knots.
The picture was taken to celebrate what would have been the Notting Hill Carnival on Sunday. The annual event celebrates black British culture and this year it was held virtually due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
View this post on InstagramHappy what would be Notting Hill Carnival my beloved London π¬π§π―π²
A post shared by Adele (@adele) on
Adele received support from some celebrities like supermodel Naomi Campbell who commented on the post with heart emojis and the Jamaican flag. Some fans also commended her for acknowledging black culture.
However, the post did not sit well with critics who accused her of appropriating black culture.
Among her critics were US journalist Ernest Owens and authors Jemele Hill and Frederick Joseph.
Owens wrote Adele is βgiving us Bantu knots and cultural appropriation nobody asked forβ.
If 2020 couldn't get anymore bizarre, Adele is giving us Bantu knots and cultural appropriation that nobody asked for.
— Ernest Owens (@MrErnestOwens) August 30, 2020
This officially marks all of the top white women in pop as problematic.
Hate to see it. pic.twitter.com/N9CqPqh7GX
βBlack people have been through enough in 2020.β
— Frederick Joseph (@FredTJoseph) August 30, 2020
Adele: pic.twitter.com/4RwWF7B0Ou
No one.
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) August 30, 2020
Absolutely not a fucking soul.
Nary a person.
Adele: pic.twitter.com/Lj0ZflRjyd
Adele is seemingly unfazed by the backlash as the picture, which has garnered well over 4m likes, and more than 100,000 comments has not been removed from her account.
These are some of the responses from Twitter:
How do I get this Adele in bantu knots off my feed cause I honestly don't want to see the atrocity anymore. And no, im not calling her that, the whole thing is π€¦π»ββοΈ
— Jai || JK DAY β· (@jai_siara) September 1, 2020
adele in bantu knots.... im over it. im fucking over it. ik she's lying, she's playing. it's a prank. where are the cameras??? come on out π like u got me hahahaha funny joke #lol seriously 2020 is a fever dream and it's time for me to wake up.
— π¦π¨π₯π₯π²πππ₯π¦ (@channelWHORANGE) September 1, 2020
....... Adele in Bantu knots???? disappointing π when will we stop being a costume
— selina (@kingselllll) September 1, 2020
I didnβt think that picture of Adele with Bantu knots was real at first. 2020 continues to blow me away.
— Monica Urriola (@MonicaUrriola_) September 1, 2020
not adele wearing bantu knots .. itβs the culture appropriation for me
— mia JUNGKOOK DAY (@jimncvlt) September 1, 2020
so adele sat there getting bantu knots done and the whole time thought, this is right π
— TORI!!!!!!!!!!!!! (@fathertori) September 1, 2020
I mean. She looks like she already knew she messed up. #Adele #bantuknots pic.twitter.com/qv8UFA7TbM
— I'm that other_sock (@Imthatothersoc1) August 31, 2020
Beyonce appropriated...
— bald head hoe shit (@JennE_Penny) August 31, 2020
But Adele appreciated? pic.twitter.com/2v0NKDvhRm