A Rundown Of The Week
John Boyega. Photo Guardian Life
This week was filled with lessons. While some learnt first-hand what it means to be the subject of backlash, others were fine with learning from the set examples. From cultural misappropriation to rewards for allegations, here is a rundown of the week:
Cultural appropriation
When Adele sang “Someone Like You,” we may not have been ready that she really meant to become someone like us Africans as the singer caused quite a stir when she posted a photo of herself rocking bantu knots. In the controversial photo, the multiple Grammy award-winning songstress can be seen wearing Bantu knots, a Jamaican flag bikini top and other carnival wear popular in Afro-Caribbean cultures. The photo sparked controversy as she was accused of cultural appropriation.
Many expressed the opinion that her bantu knots and wearing the Jamaican flag top were not necessary as many black women were discriminated against for wearing bantu knots. What do you think?
Dumped?
Nigerian-American and actor John Boyega has opened up about his experience working on the Star Wars franchise, saying his character was “marketed to be much more important than it was” and then pushed aside. Calling his feelings about the franchise “difficult to manoeuvre,” Boyega went on to advise Disney not to “bring out a black character, market them to be much more important in the franchise than they are and then have them pushed to the side”. On the good side, he revealed that he has Star Wars to thank because his experience on the franchise changed him, making him “much more militant”.
The Wakanda dream
Senegalese-American singer Akon has set his sights on building a sprawling $6 billion city in his Senegal homeland to welcome Africans of the diaspora to their “home back home”. While many are now fully aware of this, the R&B star said that he has laid the first stone for the city in the Atlantic Ocean village of Mbodiene in Senegal. Akon City will offer hotels, a university, hospitals, film studios, business and leisure centres including a casino. He says that his city is a result of his dream of giving African-Americans, “the motivation to know that there is a home back home.”
Stopping at nothing
It appears that Johnny Depp is out to get ex-wife Amber Heard for all that he has been through. In recent news, Depp is reported to be preparing to face Amber Heard in court once again in a new multi-million-dollar court case. Recall that his Amber previously claimed that the Hollywood actor was abusive and violent towards her during their three years together and obtained a restraining order against him. In turn, he slammed her with a $50M Defamation lawsuit. With the new court case, a source close to Amber revealed that “It seems that [Johnny] will stop at nothing to ruin her.”
Thou shall not?
Entertainers and their freedom of expression were the subjects of conversations on social media after a report surfaced on the internet. According to the report, Don Jazzy and Tiwa Savage were invited by the Department of State Service (DSS) for questioning over alleged criticism on social media of the administration of Nigeria’s President Muhamamdu Buhari. Reacting to the report, Don Jazzy, took to his Twitter page to share an eight-seconds video of himself to speak on the controversy. “What’s the meaning of quizzes o?” he asked laughing.
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