Jean Baudrillard ‘concludes that the arts and the media are so utterly co-opted by capitalism that not only is “reform” impossible but also all efforts at dialectical conversion to progressive, liberating purposes’. In the twenty-first century in the US, Black culture is a billion-dollar commodity, yet Black people remain in a liminal position in society. With disproportionately large numbers in prison and poverty, Black billionaires’ individual success has not trickled down to the masses. Despite Black culture being commodified by white people and celebrated in limited ways, having Black skin in the US remains dangerous, making one vulnerable to verbal and physical attacks and lynching. The disjunction between Black African and US cultures continues in the twenty-first century.

The Diaspora’s appropriation of Black Africa is a problem, especially given the power differences between Black USians and Black Africans. A mainstream example of this type of appropriation is Beyonce’s visual album Lemonade, Black Is King and the viral Black Panther (2018) film. Beyonce draws on several different cultures in Lemonade and portrays the spooky aspect of Black African spiritual culture. Black Panther smashes many visual elements from many Black African cultures to produce a utopic land sealed off from colonialism. Unfortunately, Black Africa is still affected by the violent colonial project and the pillaging of its art and history.

Appropriation

‘Cultural appropriation may be seen when culture is appropriated for commercial gain within the global capitalist system […]. It is a concern of ownership and the status of historical African material that becomes distorted when such material is included.’ Many readers will be familiar with the phenomenon of white people’s appropriation of Black aesthetics.