Nicki Minaj Accused Of ‘Cultural Appropriation’ Over New Snapchat Filter
Nicki Minaj is being accused of “cultural appropriation” after sharing a new Snapchat filter inspired by her single “Chun Li.” Hollywood Life is reporting that Nicki was recently hit was some backlash on social media after she shared a look at a new filter on Instagram that adds buns to the hair with chopsticks in them.
The rapper gave fans a look a the new filter on the social media site on June 2. “Click the link in my bio to use the #ChunLiSnapchatFILTER – it comes complete w/diff color buns, [chopsticks] & [baby] hair,” Minaj wrote on Instagram.
“I used a black & white filter after I recorded,” Nicki then added in the caption.
However, as reported by Hollywood Life, the comments section was reportedly flooded with comments from some less than impressed fans who accused the “Barbie Tingz” rapper of appropriating Chinese and Asian culture through the use of the buns with chopsticks in.
“Nicki Minaj you have really messed up with this Chun Li stuff. You got black people disrespecting Chinese/Asian culture. Smh,” one social media user told her in the comments section after seeing the somewhat controversial new Snapchat filter displayed on her page over the weekend.
Another Twitter user then told the star, “So we gonna act like this isn’t cultural appropriation?”
“I would’ve thought because you are a person of color you’d understand why cultural appropriation sucks,” they then continued, even calling Nicki “ignorant.”
The latest allegations of “cultural appropriation” come after Minaj was called out after performing the song “Chun Li” on NBC’s Saturday Night Live last month.
NME reported that the star was called out over a similar issue while appearing on the iconic Saturday night show after she performed the track in what the site described as being “a traditional East Asian outfit.”
She also had her hair styled in two buns with chopsticks in both, similar to the new Snapchat filter she recently shared on social media. In addition, Nicki performed the track in front of an Asian-inspired background.
The site stated that the performance brought in a wave of backlash on Twitter like the response to her new filter, with many accusing her of “cultural appropriation” for the performance.
But while many were quick to slam the star, others instead came to her defense by pointing out that the song is inspired by a fictional Chinese character while others made it clear that they had no issue with Minaj’s performance or song.
“As an Asian American I have no problem with Nicki Minaj’s performance. Everyone is so overly sensitive,” one person hit back in defense of the star amid the backlash, per NME.
“Appropriation is a part of art and expression,” they added.
As confirmed by Billboard earlier this year, Nicki’s single “Chun Li” is inspired by an animated Chinese fighter from Capcom’s Street Fighter series.
