White teenagers imitating black culture?

Question

I have seen groups of White teenagers imitating dress and slang of black teenagers/rappers. How does this strike you? It is a hard question for me to ask. It feels a bit like cultural appropriation, but at the same time I feel a lot of these boys are doing it without malice, and look up to people who they imitate.

Answer 1

I dont see it as "black culture" but as Hip-Hop culture. Anyone can be part of the hip-hop culture, it just happens that it began in urban areas that where predominatly black and the culture has spread out to be accepted by many.

Answer 2

There is no black or white. We are human and humans imitate eachother, they have been doing for thousands of years. Saying something like that is only futhering the line between races. We all look different on the outside but we all look the same on the inside.

Answer 3

Teenage is a point of time to understand what is good and bad especially after 14. But unfortunately they are motivated to wrong directions in most cases, it is awful and would harm the society as a whole irrespective of white, black, rich and poor.

Answer 4

Where I live, it's not just white teenagers, it's all of them--Mexican, Latino, Asian, Black and White.
It's the same story---sagging jeans, caps twisted backwards, bandannas, chains, grills, spinners on the cars, blaring, thumping music---it's not a color thing, it's a culture thing. The culture being urban/ hip hop. It's a kid thing.

Answer 5

I think people should feel free to adopt any behaviors that they see fit, BUT, they should understand that certain behaviors will result in specific treatment from others.

If you want to act like a gang banger, more power to you, but don't come whining to me when you can't get a job, can't rent an apartment, and generally can't function in society.

I don't think it's a question of race at all, people are free to act how they want to act, and then live with the consequences of their choices.

Answer 6

Yes they are. The reason is because our cultures are blending.
Though I do find it odd not to see the black kids dressing and acting more like the white kids. I think the black kids style is free and exciting to the white teenagers. Plus, black music, is very captivating and catches thier ears, so , that is also a big part.

Answer 7

I have seen this all my life as well, and I dont find most of them annoying, but sometimes there is the one that goes over the top, and it is kinda anoying. I am a white teenager and I love rappers like tupac , notorious big, ect, so maybe my opinion is a bit byassed

Answer 8

Pretentious, wannabes, that's all they are. They think if they act like they're from the ghetto, then people will think they are from the ghetto. Since they've never been in a ghetto, they know nothing about what they're imitating, so they just look, act and sound stupid.

Answer 9

It's horribly sad that kids today cannot find their own way. I was lucky, I guess. My parents always encouraged me to be myself and always asked me (and made me answer) why I wanted to do everything like all the other kids. This started very young and very early in my life. I am proud to be different than anyone else. I am my own person and do not "categorize" myself. I just wish kids today could all have had parents like I did.

Oh wait, that's the problem! They don't have parents who care how they turn out!

Answer 10

Why a White kid would want to portray a Ghetto Gangsta, is beyond me...Why a Black kid would want to portray a Ghetto Gangsta, is beyond me.
Some role models, they are...
Wear their pants like prison bimbos, hats sideways, outlandish fake jewelery, music {sic} that cant be understood and has only 3 notes, a language that makes" Ebonics" look like good grammer. Just a way for our youth to get attention.