Bruno Mars thinks accusations of cultural appropriation in his music are way offbase.
Mars and Anderson .Paak made a virtual appearance on Power 105 FM’s “Breakfast Club” to promote their new group, Silk Sonic, when that topic was raised by host Charlamagne tha God.
“People love to accuse you of being a cultural thief, which I find interesting because you are a person of color,” he asks Mars. “What would you say to those people?”
“I’ll say, you can’t find an interview where I’m not talking about the entertainers who have come before me,” Mars responded.
“The only reason why I’m here is because of James Brown, Prince, Michael [Jackson], that’s the only reason why I’m here. I’m growing up as a kid watching Bobbie Brown saying, ‘Okay, if that’s what it takes to make it, then I gotta learn how to do the running man, I gotta learn how to do the moonwalk.’ That’s it. This music comes from love. If you can’t hear that, then I don’t know what to tell you,” he added.
“It’s the truth, it’s not a secret,” said Mars. “Like I said, we’re wearing the inspiration on our sleeve. What is the point if us as musicians if we can’t learn from the guys that come before us? I hope later on, down the road, there’s going to be a band that’s taking what we did and flipping that, and freaking that, and putting their own spin on it. Because if we don’t, then what was the point of us doing this?”
The conversation can be seen in the video above, beginning at the 21:50 mark.
