News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Weds. April 29, 2020: A Canadian-born, Punjab-roots YouTuber, comedian, writer and actress, who initially gained fame on social media under the pseudonym Superwoman, has been slammed on Twitter by many Caribbean nationals for cultural appropriation.
Lily Singh, who was born to Punjabi parents and raised in Scarborough, Ontario, was severely trolled Tuesday after posting a video of trying to sing a dancehall song in a Jamaican accent.
The slam dunk came after Singh tweeted, “A classic dancehall tune! Badman Forward remake and this time it’s for the ladies.”
The song was her answer to dancehall artiste Ding Dong’s 2006 track Badman Forward, Badman Pullup as she tried to sing in a Jamaican accent: “Watch sisters do the bad gyal pull up. Small, skinny thing show the man dem wuddup. Make it all bounce if you belly fullup. No matter your size leh me see ya tun up.”
Among those taking aim at Singh was Twitter user Sharine Taylor ho posted: “There’s something to be said about someone who has been constantly called out for their drawing on Afro- and Indo-Caribbean culture and continues to do this same tone deaf sh– all the time. Like this is real scary behaviour.”
@holyMark added: “on behalf of all jamaicans, please leave our music alone……….Unamused face” while Marissa tweeted: “Just because you’re friends with Machel and went to a one two carnival doesn’t mean you have the pass to do any of this.”
Sobia Khan asked: “Did you run out of jokes about desis to resort to this??” while HEX GIRL tweeted: “on the behalf of all Black ppl, esp my fellow Jamaicans, i wanna ask why you’d ever think we’d want this” and Romero’s Maid added: “im sorry growing up in scarbrough made you feel like a big womon but this nah gwan work lol.”
But Singh says her Badman Forward, Badman Pullup remake was a positive message to her fellow sisters in different walks of life. She captioned the tribute: “This one is for my sisters around the world. No matter your colour, shape, size, orientation, preferences, abilities or style… BADGYALL PULL UP!!!”
And responding to the immediate backlash she tweeted: “Popcorn is the most important meal of the day.”
