This criticism may have been valid at Joplin’s time because back then black artists often inspired others but weren’t allowed to put music into the mainstream themselves. They often did the work while white artists got the credit. That hasn’t been the case for decades. The people who inspired Megan Trainor, Iggy…

You do realize that the people who committed the murders aren’t the same people who are profiting today? A large percentage of Americans today don’t even share any DNA with early settlers. In the past, people of all races did horrible things to each other and to people of other races. There’s no innocent or pure…

But the originators do benefit and profit. There are black artists who’ve created business empires from their music. There’s nothing wrong with what Trainor is doing. The people who made the music that inspired her aren’t living in poverty never enjoying any benefits from their creation. They enjoyed enormous…

Are you trying to say music made by black people isn’t part of American culture? Because if you are that’s extremely ignorant. All groups in the US are capable of contributing to the overall culture that everyone gets exposed to.

White artists are often more popular rappers because they make their music pop enough for pop radio. Black rappers like Nicki Minaj and Flo Rida have done very well because they make their music pop enough to get mainstream play. But that’s selling out something a lot of black rappers don’t want to do.

Every group gets copied. If a non-Italian creates a food inspired by pasta that’s neither stealing nor paying tribute. It’s just building on something that’s widely available. Anyone should be able to take a thing and build on it regardless of it’s origin. Borrowing from other cultures has led to significant amounts…

Popular music is part of everyone’s culture. So nothing is being appropriated. I dislike Meghan Trainor but she grew up heavily exposed to music made by both white and black people. That’s her culture.