With hits like “Versace on the Floor” and “Finesse,” Bruno Mars is no stranger to the spotlight; and after his infamous Grammy sweep, he remains in the public eye. But it’s safe to say that the attention Mars has been receiving in recent weeks is far from what the singer is accustomed to. He recently has come under fire for cultural appropriation in his musical style and genre of choice. Many believe that he plays up his racial ambiguity to “cross” genres (although a quick Google search will tell you that Mars is primarily of Puerto Rican and Filipino descent). It’s understandable why many believe this; Mars’ music carries a style and soul that is eerily familiar to that which typically is associated with black music. For some, it comes as a bit of a shock to see a man who is not black profit off the music that has been primarily cultivated by black people. Thus, he has been accused by many of appropriating black culture.

For context, cultural appropriation is a relatively new term (at least new in terms of frequency), and thus comes with its own assortment of a and confusion. Generally, people define this phrase as the majority adopting certain characteristics that are exclusive to the culture of the minority without permission from the minority group. Commonly, people refer to white people imitating black culture, glorifying (and making trendy) the aspects in which they deem “cool,” while failing to realize the struggle and hardship that often accompanies such aspects. For example, the N-word was once a term meant solely to degrade and diminish black people. It was a word that undeniably had hardship closely attached to it, and it represented the struggles of the black community. The word has since been reclaimed by the black community and is almost used as a term of endearment among black people, as a means to take the negative power out of the once derogatory word. The problem arises, however, when the word is used by those who are not members of the black community. It is no secret that the word has since become almost trendy, often used in songs or as simply another term on social media. With this comes the aforementioned frustration; you can’t represent the culture as if it were your own, simply because it’s deemed conventionally acceptable. In doing so, you’re negating the struggle in which the culture was born of, taking the good parts without having lived or having to live throughout the bad. It’s like working with a group where you receive a good grade on a project in which you’ve put no work into: It’s wrong and, to the rest of the group, seemingly insolent.

However, this is not what Mars is demonstrating through his music. There is a distinct difference between appropriation and appreciation, that people fail to acknowledge, and it’s clear to me that Mars undoubtedly errs on the side of appreciation. His music stays lively and upbeat, daring you to do anything other than dance or at the very least hum the familiar tones of his R&B ballads. But his music is also intense, when necessary, allowing the listener to almost become entranced in his romantic stories as if he were singing to you alone. Yet the sound, undoubtedly, specifically on his latest album “24K Magic,” carries a strong likeness to that of black music. However, he doesn’t mock nor demean the culture, but instead he exalts it, spreading the sound of soul that black people have so long shared in their own music. He did not steal the culture, but rather transformed it, recreated it into a way that fits his style and the change of the times. Mars’ is not demonstrating appropriation, but rather recreation of black style in his music; and it is not a sign of regression, but a sign of progression.

In a way, this is the first step to a necessary change. Mars sees the value in a culture that isn’t his own, and he chooses to exemplify the beauty of it, as opposed to merely taking it, and, as the name would suggest, “appropriating” it. He magnifies the culture of black people through his music and makes it accessible and enjoyable for everyone. Although he himself is not black, he demonstrates to the world the grandeur of a culture that he was not born into and has shown the importance of finding value in the culture of others, something that is essential for the progression of people learning to accept those with whom they share the world.