Lorde has officially made It. She didn’t make It when her first album went platinum, or when she was on Fallon, or when Billboard said she had the most popular song in America. No, Lorde made It when someone on the Internet accused her of being racist. That someone is Veronica Bayetti Flores, on behalf of Feministing. Oh boy.
Now I’m a music lover, but…
Should have stopped right there.
…since the only radio stations I listen to are the local hip hop station and NPR…
Or right there.
Folks who have spent some time with me know that I deeply love music videos…
Or there. Etc. etc. etc.
While I love a good critique of wealth accumulation and inequity, this song is not one; in fact, it is deeply racist. Because we all know who she’s thinking when we’re talking gold teeth, Cristal and Maybachs. So why shit on black folks? Why shit on rappers? Why aren’t we critiquing wealth by taking hits at golf or polo or Central Park East? Why not take to task the bankers and old-money folks who actually have a hand in perpetuating and increasing wealth inequality? I’m gonna take a guess: racism.
What. There is nothing racist about “Royals.” It’s actually a thoughtful commentary (for a Billboard Hot-100 song, at least) about the difference between pop culture and actual culture, between those with wealth and those without it, between people who immediately assume “gold teeth” = “black folks” and people who don’t.
Lorde is in the latter category; Flores is in the former.
(Via Feministing, pic via Getty)
