Redeem now - Adele posted a photo on Sunday as a tribute to London's annual Notting Hill Carnival, which was held online this year.
- The photo, apparently taken at last year's event, shows the singer wearing Bantu knots and a Jamaican flag bikini.
- Adele was swiftly mocked on Twitter, as many accused her of cultural appropriation.
- As HuffPost notes, Bantu knots are said to have originated centuries ago with the Zulu tribes in southern Africa and are rooted in Black culture.
- Adele's decision to wear the Jamaican flag has also sparked confusion and memes, including dancehall-inspired remixes of her popular songs.
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Adele has inspired a slew of memes and accusations of cultural appropriation with her new Instagram post.
The 32-year-old Grammy winner shared a photo on Sunday as a tribute to London's annual Notting Hill Carnival, which was held online this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
"Happy what would be Notting Hill Carnival my beloved London," she wrote, alongside a photo of herself that was apparently taken at last year's event.
The photo shows the "Hello" singer wearing Bantu knots and a Jamaican flag bikini, as well as acid-wash leggings and a yellow feathered headdress.
Happy what would be Notting Hill Carnival my beloved London 🇬🇧🇯🇲
Adele was swiftly mocked and called "problematic" on Twitter.
Her hairstyle posed one major concern: As HuffPost's Dana Oliver notes, Bantu knots are said to have originated centuries ago with the Zulu tribes in southern Africa and are rooted in Black culture.
—L⁷❂ (@negroarmy) August 30, 2020 —Cristina Oliva - Digital Marketer (@Lilyspace) August 30, 2020—HEAD BARBIE 💇🏽💅🏽 (@ReadByDollie) August 30, 2020"If 2020 couldn't get anymore bizarre, Adele is giving us Bantu knots and cultural appropriation that nobody asked for," journalist Ernest Owens wrote on Twitter.
"This officially marks all of the top white women in pop as problematic. Hate to see it."
—Ernest Owens (@MrErnestOwens) August 30, 2020Adele's bikini posed a second issue: Although Notting Hill Carnival's original purpose was to celebrate Caribbean culture and encourage British unity, Adele is decidedly not Jamaican.
Her decision to wear the country's flag has sparked confusion and many memes, including dancehall-inspired versions of her popular songs.
—c (@chuuzus) August 30, 2020—Ayo Edebiri (@ayoedebiri) August 30, 2020—Joshua Mitchell (@Oh_My_Josh69) August 31, 2020—Hunty Hunter © (@ninjacole97) August 31, 2020—Native Houstonian 🤠 (@MadiMint) August 30, 2020—🖤🤍 ᑳ𝙇ạ𝑐𝑐 🐉💫 (@blaccmass) August 31, 2020—👤 (@sb_anonyme) August 30, 2020Popular stand-up comedian Jaboukie Young-White even posted a mock video captioned, "adele's hairstylist waiting to go home," which featured a popular Spongebob meme wearing a rastacap.
—giabuchi lastrassi (@jaboukie) August 30, 2020Representatives for Adele did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.
- Read more:
- Adele recreated Beyoncé's outfit from 'Black Is King,' and fans are gushing over the duo's 'powerful' friendship
- 12 interesting things you didn't know about Adele
- Adele showed off her Glastonbury dress from 2016 on Instagram while '5 ciders in'
- Adele's birthday photo is all over social media, but some say complimenting her smaller body is fat-phobic
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