In recent years, Miley Cyrus has been met with a serious amount of criticism. Her every move has been dissected, in light of allegations of cultural appropriation. That’s not to defend her actions. Miley’s move into the hip-hop scene a few years ago was certainly filled with problematic moments we will never forget. From her 2015 MTV VMA twerk performance, to her molly and marijuana romps, she seemed very desperate to jump from Disney into what she perceived to be “black culture” — even requesting a “black sound” for her hit track “We Can’t Stop”. But now, Cyrus claims that she is going back to her roots. The star has dropped her latest single “Malibu”. The song’s vibe along with its video is a 180 in comparison to her last album. So we can’t help but ask: is Miley for real this time?
In her interview with Billboard, Cyrus said she actually “can’t listen” to hip-hop anymore. “It was too much ‘Lamborghini, got my Rolex, got a girl on my c**k’ — I am so not that.” she said. This comment got a lot of attention — for it seemed that Cyrus had put a lot of effort into appearing as the “that” she referred to. Although artists grow and change, her sudden dismissal of the very genre she used for her revamp felt sketchy. However, she did defend what some might consider wholesome rap lyrics, quoting Kendrick Lamar’s “Humble” as a favorite. “‘Show me something natural like ass with some stretch marks.’I love that because it’s not ‘come sit on my dick, suck on my cock.’” she said. The backlash to these remarks was so extreme that Miley Cyrus took to Instagram to defend herself.
It’s hard to decide who to believe. Which Miley is the real Miley? Maybe everyone deserves another chance. However, it seems careless to let the star off the hook for the appropriation she still has not spoken on. In addition, this formula of “star goes black and then back” is much too familiar. Who’s to say that this next album isn’t a piece in this plan? Her Bangerz phase may be over, but only time will tell how long Miley sticks with her “Malibu” aesthetic.
