Van Lathan calls Akon ‘Cosplay’ to be a black American
After Akon shared a flashpoint that pitted various members of the Black community against each other, various people — including former TMZ co-host Van Lathan—on the go In on him!
Akon says Africans and Black Americans are built differently
It all started in a recent appearance on Zeze Millz Program when Akon and the host were discussing a Ghanaian artist named Black Sherif.
After Zeze praised Black Sherif’s stage presence, Akon opened up to a poignant comment by comparing African talent to black American performers.
“Well, he is African. We are very different when it comes to stage presence. Now in America, they’ll stagger, their pants half down, drowsy because they’re as tall as hell on stage.
He then released viral videos of African children showing off their movements, alleging that: “For us, it came naturally.”
Akon explains why Africans are more talented and perform better than black Americans pic.twitter.com/YlXah9KxF2
– Millennials Culture (@CultMillennials) December 25, 2022
Online discourse begins
Understandably, Akon’s comment sparked a lot of backlash. Check out what some Twitter users have to say about the artist “Right now (Na Na Na)” below.
Akon has cosplayed as a black American for most of his career so he says this is a myth. Let the black American cook him (please don’t xenophobia) https://t.co/XZruUgTGvx
– Lateef (@LateefSaka) December 26, 2022
As a Ghanaian-American, I hate this to every fiber of my body for so many reasons, but what really got me into this whole “conversation” is that Akon uses AAVE while lowering African American.
It was both a slap in the face and a culmination of Blackness. https://t.co/56sPlAWN7Z
– Anna Gifty (@itsafronomics) December 26, 2022
Akon to America
And act like a black American
Play Black American Music
Speak black American slang
Wearing black American clothes
Get great features from
Black American artist
But once he became rich
It’s Damn Black Americans
in every single interview lol https://t.co/yGeP3ZSPrQ— MASTER STUDENT (@MUSICANDBUILDS) December 26, 2022
Imagine there’s a criticism that African Americans are worse off than Africans but have 6 kids in America that you refuse to participate in their lives because it’s white people’s business when really was born in Missouri as an African American. Self-written jokes @Akon. https://t.co/qAFxutiitV
— (@justxhenry) December 26, 2022
Besides going into Akon, people are also disregarding the validity of his claims.
This is “presence on stage” @Akon are talking about.🤨 pic.twitter.com/cbX9fO5ro9
– FLUCK BELENCIAGA (@ ctreid89) December 27, 2022
I don’t get why you guys like Akon when Motown’s catalog alone is more talented than the whole continent ♂️
— Marcus (@Jigsawbanks) December 26, 2022
Is this the “natural presence on stage” that Akon is trying to tell the FBA? pic.twitter.com/jcopddK9pI
— Tariq Nasheed (@tariqnasheed) December 27, 2022
Van Lathan spoke his mind and called Akon out
As the backlash continued, Van Lathan issued his own response.
Beneath a repost of the video in question, Van went on to talk about Akon by saying that he “has been playing his clown for years.” Van then began to analyze how proud he was of his Black American heritage, which he “gets sick of seeing people swear.”
“I’m black. Like black American black. Like South Louisiana bayou Black bondage. Like my father raised by Bishop and Lizzie Lathan Black. Black type where you grow up around old people with a heart scarred souls who tell you about the dead and the living so you can sit down and have a soda on Saturday. my skin in the first place, because old people want you to know what they’ve been through. Honestly, I’m sick of people talking about it.
He also dives into how Akon’s commentary triggers a very real fear that, although people “like Akon,” who “dress up” as black Americans, may not have unity. truly among communities.
“When you single out black Americans to criticize who have culturally empowered the entire diaspora, you are creating an entire experience that I feel is connected by inheritance. next. This seems to be happening more now, why? Why do the likes of Akon, who have made millions cosplaying as brothers from Atlanta or Miami feel the special need to tear us down? I have this fear, that fear is that there is no diaspora. That fear is for other Negroes all over the world, black Americans like what we’ve always been here, pack horses that used to plow and build something for others, who then ate it, before turning around and shooting the horse in the head.
He then went on to end his claims by going to Akon’s infamous hairline, which he obtained through a hair transplant surgery in Turkey, as Shade room previous report.
“That might not make sense, but I’m not reassured. I feel as insecure as Akon tying the PS5 to my head and calling it hair.”
Under his post, Van has received support from other stars such as Loni Love and Neil Brown Jr. Civil rights activists such as Gary Chambers Jr., Shaun King and Leslie E. Redmond also participated.
As for Akon, it doesn’t look like he’s publicly acknowledged the backlash.
What do you think of Akon’s comment, as well as Van Lathan’s response?