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Discussion: Why no major Asian pop stars in the US?
Member Since: 5/8/2012
Posts: 6,632
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Quote:
Originally posted by Bang Up
This is actually a good question considering so many Asian artists in places like Korea and Japan are incredibly talented and make music that sometimes sounds like it could smash in the US.
I'm guessing race plays a big role in it. The west still has a very strange and distorted view of Asian women.
I take it you guys have never ventured into the world of KPOP or JPOP.
Yes, the genres are predominantly manufactured, but so are American artists? Just like with Western popstars, some KPOP idols write and produce their own music. In fact, the biggest groups often have members that have credits on almost every single album their group has released. The only difference between the Asian music market and the Western music market is that the Asian music market isn't afraid to be like, "yeah, this is all a product that we want you to buy".
But even with the groups that don't have a say in what they do, they make up for their lack of creativity with their performance talent, big-production videos and performances, and their work ethnic. Our boy groups go on stage, walk around, and kind of sing for two hours. KPOP And KPOP groups go on stage and kill it every single time. Not to mention that these groups are paid less than minimum wage workers in America and work non-stop year in and year out to make it where they are.
Nicki Minaj having a Japanese grandparent does not make her half Asian . That's like a white person claiming they're Native American because of their grandparent.
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The scalding hot tea!
80% of kpop is edm rejects? Kpop? Edm? Its so obvious that theyre ralking out their asses
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Member Since: 6/25/2011
Posts: 28,853
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Quote:
Originally posted by Tropez
Not really. Many assume all blacks look the same. Like I said this is the first I've ever heard of this claim of him looking black.
As said before I can understand looking ambiguous, but saying he looks black is a different story. If you were to put him around other blacks with different complexions he'll stand out. If you were to put him with other racial or ethnic groups like Polynesian or south Asian he would fit in much more.
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I disagree. I've seen and know plenty of black and mixed people who resemble him. He'd fit right in standing next to them.
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Member Since: 1/20/2012
Posts: 27,830
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Which ones have tried to make it in the US?
Kpop/Jpop is not gonna be successful in the US just because it is successful elsewhere (obviously).
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Member Since: 4/5/2012
Posts: 8,875
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Quote:
Originally posted by QueenBLadyG
I disagree. I've seen and know plenty of black and mixed people who resemble him. He'd fit right in standing next to them.
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I remember when he first came out thinking he was Mexican lol and then I read he was also Puerto Rican like mua. Slay.
I also agree with you. He doesn't look Asian at all.
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Member Since: 6/25/2011
Posts: 28,853
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Quote:
Originally posted by JLO_FeEN
I remember when he first came out thinking he was Mexican lol and then I read he was also Puerto Rican like mua. Slay.
I also agree with you. He doesn't look Asian at all.
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Puerto Ricans come out looking all kinds of ways. Their beauty minus Bruno
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Member Since: 7/4/2007
Posts: 24,859
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Quote:
Originally posted by Mickey
Bruno Mars being American isn't the point here, the point is the Bruno passes as non-Asian, just like Freddie Mercury did. Also same with Amerie, Nicole Scherzinger, and Norah Jones. I'm not saying that they all actively pretend to be non-Asian, but they definitely pass as non-Asian.
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I thought Norah was just white for years.
Amerie and Nicole's solo careers aren't really qualifying them to be "major stars."
Yeah, I didn't know Bruno was part-Asian either and only ever hear talk about it on threads like this where some people try to claim that it's not hard out there for an Asian.
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Member Since: 8/7/2015
Posts: 3,564
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Quote:
Originally posted by BlueTimberwolf
Lol saying it doesn't make it true, where is the proof? He doesn't look black at all.
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Am I supposed to give you ****ing surveys? This is a common belief. I know MANY people who were shocked to find out that he wasn't black - including myself. And if so many people in this thread are agreeing with me then what does that tell you?
This topic is about why someone who looks like the stereotypical East Asian hasn't made it in the US (not necessarily some KPOP/JPOP crossover) so all of yall who keep bringing up Bruno, Pharrell, Neyo, Nicole, etc should sit your asses down when the majority of people don't see/know them as Asians.
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Member Since: 8/1/2008
Posts: 52,761
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It's not about racism, it's about the type of music mainstream asian artists do (let alone the language). It just won't click within the American music landscape.
Besides, most asian labels won't even bother promoting in the US. The only chance an asian artist would have to be known in the western world is by having a viral hit like PSY did. Which is sad cause PSY's music is trash and many many asian artists are actually talented and deserve what he got.
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Member Since: 7/4/2007
Posts: 24,859
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Quote:
Originally posted by Mr.Link
It's not about racism, it's about the type of music mainstream asian artists do (let alone the language). It just won't click within the American music landscape.
Besides, most asian labels won't even bother promoting in the US. The only chance an asian artist would have to be known in the western world is by having a viral hit like PSY did. Which is sad cause PSY's music is trash and many many asian artists are actually talented and deserve what he got.
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There are Asian-looking acts who sing in English though.
Like Far East Movement who were a thing for a hot minute.
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Member Since: 10/18/2010
Posts: 29,224
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Quote:
Originally posted by Mr.Link
It's not about racism, it's about the type of music mainstream asian artists do (let alone the language). It just won't click within the American music landscape.
Besides, most asian labels won't even bother promoting in the US. The only chance an asian artist would have to be known in the western world is by having a viral hit like PSY did. Which is sad cause PSY's music is trash and many many asian artists are actually talented and deserve what he got.
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But that's the thing: Mainstream Asian acts are using music styles that are constantly being played in the Western world. Namie Amuro practically made an EDM album for the club scene this year, 4Minute came out with a trap-heavy banger this year, and Girls' Generation made a song that was practically a Katy Perry rip-off, a song that was born out of the US 50s, and a song that would give even Rihanna a run for her money. So, it's definitely not because of the style since much of the mainstream music in East Asia (can't speak for all of Asia) is borrowing from styles in the Western world.
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Member Since: 8/19/2013
Posts: 14,949
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racism
edit: I thought Bruno was black too, and I think a lot of people in the world assume so also.
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Member Since: 1/7/2014
Posts: 782
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Member Since: 8/19/2011
Posts: 37,346
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it's never happening and neither is that CL girl. If black artists can't make it as megastars these days in their country [unless they're lightskinned], I don't see America or majority of the world accepting and supporting an Asian popstar and that's god's honest truth.
Just like R&B is only popular here, K-pop will only be popular there unless it's a joke/meme of a hit song a la Gangam Style.
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Member Since: 1/1/2014
Posts: 27,745
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Racism. Koda Kumi should be the #1 pop star in America.
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Member Since: 8/17/2013
Posts: 7,248
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Quote:
Originally posted by KORDEI
it's never happening and neither is that CL girl. If black artists can't make it as megastars these days in their country [unless they're lightskinned], I don't see America or majority of the world accepting and supporting an Asian popstar and that's god's honest truth.
Just like R&B is only popular here, K-pop will only be popular there unless it's a joke/meme of a hit song a la Gangam Style.
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I don't agree, I think it will happen eventually as acceptance of East-Asian looking people grows. Here in Australia, the minority is much larger, comparable to the percentage of African-Americans in the states. We've had two Asian women win the X-Factor in the last two years, one of which has been quite successful. I think especially given the rapidly expanding importance of East-Asia this century, its almost inevitable.
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Member Since: 10/19/2010
Posts: 16,335
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Katy Perry is a major pop star in the US.
On a serious note, Bruno does count as Asian, it's widely recognized that he has Filipino roots. EDIT: Oh, this refers to people that are based in Asia and crossed over to the Western Hemisphere. :\
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Member Since: 1/1/2014
Posts: 1,153
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Quote:
Originally posted by AMIT
I don't ****ing care about where you are from, lol. NO WHERE on that post you quoted said anything about K-Pop specifically. It's funny to see you completely dragging yourself in the second part of your post AND get all up in arms about me calling you out though, not to mention the fact that you had to resort to personal attacks...
Have fun with that WP, btw.
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Since when does calling someone ****ing ignorant not a personal attack? Don't call the kettle black. I said 90% of K-pop sound like EDM rejects from 2011; do I have to post every K-pop song I know to prove my point? I'm just mad at the fact that you, not knowing anything about me, accuse me of being ignorant, when in fact I probably know more about K-pop that you do. Do you have any solid evidence to refute my point, or you can't do anything besides reporting my post? Having fun enjoying reporting me, hypocrite.
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Member Since: 1/10/2011
Posts: 2,227
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Quote:
Originally posted by Bang Up
Nicki Minaj having a Japanese grandparent does not make her half Asian . That's like a white person claiming they're Native American because of their grandparent.
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No.
Almost 40% of Trinidad and Tobago citizens claim Indian (South Asian) ancestry and there's a large Indian/African mixed population there too. And about 1-2% are Chinese.
Nicki's father is Indo-Trinidadian. Her last name Maraj (different variations of Maharaj and Maragh are common with Indian Jamaicans and Indo-Guyanese) is a common surname among Indo-Caribbean Hindus.
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Member Since: 1/1/2014
Posts: 12,615
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It's interesting how most responses in this thread seem to imply that there are no Asian American/Anglophone artists trying to break through, that there's only us (West) and them (Korea/Japan).
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Member Since: 1/3/2014
Posts: 604
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^ TBH. It's like they just want to ignore Asian Americans. You know, there are Americans of Asian descent.
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