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Photos by Steve Granitz/WireImage and Anna Webber/Getty Images for National Museum Of African-American Music

Last week the topic of cultural appropriation reared its ugly head again and this time Bruno Mars found himself victim. A group of millennials shared their outlook on the 32-year-old singer on The Grapevine, a web show that “places today’s topics in the hands and minds of young game changers, artists, cultural innovators, and professionals to dissect what the impact is for this generation.”

Here’s the two-minute video that started the controversy.

https://twitter.com/hannahmburrell/status/971924903174733826?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2018%2F03%2F12%2Fentertainment%2Fbruno-mars-cultural-appropriation-reaction-trnd%2Findex.html

Teddy Riley, the super producer and founder of New Jack Swing spoke on Mars’ music and influence, “First of all, it brings our stock up –Babyface, Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis and myself— and that puts us even more in the game and helps to sustain us. It’s a known fact that God blesses us to bless others, and then sometimes, you get the blessing. But, I’m more of a giver, I like to give. So, him giving….sometimes we don’t understand receiving a gift. But, the most incredible gift to be given, for me, is someone paying homage. So, I feel wonderful about it.”

The 10-Grammy winner dedicated his Album of the Year win to Riley, Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis and Babyface.

Charlie Wilson also defended Mars’ music on Twitter.

TELL US: Are you a fan of Bruno Mars’ music? 

#BlackDontCrack: 90s Edition
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