Obviously, if you're even 2% familiar with internet culture, you know that James Charles is no stranger to controversy.
Well, last week, James stirred up more controversy when he posted a TikTok where he lip-synched to an Indian classical song while using a face-altering filter. Have a look:
@LiaLily14 this trend has been going strong for a while now. the audio in the background is Indian Classical Music, and people like James Charles and Capital FM think its okay to hop on a trend that mocks and mimics Indian culture.
Basically, for all you non-TikTokers, this is how it works: You select this filter, it comes with the song, and it alters your face as the audio plays.
People on Twitter explained why it's inappropriate and offensive for James to use that filter:
All of the non asian people saying it's not a big deal that james Charles and dua lipa made fun of the Indian cultural music, gurl , I'd like y'all to go ahead and dedicate 15+ years of your life to such music training and then not get the opportunities to showcase your talent+
it’s sad to see only some talking about indian classical music being mocked by people like james charles & dua lipa. as a student of classical music i can assure you,it takes years of continuous practice,some still can’t perfect it & y’all go ahead to mock it in a 15 sec tik tok?
"This is not OK. Please apologize," one fan wrote.
ok, I'm a hardcore sister, but this is not okay. please apologize James. that is horrible and very offensive to Indians who are out there learning this music for like 10- 15 years. #jamescharles #apologisejames https://t.co/Fey5O8OHx2
One person called use of the filter "casual racism."
the casual racism by white influencers towards the South Asian community literally boils my blood.. who told james charles it was okay to do this
And one person emphasized how disrespecting classical Indian music is "never fucking OK."
SO APPARENTLY, THIS HAS BECAME A TREND ON TIK TOK SO LET ME TELL YOU DISRESPECTING INDIAN CLASSICAL MUSIC IS NEVER FUCKING OKAY, NOT JAMES CHARLES, CAPITAL FM, DUA LIPA AND MANY MORE ARE DOING THIS TIK TOK SHIT. WTF IS WRONG WITH YOU ALL CASUAL RACISM IS NEVER FUCKING OKAY
People were offended that James — who has almost 22 million TikTok followers — chose to use this filter:
fuck james charles and fuck anybody else who thinks mocking indian culture is funny. you guys are so quick to drink you chai tea and have temporary henna tattoos and appropriate the shit out of our culture sit down and shut the fuck up
all those who are mocking indian classical music like james charles & dua lipa, i am sorry but you won’t even be able to reach that kind of a vocal range that is in the audio that you just used. stop mocking our culture, it isn’t funny. pls apologise
Tf is wrong with James Charles ? U can’t get away for disrespecting our culture ? Don’t try to make parodies of things u don’t know anything about..... #jamescharles
Since the backlash, James has half apologized, saying that "1.8 million other people made this video, yet I'm the one getting cancelled lol."
