Jay Park Earns High Praise For The New Version Of “DNA Remix” MV After The Original Got Deleted For Cultural Appropriation
On August 15 (KST)—a public holiday celebrated among Koreans as gwangbokjeol (the National Liberation Day of Korea), rapper Jay Park dropped a new version of the “DNA Remix” music video.
And since its release, the new “DNA Remix” is earning high praise from both Korean and international hiphop fans, not only for celebrating the Korean holiday…
Today is OUR day! Don’t make it about nothing else. Happy and thankful for National Liberation of Korea day. 🇰🇷
— Jay Park @jparkitrighthere
…but also for “listening to [them]” and their concerns.
The original version, previously released on June 14 by H1GHR MUSIC—the hip-hop label Jay Park and Cha Cha Malone co-founded in 2017, received hefty backlash from international fans for the appropriation of Black culture, including Black hairstyles.
While Jay Park apologized to the fans who grew concerned that the video would perpetuate harmful stereotypes about the Black community, the apology only caused more controversy and eventually the video ended up being taken down from YouTube.
Do we support and appreciate Hip-Hop and Black culture? Yes a majority of the hip hop artists here have spoke up and made donations about BLM issues and have had the conversations with our parents. We are the ones who listen to the music and go to the concerts when people cross over and we are the ones who make sure the rappers who come from the states no matter how big or small feel at home and show them what hospitality really is. We don’t see color. We feel like we’re brothers and sisters in Hip-Hop which I feel like is a universal language which goes beyond race, color, and religion.
— Jay Park
In the revamped version of the music video—now labeled the “Official Video,” Jay Park works with different aspects of the Korean culture. From traditional architecture in the background to the traditional hanbok outfits, Jay Park—and the rookie rappers, YLN Foreign, D.Ark, 365Lit, pH-1, Lil Boi, Lee Young Ji, Ourealgoat, Choo, and Osun that he initially meant to support with the production of the track— are representing their Korean roots like never before!
The comments section under the video is booming with positivity for Jay Park’s effort to grow from the experience. As one YouTube comment pointed out, Jay Park “came back with a bang. Took the criticism, learned from it, and showed up. Understood the assignment.”
Now, that is hiphop AF. 🔥
Much respect Jay Park, you always push forward and you always find opportunities to grow! You actually took note of the main point of criticism against your previous MV of DNA and now you launch a real authentic MV representing your culture. Proud of how you always move forward man. Keep going H1GHR ;)
— @Roshi/YouTube
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