Apr 27, 2013

of university of california irvine fraternity’s offensive ‘blackface’ jay-z parody video sparks outrage

An Asian American fraternity has revived allegations of racism at the University of California, Irvine, by making a parody music video in blackface and posting it on YouTube. Four members of the Lambda Theta Delta fraternity recorded a homemade skit in which one wore black make-up to impersonate the rapper Jay-Z, prompting recriminations and apologies. The students said the parody of the Jay-Z and Justin Timberlake song Suit and Tie was intended as harmless fun but student organisations and university authorities condemned it as insensitive and racist.