Polish singer Kuba Szmajkowski gained an episode of a well-liked truth TV festival on Saturday after he donned blackface and pretend cornrows and stated the N-word in a canopy efficiency imitating rapper Kendrick Lamar.
Szmajkowski seemed at the TV display Twoja Twarz Brzmi Znajomo (Your Face Sounds Acquainted) to accomplish a rendition of Lamar’s hit track Humble.
The karaoke-style truth display is a department of a longstanding global franchise that sees celebrities from that nation impersonate randomly assigned musical icons.
Szmajkowski, who’s white, took to the degree in darkish make-up, pretend corn rows and a beard paying homage to Lamar’s personal glance within the Humble track video. All through the televised efficiency, Szmajkowski, 21, rapped lyrics that integrated the N-word, which was once now not censored within the broadcast.
He went directly to win Saturday’s episode — the second one in Twoja Twarz Brzmi Znajomo‘s nineteenth season — and was once awarded a money prize of 10,000 PLN (C$3,122). He’s going to proceed on within the truth festival for an opportunity to win the grand prize of 100,000 PLN (C$31,220), which will likely be donated to a charity of the winner’s opting for.
Straight away, Szmajkowski’s efficiency impressed outrage in Poland and past. Anger was once most effective intensified when he shared a video appearing his transformation into Lamar. The publish continues to be continue to exist Instagram.
Each and every contestant posted video in their musical icon transformations to social media.
The feedback on Szmajkowski’s publish, each in English and in Polish, accuse him of being racist and demand he express regret for the Humble efficiency and take away his social media posts.
“That is most sensible racism. Do you now not see how irrelevant that is? To not point out offensive?” wrote one English-speaking Instagram consumer.
“How are you now not ashamed, guy? Are there truly ‘artists’ in Polish display trade so unaware that some issues don’t seem to be executed and sure barriers don’t seem to be crossed? Doing blackface isn’t appropriate,” some other wrote in Polish.
“You will have to do that efficiency within the states, particularly Compton, California!” chided one commenter.
Szmajkowski isn’t the one Your Face Sounds Acquainted contestant to make use of blackface; in the similar episode actor Pola Gonciarz darkened her pores and skin to accomplish a canopy of If I Had been a Boy by way of Beyoncé.
The Polish model of Your Face Sounds Acquainted is produced by way of Endemol Shine, which is owned by way of the French dad or mum corporate Banijay.
Banijay advised The Dad or mum that the corporate “condemns” Poland’s execution of the contest display, because it “contradicts our team’s international values.”
“A next inner investigation is underway and the proper measures will likely be taken,” Banijay stated in a commentary.
Previous to Saturday, white contestants on Poland’s Your Face Sounds Acquainted have donned blackface to accomplish as Tina Turner, Whitney Houston, Drake and several other others.
In 2021, after actor Tomasz Ciachorowski carried out More potent by way of Kanye West whilst dressed in blackface, the TV manufacturing stated it was once “shocked” by way of the adverse comments.
“The purpose of each and every superstar appearing at the display, in addition to of the entire manufacturing workforce, is to recreate the unique efficiency in probably the most actual approach, whilst honouring the unique artist,” the display stated.
Your Face Sounds Acquainted originated in Spain in 2011.
In 2021, the Czech iteration of the contest sequence banned the usage of blackface.
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