A Polish game show has come under fire after a contestant performed as Kendrick Lamar in full Blackface and used the N-word.
Footage of the performance has gone viral on social media, with many users outraged.
via Complex:
The show, titled Your Face Sounds Familiar, features eight celebrities portraying music icons in the hopes of winning money for the charity of their choice. The participants have to resemble the artist they’re imitating as much as possible, but one person took things too far.
In the latest episode, Polish singer Kuba Szmajkowski dressed up as Kendrick Lamar with braids in full Blackface to perform a version of “HUMBLE.” The video clip shared on social media showed Szmajkowski, with a brown skin complexion, rapping to the song with backup dancers in tow. At one point, the singer also said “n***a” during the performance.Szmajkowski’s performance was enough for him to take home the win in the second episode of the show’s 19th season. The musician donated his prize money to the Przysta? Nadziei Foundation, which aids children with cancer.
It didn’t take long for the clip to make its rounds on social media, and people were up in arms over the controversial performance. One person tweeted, “Kendrick needs to file the nastiest copyright suit of all time. I’m talking not even able to say his name no more on some Voldemort sht.”
Another person tweeted, “Them n*ggas just couldn’t cosplay Eminem? Needless to say ain’t no blackface necessary there.”
A third person wrote, “long live Kielbasa Lamar.”
Lamar wasn’t the only Black artist who was imitated on the latest episode of Your Face Sounds Familiar. Polish actress Pola Gonciarz imitated Beyoncé in full Blackface as well. In 2021, actor Tomasz Ciachorowski did the same thing by performing “Stronger” as Kanye West.
We wish we could say we were shocked, but we aren’t.
Them niggas just couldn’t cosplay Eminem? Needless to say ain’t no blackface necessary there ?
— ????? ? (@ShawnIsShady) September 10, 2023
