The Black Madonna & Joey Negro has decided to change their artists names after facing petitions and accusations of cultural appropriation.
From The black Madonna to The blessed Madonna
On July 20th 2020, American artist Marea Stamper aka The Black Madonna, known for her progressive stances, led the way by changing her name to The Blessed Madonna after that for several weeks, a petition has explicitly asked her not to use this pseudonym anymore. “It should be very clear that in 2020, a white woman who calls herself ‘Black’ is very problematic” quoting the petition.
“My artist name has been a subject of pain and frustration”
– The blessed Madonna
The 43-year-old artist explained to fans on Instagram the origin of her old stage name, taken from her family history: “This name reflected the deep Catholic devotion of my family for a guy. of European icon of the Virgin Mary, dark tint.” She also added that her “artist name has been a subject of controversy, confusion, pain and frustration” to explain this change of pseudonym.
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Friends, I have changed my name to The Blessed Madonna. I have always been transparent about my faith because I felt a responsibility to be clear about who I was and who I was not. The name was a reflection of my family’s lifelong and profound Catholic devotion to a specific kind of European icon of the Virgin Mary which is dark in hue. People who shared that devotion loved the name, but in retrospect I should have listened harder to other perspectives. But now I hear loud and clear. My artist name has been a point of controversy, confusion, pain and frustration that distracts from things that are a thousand times more important than any single word in that name. We’re living in extraordinary times and this is a very small part of a much bigger conversation, but we all have a responsibility to try and effect positive change in any way we can. I want you to be able to feel confident in the person I am and what I stand for. Thank you for listening. Stay blessed. -Love Marea PS: If you read this far, arrest the cops that murdered Breonna Taylor in my hometown of Louisville, Kentucky: Jonathan Mattingly, Brett Hankison, Myles Cosgrove.
From Joey Negro to Dave Lee
A decision that seems to have influenced other DJs. Tuesday, July 21th 2020, Joey Negro, British disco-oriented artist, decided to return to his true identity, Dave Lee. In a post on his Facebook page, the 56-year-old DJ says he made his decision on his own, noting that he “hasn’t felt comfortable with the name Joey Negro for a while, even more so as he gets older. […]
” I understand that it is inappropriate for me to continue to use this name. I have recently received messages explaining that this is unacceptable and that people find it inappropriate in 2020, and I agree. “
– Dave Lee
He adds that his old stage name was not the product of much thought and that it consisted of a simple juxtaposition of the names of two artists, Pal Joey and J Walter Negro, whose vinyl records were lying around his desk. The world of electronic music is not the only one to be the subject of such questioning…
Name changes in American sport
In line with the anti-racist protests linked to the death of George Floyd in late May, the world of sport has also paved the way for name changes. In American football, the Washington Redskins declared on July 13 that the team would change their name, deemed racist, for the next season. In baseball, the Cleveland Indians have also announced that they are considering the question of their name.