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.

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.