A number of celebrities and fans reacted to a photo posted by Adele on Sunday (Aug. 30).
In the pic, the singer sports a traditional Bantu knot hairstyle, a Jamaican flag bikini top, large gold hoop earrings and a matching chunky necklace and yellow feather wings. The photo was taken at the Notting Hill carnival in London over the weekend.
Actress Lisa Rinna congratulated the singer on the post that has racked up more than four million likes and counting, commenting, “You just broke that internet Henny,” with model Naomi Campbell adding a pair of black hearts and Jamaican flag emoji.
The 54-year-old bank holiday tradition in London is organized by members of the British West Indian community and it typically draws several million people for a celebration of Black British culture. (This year, the event went virtual due to COVID-19.)
British rapper Stefflon Don gave it two cat heart-eye emoji, while Jamaican singer/DJ Popcaan also threw up some supportive emoji, including a black fist and a heart.
Avengers: Endgame star Zoe Saldana also wrote, “You look right at home guurrrl,” and comedian Chelsea Handler added her voice to the voluminous comments, “Oh, yeah baby!” Actress Tessa Thompson posted a fire emoji in response to the pic.
Adele’s photo has also stirred up some questions about what some have perceived as cultural appropriation tied to her rocking the knotted hairstyle, typically associated with Black and African culture.
“Was Adele even raised in Jamaican culture, or was she just born in Jamaica cus her parents wanted a vacation????,” read one tweet. Journalist Ernest Owens commented, “If 2020 couldn’t get anymore bizarre, Adele is giving us Bantu knots and cultural appropriation that nobody asked for. This officially marks all of the top white women in pop as problematic.”
RuPaul’s Drag Race star Detox was on board, though, responding to the picture with, “It’s the white folks in here who are upset about (and trying to police) the way the Black folks are feeling for me,” along with rolling eye and facepalm emoji.
A number of commenters agreed, noting that the reactions may have been a bit off-base and hasty. “Yu can’t generalize what happens in America with the rest of the world,” wrote one, with another adding, “Understand that but in this case she’s not wearing it for praise, it’s exclusively for this carnival which is exclusively for the purpose of celebrating the culture, with the approval of the people who carries that culture there in the UK. I understand things are different in the US but this is something very different, is it not?”
Yet another weighed in with, “I’m Jamaican and we f–king love when other people celebrate us! Matter of fact our motto is OUT OF MANY, ONE PEOPLE!!! so there is no this is mine or this is yours, this is OURS!!! Jamaica is full of mixed races and cultures and we love and appreciate them all!!! Adel you slayed this f–king look and now you’re Jamaican we are claiming you.”
Check out Adele’s picture below.