DigiTrad Critical Media Studies Lecture Series | Jaspal Singh (Open University)
INFORMATION
The performance of the white Australian breakdancer B-Girl Raygun at the 2024 Paris Olympics quickly went viral, sparking widespread debate both within and beyond Hip Hop communities. Reactions ranged from ridicule, infantilisation and misogyny to questions about representation and accusations of minstrelsy/blackfacing. Within Hip Hop Kulture, especially among breakers, the viral spread of Raygun’s performance seemed to have brought about deep-seated anxieties about cultural appropriation, misrepresentation and the ongoing influence of colonial power. These anxieties were, as I will argue, expressed in debates around raciogendered authenticity. Drawing on an autoethnographic approach, this talk traces how these discussions unfolded in real time across different audiences. It explores what this moment reveals about how media virality shapes public understandings of culture, identity, institutions and authenticity in a global context.
SPEAKER
- Dr. Jaspal Singh | Website
COORDINATES
- Date: Wednesday, 25.03.2026
- Time: 16:00 – 17:00
- Place: MSA 3.120
- Webex: https://unilu.webex.com/unilu/j.php?MTID=m3fe0b7acb5fb1423af70cc3ea54422af