Awkwafina Quits Twitter After Finally Addressing Criticism Over Her ‘Blaccent’

perezhilton.com:

Awkwafina finally spoke out about the controversy over her use of a “blaccent.” For years, the Crazy Rich Asians actress – whose real name is Nora Lum – has been accused of appropriating Black culture due to her consistent use of African American Vernacular English (AAVE) in both her stand-up comedy and film roles.

She has (somewhat) addressed the criticism in the past, telling Reuters back in September: But now, Awkwafina has issued a more direct response to the criticism than she has ever given before… In a letter shared to Twitter on Saturday, the 33-year-old comedian began by acknowledging the “sociopolitical context” surrounding the allegations.

She wrote how “a group that is disproportionately affected by institutionalized policies and law enforcement policies” has had their “culture stolen, exploited and appropriated by the *dominant* culture for monetary gain without acknowledgment nor respect for where those roots come from.” Awkwafina then recognized how the problem still exists today in music and on different social media platforms like TikTok, adding: Related: Joe Rogan Apologizes For Repeatedly Using The N-Word After Videos Resurface The Shang-Chi and the Legends of the Ten Rings star continued: However, Awkwafina believes her speech has been influenced by her surroundings and “immigrant background,” explaining: She then concluded: But that’s not all she had to say.

Hours later, the former rapper followed up with another tweet in which she announced she would be leaving the social media platform for her mental health: Although she was no longer posting on the site, she clarified that she’s only “retiring from the ingrown toenail that is Twitter” and “not retiring from anything else.” The Golden Globe also