The use of blackface in todays media

I have found that many people who hear the musical group Die Antwoord either love them or hate them. They seem to have no fan base of people who somewhat like them, and it is partly because of this that they are the center of much controversy. One of the major controversies springs from their use of blackface in their music videos. 

The use of blackface used to be popular entertainment when racial segregation was prominent. Many performers used this technique to give everyone some reason to feel connected with the act. In their eyes, as long as an ethnic group is portrayed, that group will be happy, even if it is in a bad light. Today the blackface is considered to be racially offensive. Since Die Antwoord, a white group, originates from South Africa, where racial segregation runs rampant, it is hard to deny that the use of blackface is not meant to be racially condescending. 

As seen in the photo above, the group has stretched the traditional blackface by painting Yolandi's whole body black. The drummer does not help matters due to his use of a costume similar to the ones used by the Ku Klux Klan. However, Ninja throws off this "racial pun" by being painted head to toe in white and red. Ninja's paint job throws off the racist vibe and makes the use of blackface a question of pure coincidence. Yolandi also changes her look throughout the music video, keeping with the theme of red and white. 

It is possible that the group just happened to think the different body paints would be and interesting element for their videos. The group is known to be one who participates heavily in abusing illegal substances, as well as, drinking. These altered states of mind could be an easy explanation to why the group found it appropriate to incorporate blackface into their videos. At the time of production, it could have just been seen as an interesting idea with a great potential for adding variety to their  already bizarre music videos. 

The true reason for the use of blackface by the group is masked by them for their fear of losing a large fan base. It is, however, a great example of how blackface is still in existence. The use may be controversial now, but it has lasted throughout the decades and continues to draw audiences attention.