J Balvin is facing backlash after winning the award for Afro-Latino Artist of the Year at the African Entertainment Awards. People are outraged on social media, pointing out the fact that J Balvin, a Colombian singer from Medellín, is not even Afro-Latino. On top of that, many believe the award was handed out in poor taste following the backlash from Balvin's "Perra" music video, in which he walks Black women on leashes, pretending that they're dogs.
"I don't know what's worse, that J Balvin was even put in this category, that he won against actual black people, or that the awards is called AFRICAN ENTERTAINMENT AWARDS, implying that actual black people committed this atrocity of a choice," commented one fan on Twitter after J Balvin's win.
After accepting the prize, the "In Da Getto" artist took to his Instagram story to clarify that he is not actually Afro-Latino.
He wrote his post in Spanish, which translates to, "I am not Afro Latino but thank you for giving me a place in the contribution of Afrobeat music and its movement."
Following the fan outrage, the African Entertainment Awards addressed the backlash and shared a statement, saying, "After listening to the concern of our audience we have decided to maintain the purpose of the award but changed the name to Best Latin Artist Of the year. The Best Latin Artist category is for any artist based in Latin America that is contributing to the African culture especially the Afro-beats sound globally. It is not based on race but more importantly based on pushing the African culture forward on the world stage. This is the first year that we introduced this category to include our Latin brothers and sisters who have embraced Afrobeats music within their platforms. The winner of this category has demonstrated that and is deserving of this award based on the fans votes. Please remember the nominees in this category had no say in their nomination or influence on the award show. Instead of voicing dissatisfaction, let us encourage these artists to continue bridging the gap between Africa and Latin America."
What do you think of J Balvin's win, his response, and the statement from the African Entertainment Awards?