Advertisement

Tom Hanks' son wants Adele to call him after cultural appropriation controversy

Feb 12, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Adele performs during the George Michael Tribute during the 59th Annual Grammy Awards at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY NETWORK *** Please Use Credit from Credit Field ***
Adele was accused of cultural appropriation after a post on Instagram. (USA Today Network)

Tom Hanks’ son Chet has reached out to Adele after she was accused of cultural appropriation.

The Hello singer came under fire earlier this week after she shared a picture of herself wearing Bantu knots – a traditional African hairstyle – in honour of the cancelled Notting Hill Carnival.

Rapper Chet, who has previously been accused of cultural appropriation himself for speaking in Jamaican Patois, took the opportunity to try and make contact with the British star.

He shared a video which showed him singing along to Adele’s song Set Fire To The Rain, before breaking off to compliment the star while speaking in Patois.

“PLEASE SOMEONE TELL ADELE HIT MY LINE ASAP !!!!!!!!!!!! I NEED TO TALK TO HER ABOUT SOMETHING,” he wrote.

Read more: Tory MP says Adele cultural appropriation criticism is 'doing my head in'

Adele’s image was shared on Instagram and showed her wearing Bantu knots and clad in a bikini of the Jamaican flag.

“Happy what would be Notting Hill Carnival my beloved London,” it was captioned.

Some suggested the 32-year-old was appropriating black culture, with one person tweeting that Bantu knots were “NOT to be worn by white people in any context, period”.

“If 2020 couldn’t get anymore bizarre, Adele is giving us Bantu knots and cultural appropriation that nobody asked for,” posted another.

However, others defended the singer.

Speaking on BBC Radio 1Xtra, singer Alexandra Burke said: “As a Jamaican girl myself, my girl has grown up in black culture. People forget she’s from Tottenham. She probably eats jerk chicken all the time like all of us.”

MP David Lammy also spoke out, tweeting: “Adele was born and raised in Tottenham she gets it more than most. Thank you Adele. Forget the Haters.”

Chet – the son of Hollywood star Tom Hanks and actress Rita Wilson – has been criticised in the past for speaking in Jamaican Patois.

Read more: Adele shows off new appearance in rare photo

However, speaking in a video earlier this year the 30-year-old defended himself and claimed people were “caught up on this idea of theft and stealing”.

TORONTO, ON - SEPTEMBER 08:  Tom Hanks (R) and his son Chet Hanks arrive at "Cloud Atlas" premiere during the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival held at Princess of Wales Theatre on September 8, 2012 in Toronto, Canada.  (Photo by Michael Tran/FilmMagic)
Tom Hanks and his son Chet Hanks in 2012 (Michael Tran/FilmMagic)

He said: “If a white person gets into hip hop and they start getting braids and gold teeth, some people call that appropriation. But if a black person puts on a cowboy hat and gets into country music, there’s nothing wrong with that. Why would anybody have a problem with that?

“If you don’t have a problem with a black person wearing cowboy hats and cowboy boots and loving country music, then why do you have a problem with white people wearing braids and gold teeth and getting into hip-hop music?”

Hanks and Wilson have another son, Truman, and the Forrest Gump star also has a son and a daughter from a previous relationship.