Black people, who invented hip-hop, jazz, and rock and roll, have long been tastemakers of American cool. In many ways, fashion, music, and slang are dictated by black people no matter how little credit we get for it.
Don't believe me? Try the horse's mouth.
“Our research shows that black consumer choices have a ‘cool factor’ that has created a halo effect, influencing not just consumers of color but the mainstream as well,”
said Cheryl Grace, senior vice president of U.S. Strategic Community Alliances and Consumer Engagement, Nielsen.
Thus, presumably, if you want to be cool and sell records, you ought to start acting black. In fact, it's great if you're not black and act black because you get the benefits of being cool without the baggage and limitations of being subjected to racism.
There's a reason why Eminem still outsells most black rappers even though he is still dropping gay slurs in 2018 as a 46-year-old man, and it's not because he is culturally relevant. His appearance matters to consumers.
The best example of this is the talentless Iggy Azalea's quick rise and fall. Azalea adopted a caricature-like "black American voice" despite her Australian origins and accent.
Calvin Harris, born Adam Wiles, famously chose the stage name because it sounded more black.
"My first single was more of a soul track, and I thought Calvin Harris sounded a bit more racially ambiguous," Harris said. "I thought people might not know if I was black or not. After that, I was stuck with it."