We all know TikTok is a treasure trove for fashion hauls, makeup tutorials, TikTok hacks, and most famously, its dance routines that seem to go viral daily. The app has solidified itself as a mainstream entertainment platform, where young people can become famous for their elaborate and fun creations.
Now reportedly worth millions of dollars, Addison Rae is a prime example after she found fame on TikTok for her dance routines. On Friday night, Rae performed in a segment on "The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon," teaching Fallon the most popular TikTok dances of the moment.
Rae along with Fallon are now facing a huge backlash, as most of the dances that the white social-media star performed were made by Black creators, who were not credited during the segment.
Users took to Twitter to condemn the performance and question why Rae was given the opportunity to perform the routines when they weren't even created by her.
One Twitter user wrote: "So I’m guessing all of the black creators who made these dances up were busy huh?"
So I’m guessing all of the black creators who made these dances up were busy huh? https://t.co/RS6boMNZH8March 28, 2021
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While another wrote: "White privilege is not creating a single movement in these dances, but getting the opportunity to go on national TV to teach Jimmy Fallon instead of the actual creators."
White privilege is not creating a single movement in these dances, but getting the opportunity to go on national TV to teach Jimmy Fallon instead of the actual creators. https://t.co/aPkvtK3fF9March 27, 2021
A third critic said: "Stealing from black entertainers and having white 'creators' regurgitate it to the masses is american history 101."
Stealing from black entertainers and having white "creators" regurgitate it to the masses is american history 101.March 28, 2021
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The segment is being called a huge missed opportunity to celebrate black creators and a prime example of white privilege. Buzzfeed reports that sadly this is not a new issue, and has happened frequently, especially with TikTok dances. Charli D’Amelio, for example, is often credited with creating the viral sensation "Renegade" dance, when it was actually created by Jalaiah Harmon.
The video of the segment has been uploaded to The Tonight Show's official YouTube and does have credits in the description—it's not entirely clear if the citations were originally there or have now been added, but no credit to the original creators were given during the live show. See the creators behind each of the viral TikTok dances below:
- Do It Again - dc: @noahschnapp
- Savage Love - dc: @jazlynebaybee
- Corvette Corvette - dc: @yvnggprince
- Laffy Taffy - dc: @flyboyfu
- Savage - dc: @kekejanjah
- Blinding Lights - dc: @macdaddyz
- Up - dc: @theemyanicole
- Fergalicious - dc: @thegilberttwins
