May 24, 2021
Asian-American star Bruno Mars has officially become the first artist to receive five RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) diamond certified singles. His songs “That’s What I Like” and “When I Was Your Man” have both just received diamond certification, selling and streaming over 10 million copies, according to Stereogum.
“Just The Way You Are,” “Grenade,” Mark Ronson collaboration “Uptown Funk!” and “When I Was Your Man” are 11 times multi-platinum, and “Grenade” and “That’s What I Like” are ten times multi-platinum.
“This milestone is a testament to Bruno’s unstoppable creative genius and the incredible partnership he has built with the team at Atlantic Records. What Bruno has accomplished is just extraordinary. Fewer than 60 Diamond Single Awards have ever been awarded—and Bruno now has five of them!” stated RIAA chairman and CEO Mitch Glazier.
Real name Peter Gene Hernandez, Bruno’s father is half Puerto Rican and Ashkenazi Jewish and a Brooklyn, New York native. His mother was a Filipino immigrant from Hawaii. She passed away at the age of 55 after suffering a brain aneurysm at Queen’s Medical Center in Honolulu, Hawaii on June 1, 2013.
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Bruno Mars is worth $175 million. He has sold over 130 million albums worldwide.
However, some believe Bruno Mars appropriates “black music” because he is not black, yet uses “black” influence to make money. Some call him an Asian “karaoke singer,” for “copying” Michael Jackson and Prince.
These are the same types of people who refuse to admit driving a Mercedes-Benz is appropriating German culture, using a Samsung smartphone or an Apple iPhone with a Samsung OLED screen or even using YouTube, which was co-founded by Asians—is appropriating Asian and Caucasian culture.
Can a person simply be inspired by good music or ideas and improve upon them with one’s own ideas or are we all doomed to call each other “cultural thieves”? Some more reliant on absolutely everything than others.
Feature Image via Instagram