The Internet Is NOT #Happy About Pharrell's ELLE Cover
Pharrell Williams is wearing Native American headgear and talking about creativity in the new issue of Elle magazine. We almost didn’t recognize him without the green Vivienne Westwood hat, but it is indeed Pharrell - and the Internet is less than #Happy. The GIRL hitmaker answered questions about his work, his inspiration and even his wife – model Helen Lasichanh.
"We just motivated each other as friends. She pushes me. I push her," he said about their relationship.
On good manners and understanding the value of things, he said: "I wasn't always that way.
More: Pharrell Williams Missed Out On Michael Jackson Collaboration
More: Pharrell Williams: The History Of The Grammy Hat
"I took a lot of years to understand the value of things and the value of the people you work with," he continued. "The value of your fans who ultimately hold you high and lift you up. We're just hang gliders, dude, and they are carrying us around."
While the interview sounds like a generally harmless piece of journalism, a lot of online commenters have taken offence to the photo shoot and Pharrell’s feather headdress in particular. The racism and appropriation discussion has been growing louder over recent months, but apparently, there is still someone at ELLE not paying attention. The reactions of ELLE readers on the website range from: “#NOTHappy This is an insulting and ignorant display of cultural appropriation. That's my culture, not a hat” to “This is THE WORST. How do people not get this yet.” The reactions on Twitter were no better.
Oh dear here we go. Pharrell Williams on the cover of the July issue of ELLE UK magazine. pic.twitter.com/O9RapSMNdG
— Tom + Lorenzo® (@tomandlorenzo) June 3, 2014
To the tune of "Happy!" Cause I'm raciiiiiiiiiIIIIIIIIIiiiiiiiiist! http://t.co/yJL3BfLnhz @Pharrell @ELLEUK
— 1491s (@1491s) June 4, 2014
I love your music @Pharrell - I really wish your stylist had warned you about cultural appropriation w/ the Elle cover. :( still love you!
— Minty L.A. LongEarth (@mintysworld) June 4, 2014
Oh no, Pharrell jumped on the cultural appropriation train. Waiting to see him in a Navajo sweater from UO. #nothappy http://t.co/CdB7yeGJui
— Catt Small (@cattsmall) June 4, 2014