DeRay McKesson sat down with Katy Perry to discuss white privilege, cultural appropriation, and more during an interview for McKesson's podcast, Pod Save The People. A short clip of the interview quickly made its way around Twitter, and McKesson responded, tweeting his explanation as to why he st down with Perry, and explaining that her live stream was not a major component in the decision to conduct the interview.
The conversation shown in the clip centered around Katy Perry's history of controversial decisions regarding cultural appropriation, decisions which she has been criticized heavily for. From the clip that can be seen above, you can hear Perry and DeRay further discuss the implications of her cultural appropriation, particularly in the video for "This Is How We Do."
"I listened and I heard and I didn't know," she said. "I won't ever understand some of those things because of who I am. I will never understand, but I can educate myself and that's what I'm trying to do along the way."
You can read McKesson's explanation of the interview below.
I started #PodSaveThePeople with the goal of discussing activism, race, equity, and solutions with a range of people in a candid way.
— deray mckesson (@deray) June 11, 2017
& I've reached out to a host of politicians, influencers, activists, & organizers, to join the conversation. & there are many more to come.
— deray mckesson (@deray) June 11, 2017
I invited Katy, like many others, back in April/March when the podcast was finally coming together. Both schedules led to this weekend.
— deray mckesson (@deray) June 11, 2017
Now, I have always understood the way we talk/think about the world to be a key part of any change, esp. w/ artists, hence her invite.
— deray mckesson (@deray) June 11, 2017
I spoke to a range of people before and after the convo with Katy, just like I did before & after I spoke w/ Snowden, to listen to feedback.
— deray mckesson (@deray) June 11, 2017
& if you've listened to my conversation with Katy & have feedback on the questions I asked or approach, please let me know. I'm listening.
— deray mckesson (@deray) June 11, 2017
And w/ #CampaignZero and Stay Woke, we are and have continued to work on projects to both challenge systems/structures and to build.
— deray mckesson (@deray) June 11, 2017
And I asked about her religious upbringing. I didn't know how she was raised until I asked. I'm still processing that part of our convo.
— deray mckesson (@deray) June 11, 2017
I invited John Legend on the podcast because I wanted to talk to him about his own understand of his role as an artist & activist, too.
— deray mckesson (@deray) June 11, 2017
I appreciate the people who've pushed me either now/before to be thoughtful about how I engage. We might not always agree, but I hear you.
— deray mckesson (@deray) June 11, 2017
I've seen critiques of me taking off my shoes, the timing re: her album, talking w/ artists, link w/ the protests & more. I'm listening.
— deray mckesson (@deray) June 11, 2017
