This story is actually just the recent manifestation of an old debate.
http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive...28101rap1.html (White man beaten because "white people shouldn't be listening to rap") The debate is whether certain forms of cultural expression belong to certain cultures. In particular: can a non-Jamaican produce "authentic" reggae music? Can a Russian woman produce "real" Vedic music? Or how about an Inuit engaging in "meaningful" tibetan throat songs?
Who OWNS culture? Is there such a thing as AUTHENTIC culture? Was Ralph Ellison right when he bashed the whole idea of "
cultural authenticity"?