“Copy, Paste, Copy, Copy, Paste Everything That I Do They Trying Do The Same Thing”: Mea Culpa Beanies, Basquiat, and the Youth

12-14-22

You can’t scroll TikTok for long without coming across a video of someone pulling out an iPad going to Procreate and sketching a “new” beanie. These designs are far (and I mean far) from new. They are just renditions of the popular Mea Culpa beanie. They use the same color schemes, font, and the basic concept of the beanie. I really question why this is. I think this generation is addicted and intrigued by the fame and money that some careers and items garner. They may not have a passion for what they are doing, but they like the results that it will bring. I say that because no one who has a true passion for fashion design would sit and copy an idea (I mean of course there are some cases). For the most part, their ideas would be in the making for months, they would study fashion history, and have reasoning for why they made it. Virgil Abloh studied Duchamp but that nigga ain’t copy the Fountain.

No one who has a true passion for fashion design would sit and copy a complete idea. Inspired? Yes! Every artist is inspired by someone. However, I don’t see that with young people copying Mea Culpa. The people that are copying Mea Culpa’s designs don’t have that, they just like the attention that the hats have been getting. I mean the hats are worn by celebs, they are the talk of the town, and they sell out at 72 dollars a piece. Who wouldn’t want that?

I don’t want to say that the people copying Mea Culpa have bad intentions because they are mostly young people. I don’t think they see it as stealing someone’s artistry but as a get-rich-quick scheme. They want and expect to reach the highest level of success with a few TikTok promotions and a stolen design. Young adults see someone get success off of something and will scramble to do exactly that without half the talent, passion, or creativity. They don’t want to be a fashion designer, musician, or anything of that sort. But they like how the profession is depicted, the fame, the money, the glamour. That's what they want. That's why we see half-assed hair stylists, lash techs, etc (random professions but they are the first that came to mind).

The situation with Jean Basquiat is the same thing. People love (and I mean love) to copy his art style. I’m not talking bout using his art as inspiration, I’m talking bout looking at their art and being like “You telling me this ain't a Basquiat? ://” It’s corny and it seems like people are trying to sell an aesthetic or personality, not art. Basquiat is amazing, I mean he is one of the tops, no debate. But do your want your work and Basquiat to always be in the same sentence? What happened to individuality?

I don’t know about y’all but if I was the creator of Mea Culpa I would be pissssed, furious. I don’t care what nobody says imitation is not the best form of flattery.
It’s annoying.

Stop biting.
Y’all niggas love to steal.
(Word to Frank)

I feel like I’ve talked a lot about copying on this blog, but the idea of copying someone boggles my mind. Why would you want to copy someone's shit instead of making something unique? I don’t understand it so I write these posts to make sense of it. This is the last post about it though.

I swear.
(maybe)

I know I haven’t posted in a while. School and work are beating my ass. (i'm winning though. dont worry). I’m coming back with more posts, music, inspo photos, etc. I might add a comment section to the posts. I like hearing other opinions. But don’t get crazy cause I WILL turn that shit right AWF. More promo coming too cause people need to hear about this blog.

Anyways spread the wordddd.
Tell and friend to tell a friend
igotsumtosay.com is backkk

-azana, wunder, igotsumtosay