TikTok makeup artist under fire for “blackface” as Kobe Bryant video resurfaces

Theo Burman
tiktok under fire for blackface

A makeup artist who makes videos on TikTok has come under fire from the internet after one of her videos, which shows her using her skills to look like Kobe Bryant, resurfaced and went viral on Twitter.

Viewers quickly slammed the video and the creator for doing “blackface”, as the TikToker used makeup to make themselves look like Kobe Bryant, the NBA star who died in 2020.

The TikToker has uploaded constantly since then, but the video resurfaced after it was posted on Twitter, almost exactly two years after it was uploaded to TikTok, and people are still angry about the video, which was branded “wrong” and “insensitive”.

Internet lashes out at makeup TikToker for doing “blackface” in her videos

In the video, TikTok user easy_baobo applies makeup to not just her face, but her hands and neck as well, darkening her skin and putting on a Lakers outfit to mimic Kobe Bryant’s style and team.

Despite the caption, which read: “Kobe is forever in my heart. Limitation makeup not imitating people just respect”, the video was very controversial on TikTok, with the top comments slamming the creator.

One viewer said: “No no no. I understand the reason, but no.”

Another asked: “Why is this still up?”

After the video recirculated on Twitter, other people were also harsh on the video, with one tweet reading: “This is actually insane.”

https://twitter.com/fbgswiper/status/1560205672830091264

However, there were some viewers who were sympathetic with the creator, and didn’t think it met the standards for blackface.

One supportive watcher said: “I feel like she’s just displaying her makeup art talent. Blackface is really a reach here….”

Another questioned: “She’s trying to look like Kobe? How else would she do it?”

For more news and updates on TikTok, check out this couple who went viral after they both proposed at the same time.

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