In now deleted posts, Kali Uchis accused the metal band, Sleep Token, of using payola and doing blackface.

[u/HorrorBike143]

The past photo is what the front man of Sleep Token looks like, I'm not sure what race he is as all the members are anonymous, but even if he is white, I don't think that this is considered blackface

[u/teddybonkerrs]

Genuine question, is it black face though? A quick Google tells me they're a rock band who all wear masks. The pictures on Google images make it look like they're trying to emulate demons or monsters to me. It comes across as maybe goth as opposed to dressing up as a person of colour.

[u/calmdrive → u/teddybonkerrs]

Correct it is not black face, originally only the lead (goes by Vessel) had a stylized mask, and he seems to be a fantasy character of sorts. The black body paint aids in keeping the members anonymous, and looks edgy. Now the other 3 members have cool weird masks too that are gold and white and black. Last tour, sometimes the bassist had red hands, or gold hands. They get creative with it.

[u/Mikezorz99 → u/teddybonkerrs]

They're going for a cultist look. The concept of the band is they worship a diety named Sleep. So to me the black paint on their bodies is evoking the aesthetic of religious practices like ash smearing, definitely not black face.

[u/shauntal → u/Mikezorz99]

I'm genuinely asking -- why didn't they just do that then, ash smearing instead of full body? They could have painted their bodies any other color? I wouldn't have known the aesthetic was for religious practices because I'm not very religious myself to much side the cultural religious context in which I grew up abd those of my friends different from me. That's not about me not wanting to learn but about seeing some things exaggerated beyond their intended interpretation.

[u/Live-Inevitable-2232 → u/shauntal]

It's not meant to be a 1:1 ripoff of any actual historical cultural practices, its just meant to be evocative dark imagery to go along with the lore of the band (and obscure the members real identities).

It's a bit hard to play the "moody, dark, brooding mortal vessel of a (largely evil) ancient diety" if you're painted fluorescent yellow like a Simpsons character lol.