Bruno Mars is back and, oh man, did we miss him. The multi-platinum soulful singer has returned with two brand new songs as part of his latest musical endeavor, making a band called Silk Sonic with Anderson .Paak. The two will be releasing a full album together and, given their personal discographies, music fans couldn’t be any more excited to hear what they come up with. On Thursday night, Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak released the first Silk Sonic single called “Leave The Door Open”, which has been getting immediate praise online. They also released the introductory track to their upcoming album, which features the legendary Bootsy Collins.
Throughout Bruno Mars’ career, there have been times where the artist faced accusations of being a cultural appropriator. As a person of color, the accusations seemed a little strange, but they still gained traction on social media. During Silk Sonic’s recent appearance on The Breakfast Club, Charlamagne Tha God asked about his response to the critics that have dragged Bruno over the years, and his response was perfect.
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“You can’t find an interview where I’m not talking about the entertainers that have come before me. The only reason why I’m here is because of James Brown, Prince, Michael, that’s the only reason why I’m here,” said Bruno Mars. “I’m growing up as a kid, watching Bobby Brown and saying, ‘well, if that’s what it takes to make it, then I’ve got to learn how to do the Running Man. I’ve got to learn how to do the Moon Walk.’ That’s it. And this music comes from love. If you can’t hear that, then I don’t know what to tell you.”
Bruno elaborated, saying that he wears his inspiration on his sleeve, hoping that a band takes Silk Sonic’s album down the road and putting their own spin on it. “Then what was the point of us doing this?” he asked before explaining that, if a basketball player isn’t inspired by Michael Jordan and trying to mimic what he accomplished, then they’re missing an opportunity because “he showed you how to do it”.
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He goes on to say that the criticism doesn’t anger him, writing it off as a part of his job and saying, “I understand, it’s just Twitter, man.”
Listen to the new Silk Sonic song above and watch the full episode of The Breakfast Club below.