Lana Del Rey’s Most Controversial Moments Through the Years: Cultural Appropriation, Famous Feuds and More

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Lana Del Rey's Most Controversial Moments Through the Years: Cultural Appropriation, Famous Feuds and More

Lana Del Rey has received her fair share of criticism throughout her rise to the top of the charts — but she hasn't let it get her down. Del Rey's early career was marked by accusations of cultural appropriation after she made several music videos that portrayed stereotypical characteristics of Native American and Latinx communities. Her creative choices came under fire once more in May 2020 after she shared a lengthy note via Instagram defending her fixation on themes that seem anti-feminist to some listeners. "Now that Doja Cat, Ariana [Grande], Camila [Cabello], Cardi B, Kehlani and Nicki Minaj and Beyoncé have had number ones with songs about being sexy, wearing no clothes, f–king, cheating etc – can I please go back to singing about being embodied, feeling beautiful by being in love even if the relationship is not perfect, or dancing for money – or whatever I want – without being crucified or saying that I'm glamorizing abuse??????" the singer wrote at the time, adding that she was “fed up” with comments about her music when she’s just a “glamorous person” singing about the “realities” of “emotionally abusive relationships.”  Scroll down to look back at some of Del Rey's biggest controversies:

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Don't Quote Her

In one of her earliest interviews with the U.K.'s The Guardian in 2011, the New York native described her artistic style as "Lolita got lost in the hood." Three years later, she told the same publication that she thought joining the infamous "27 Club" — a group of actors, artists and musicians who died at the age of 27 — would be an honor. "I wish I was dead already," she said in 2014.

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Abuse as Art

Some fans believed Del Rey was glamorizing domestic violence when she released the album artwork for her 2012 single "Blue Jeans," which depicted a man choking her.

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Cultural Appropriation

Del Rey was accused of appropriating Native American culture when she donned a feathered headdress in the 2012 "Ride" music video. The following year, she was criticized for stereotyping Latinx gang culture in her "Tropico" short film, which shows her with two small teardrop tattoos on her cheek. At the time, she told Maxim that she was inspired by her life on the Eastside of Los Angeles and had "always spoken Spanish in all [her] songs."

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Not Into Feminism

In a June 2014 Fader cover story, the "Young and Beautiful" songstress admitted that she was turned off by the topic of women's empowerment. "For me, the issue of feminism is just not an interesting concept," she said. "I'm more interested in, you know, SpaceX and Tesla, what's going to happen with our intergalactic possibilities. Whenever people bring up feminism, I'm like, 'God.' I'm just not really that interested." One year prior, fellow artist Lorde told the same publication that she thought the themes explored in Del Rey's music were "so unhealthy for young girls to be listening to."

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New Feud Alert

The "Video Games" singer traded barbs with Azealia Banks on social media in October 2018 after criticizing Kanye West's support of then-president Donald Trump. "To me this just looks like the typical White woman taking using a weakened target to 'pretend' to be an ally," Banks tweeted at the time, claiming Del Rey wasn't "consistent" in her stances on certain issues. "Don't use Kanye for your own vapid attempts to seem politically aware when there is SO MUCH MORE bootleg witchcraft you could be doing to TRY and take down 45. ... Kanye is not your enemy or THE enemy."

At the time, Del Rey was quick to fire back. "I won't not f--k you the f--k up. Period," she replied. "Banks. u coulda been the greatest female rapper alive but u blew it. don't take it out on the only person who had ur back. ... I'll send you my surgeon's number and a good psychiatrist I know in LA – your psych meds aren't working."

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Everyone's a Critic

Del Rey received mostly positive reviews for her 2019 album, Norman F--king Rockwell, but one NPR critic set the singer off. "Here's a little sidenote on your piece – I don't even relate to one observation you made about the music. There's nothing uncooked about me," the Grammy nominee clapped back via Twitter after reading the less-than-stellar review. "To write about me is nothing like it is to be with me. Never had a persona. Never needed one. Never will. ... So don't call yourself a fan like you did in the article and don't count your editor one either — I may never never have made bold political or cultural statements before- because my gift is the warmth I live my life with and the self-reflection I share generously."

The heated exchange sparked a lively conversation online about how artists are expected to engage with criticism in the digital age.

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Where's the Double Standard?

After years of facing backlash for exploring complicated topics in her music and videos, Del Rey called out a handful of musicians — including Ariana Grande and Beyoncé — for "wearing no clothes" and making "sexy" music. "Can I please go back to singing about being embodied, feeling beautiful by being in love even if the relationship is not perfect, or dancing for money – or whatever I want – without being crucified or saying that I’m glamorizing abuse??????" the "Summertime Sadness" artist wrote in a lengthy Instagram post in May 2020, adding that she was "fed up" with the criticism of her work.

"I think it's pathetic that my minor lyrical exploration detailing my sometimes submissive or passive roles in my relationships has often made people say [this]," she said. When some fans pointed out that she mostly targeted women of color in her post, Del Rey clapped back, "I don't care anymore but don't ever ever ever ever bro- call me racist because that is bulls–t."

Credit: Courtesy of Lana Del Rey/Instagram

Mesh Mask

As the coronavirus pandemic continued to spread in October 2020, the "Lust for Life" singer was photographed wearing a face covering made of mesh fabric and ignoring social distancing guidelines with fans at a book signing. The following month, Del Rey defended her fashionable face mask. "The mask had plastic on the inside," she tweeted in November 2020. "They're commonly sewn in by stylists these days. I don't generally respond to articles because I don't care. But there ya go."

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'Changing the World'

Del Rey revealed the cover of her seventh studio album, Chemtrails Over the Country Club, in January 2021 — and was quickly forced to defend her artistic choices when social media users pointed out the lack of diversity in the black-and-white photo. "We are all a beautiful mix of everything- some more than others which is visible and celebrated in everything I do," she responded at the time. "My best friends are rappers, my boyfriends have been rappers. My dearest friends have been from all over the place, so before you make comments again about a WOC/POC issue, I'm not the one storming the capital [sic], I'm literally changing the world by putting my life and thoughts and love out there on the table 24 seven. Respect it."