Did Baauer Co-opt Native American Culture In His GoGo! Video?

I can’t even think of how long it’s been since I heard the name “Baauer,” let alone saw any new releases from the Philadelphia-born bass music producer. He’s best known for his viral 2013 hit “Harlem Shake” – for which he famously made next to nothing in spite of the track’s widespread popularity. However, it looks as though Baauer’s been planning a massive comeback around his long-awaited debut album, and has released a track titled “GoGo!” to put his name back in EDM fans’ mouths.

However, given some of the themes of the video for the track, it might be for the wrong reasons. The minimalist video features a single shot of a rising sun passing behind a satellite dish, but draped over the dish is Native American dream catcher. I’ve certainly made my opinions on the controversies surrounding such use of marginalized cultures’ ceremonial decorations clear, but did Baauer simply not get the memo on how offended other people get over things like this nowadays?

Who knows, maybe he turned off all social media and lived off the grid for a couple of years and never saw a single post about war bonnets or totem poles during that time. Either way, “GoGo!” is a simple yet profound track that proves Baauer not to be a one-trick pony. If the rest of the album measures up to it, then perhaps his comeback won’t be as ill-conceived as the themes in this video might suggest.