Snapchat today just felt the holiday spirit on the “Marijuana Appreciation Day” and what a good way to celebrate it by giving its users funny filters that can change the way someone faces look?

Well, for this stoner holiday 4/20, the service thought it was a good idea to go with a Bob Marley Filter, that is being actually considered a “blackface”.

Photo credit: The Verge
The Bob Marley Filter. Photo credit: The Verge

Racism or a tribute?

Snapchat CEO Evan Spiegal also stated that “Again, this is sort of the challenge, and I should have exact percentages for you but we just don’t think about diversity in terms of numbers that way…We think about people and diverse skill sets” Spiegal said in part.

A spokesperson for Snapchat told that the Marley lens was created in partnership with Marley’s estate, and is meant to honor the late singer.

“The lens we launched today was created in partnership with the Bob Marley estate, and gives people a new way to share their appreciation for Bob Marley and his music,” the spokesperson said. “Millions of Snapchatters have enjoyed Bob Marley’s music, and we respect his life and achievements.”

 There has been found many negative opinions about this filter by famous on their twitter accounts. Kylie Jenner uploaded a video of her using the filter, what later unleashed a wave of “diversity-support” comments

When did the Blackface originate?

Blackface back in the 19 century was based on the notion of making black people look inferior. There’s no way for it to ever be something respectful. It was started in American minstrels shows in which white people would perform in blackface, portraying black people as lazy and playing up perceptions of black people as sub-human for the sake of laughs.

Source: The Guardian