Benny Blanco, the Virginia-born hitmaker behind chart-toppers for Katy Perry and Maroon 5, is confronting a wave of online fury after social media users discovered he is not Latino despite releasing a Spanish-language album titled Hermoso.
The 38-year-old producer, whose real name is Benjamin Joseph Levin, unveiled the eight-track project on 14 August 2026, sparking accusations of cultural appropriation that have dominated conversation across X and TikTok.
To recall, Blanco has spent two decades crafting pop anthems while maintaining a relatively low profile about his personal background. He grew up in Reston, Virginia, in a Jewish household, and only recently began addressing questions about his heritage as his solo career gained momentum.
The news came after his album artwork surfaced, showing a digitally distorted, cartoon-like version of his face that critics immediately compared to minstrel imagery.
The Hermoso Album Controversy Explained
Hermoso, which translates to 'beautiful' or 'handsome' in Spanish, features entirely Spanish-language track titles and draws heavily on Latin musical aesthetics. In a July interview with El País, Blanco explained his motivation, saying he grew up surrounded by Latin music in Virginia.
'You'd get in the car, and Jeanette would be playing; in another car, cumbia would be on,' he told the Spanish publication. 'I was always drawn to the drums and how the rhythms interacted with each other.'
That explanation has done little to quell the backlash. Social media users have accused Blanco of adopting Latin cultural signifiers without any corresponding heritage to back them up.
'It's actually so sinister to make your entire persona a downtrodden Latino man when you're literally a Jewish guy from Virginia,' one X user wrote in a post that garnered thousands of interactions. Another added, 'Adding so much Latin 'flair' to sell as his aesthetic is distasteful as he's not even Latino to begin with.'
The album cover has become the focal point of criticism. Some described it as 'a grotesque and racist caricature,' while others questioned why Blanco would use Spanish titles and Latin imagery for a solo project when he has no Latin American heritage.
One viral post read, 'This looks racist towards every race.' Another user wrote, 'A man with Eastern European Jewish roots is releasing a Latin album. They just love inserting themselves in every culture and sucking the life from them.'
Not everyone agreed with the criticism. Several defenders argued the artwork is simply an exaggerated version of Blanco himself, pointing out he has faced years of online mockery about his appearance.
'Y'all that's literally his face lmfao. He's not making fun of latinos, why would y'all claim that,' one person wrote. Others suggested he may be poking fun at the cruel comments he routinely receives.
Cultural Appropriation Debate Intensifies
The controversy touches on a broader, ongoing debate in the music industry about where creative inspiration ends and appropriation begins.
Critics note that Blanco has worked within Latin music circles before, including collaborations with artists like J Balvin and Selena Gomez, but argue that doing so does not entitle him to adopt the imagery and language of a culture that is not his own for a solo album rollout.
The situation echoes similar disputes involving non-Latin artists entering the Latin market. Rosalía, a Spanish singer, has faced accusations of cultural appropriation for her work in reggaetón and bachata, genres with Black Latinx roots.
In 2018, an Argentinian reggaeton singer had a Paris concert cancelled after Black French activists complained she was guilty of cultural appropriation. The pattern is familiar, artists working across genres and cultural references face scrutiny over authenticity, especially when commercial success is at stake.
Blanco's team has not issued a public statement addressing the specific criticism of the title or artwork as of publication. He has previously said he tries not to spend much time reading negative comments, but the intensity of this backlash suggests the conversation will continue well beyond the album's release date.
For now, the debate around Hermoso remains divided. Some viewers see the artwork as offensive because of its connection to a culture they believe Blanco does not belong to. Others see it as self-parody from an artist who has openly discussed his appreciation for Latin music.
Whether the controversy translates into commercial impact when Hermoso lands remains to be seen. For now, the conversation around Blanco has centred more on identity than on the music.
Nothing is confirmed yet regarding any formal response from Blanco or his representatives, so everything should be taken with a grain of salt. It cannot be independently verified whether any organised boycott or formal complaint from Latin music organisations will materialise, so take everything lightly.
