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International Business Times UK

Entertainment

Clarizza Potoy

Hit Producer Benny Blanco Faces Furious Backlash After Social Media Discovers He Is Not Actually Latino

Benny Blanco Katy Perry Maroon 5 Virginia

Benny Blanco's Spanish-language album Hermoso has ignited fierce online backlash over cultural appropriation claims as users question his non-Latino heritage (Credit: Benny Blanco/ Instagram)

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.

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