'Shake It Off' director defended the video
Alexandra Pollard

10:28 22nd August 2014

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The director of Taylor Swift's new video, 'Shake It Off', has responded after the video was criticised by musicans and the public, some of whom believed it perpetuated cultural stereotypes, and appropriated black culture.

Earl Sweatshirt was one of the video's most vocal critics, despite having not actually watched it.

Watch the video for 'Shake It Off' below

Now the video's director, Mark Romanek, has responded to the criticism, saying that Sweatshirt not having seen the video "sort of invalidates his observations from the get-go."

He said: "We simply chose styles of dance that we thought would be popular and amusing and cast the best dancers that were presented to us, without much regard to race or ethnicity."

Romanek added: "If you look at it carefully, it’s a massively inclusive piece. It’s very, very innocently and positively intentioned. And - let’s remember - it’s a satirical piece. It’s playing with a whole range of music-video tropes and clichés and stereotypes.”

Taylor Swift herself is yet to respond to the controversy.

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