Nayyirah Waheed Revives Dispute with Rupi Kaur Over Literary Appropriation

In an Instagram post, Waheed accused Kaur of taking credit for her writing, specifically asserting that Kaur's 'milk and honey' was derived from her original work, 'salt.' Waheed declared that her book would soon be available globally, emphasizing her claim to the creative roots of Kaur's success. "Rupi Kaur, since you took credit for my blueprint/literary innovation ‘salt’... I’ll also take the credit for those 11-12+ million copies of Milk and Honey," she stated, also noting that she would take credit for the financial success that followed.

Waheed provided historical examples of other artists who faced similar appropriations, indicating that her situation wasn't isolated. She pointed out how Kaur and her team have not engaged with her request for a formal discussion mediated by a major media outlet, which Waheed published on September 11.

Her statements accuse Kaur of employing “silence and erasure tactics” while continuing her career. In a broader context, Waheed discusses issues of “Anti-Blackness, Racism, Erasure, Appropriation, and Cultural Extraction,” alleging that Black writers, particularly women, are often overlooked despite their contributions to creative fields.

Waheed originally self-published 'salt' in 2013, and Kaur's 'milk and honey' followed in 2014, becoming one of the most successful poetry collections, selling over seven million copies worldwide. Kaur has previously defended her writing style, asserting that the form isn’t exclusive to either poet, pointing to earlier uses of lowercase text and short, confessional poetry.

The similarities between the two collections have sparked debate, with some critics arguing that they are too substantial to ignore while others contend that the elements of minimalism and social media presentation are not unique to either. An analysis from The Varsity referenced a level of