Hey there. I like Vaporwave (I lean more towards the Future Funk sub-genre), and I enjoy the retro/surreal aesthetic that's a dreamlike mix of anime and cheesy late 90's TV (seriously why isn't there more F.R.I.E.N.D.S Vaporwave?); however, I know there are pretentious fans of the genre, and people who criticize it for being "nothing but crusty white dudes." It makes me worry if we're like cringey Nu-Metal bands from the 00's that were "so deep, bra" (seriously I fucking hate Linkin Park).
A good rule of thumb is if someone takes Vaporwave THAT seriously, they’re missing the point of the genre altogether. Vaporwave and most of its subgenres ( I am partial to mallsoft myself) are meant to be enjoyed without attributing a specific meaning to them. Don’t give any of them the time of day.
As for the criticism of “nothing but crusty white dudes”, I guess I haven’t heard that as much but even if it is full of white artists and/or a white audience, who cares? Vaporwave can be enjoyed by anyone, and if it bothers someone that much maybe they’re not ready to experience the chill atmosphere a good vaporwave track can provide lol. It’s like saying white kids aren’t allowed to listen to rap. Like. Tumblr can say what it wants but I’m still gonna be over here listening to Lemonade and some classic Dr. Dre if I’m in the mood for it.
In the end, it’s about what you want and what you enjoy. Meming and shitposting in the vaporwave tags and across forums isn’t hard to find. What makes Nu-Metal particularly cringey is how sincere in how obviously shallow it is. (Lookin at you ICP)
Some people went through phases of Nu Metal and now regret it. It’s always possible that Vaporwave might turn out that way. But personally, I don’t think the genre takes itself seriously enough to be that level of cringe. As long as people are willing to sit on soundcloud and sort the good shit from the bad shit, good Vaporwave will still be produced.