The Art and the Artist
XXXTentacion
Pitchfork announced that a new XXXXTentacion album is underway and set to come out in December. With the rapper’s recent death, the allegations of abuse have been circulating throughout the music community. Many of the rapper’s fans supported him regardless of the terrible things he was accused of. XXXtentacion was accused of domestic violence as well as harassment towards a gay man. Just recently, evidence came out proving that the allegations were true when the rapper discusses it in a video recording.
Despite the fact that XXXtentacion is guilty of violence against women, alongside homophobic tendencies that result in violence, the rapper’s music continues to stay high on the music charts. What does this say about society? Even when an artist is proven guilty for abuse, people still support him. The death of XXXtentacion should not excuse his actions and those that support him are essentially hurting victims of abuse everywhere.
When the media continues to give attention to problematic artists, they are sympathizing and even justifying this behavior.
This has been true for artists throughout history. I don't listen to XXX. But then I ask myself, who else do I listen to that is an abuser? Dr. Dre? John Lennon? David Bowie? What about the movies I watch and the actors in those movies. If we keep consuming this media, they will keep making it, and the abuse becomes normalized and invisibilized.
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