Can You Separate The Artist From The Music?
I feel like everyone has that one song they listen to in silence because of its ties to a controversial person. Whether it’s “Neighbors Know My Name” by Trey Songz or “212” by Azalea Banks, (mine is the entire PLAYBOY album by Tory Lanez), sometimes it can be hard to let our favorite problematic artist go.
Take Chris Brown, for example, there are plenty of Black women that dismiss his lengthy record of violent acts and continue to support him. Even our parents were a little delulu when R. Kelly’s urination allegations came out. But today, if I started playing “Bump N’ Grind” at the cookout, it’d get turned off immediately.
So that brings us to the age-old question: Can you separate the artist from their music?
Well, it depends.
separation vs. contextualization
Here are my two approaches to the question. First, you can actively denounce an artist’s conduct while still appreciating their music. I think we all can agree Chris Brown isn’t the best person morally, but that doesn’t deny the fact that he is highly talented and puts out great music. If you take this approach, the quality of the music exists on its own, separate from the artist’s personal life. In the case of separation, the music and the artist are two different entities, and one can solely support the music.
However, some people may argue that an artist and their music go hand in hand, as the artist’s character and actions influence the music they put out. In this case, separating the music from the artist is like indirectly condoning their actions. If you look at it in more of a contextual sense, supporting an artist’s music ultimately helps the artist because every stream is more money into their pocket.
the challenge of problematic artists
Now here’s where the question gets a bit subjective. Let’s take a look at society’s propensity to pick and choose who they want to forgive, and whose career they want to end. The term we all know and love: cancel culture.
When it’s applied to music, it seems as though the more talented a person is, the less of a moral conviction they get. For example, Michael Jackson, The King Of Pop, who was accused of child sexual abuse on multiple occasions has 1 billion records sold worldwide. Some people can’t even believe I’m putting these titles in the same sentence. But this is what happens when society puts an artist so high up on a pedestal, because of their exceptional talents, that people are unable to see them doing any wrong.
In this case, the talent and the artist are seen as one, but in a way that ignores the problematic behavior. The idea is that if the music is flawless, then the artist must be flawless as well.
the role of Accountability
On the other hand, the rapper DaBaby was canceled immediately because of his homophobic and misogynistic comments at Rolling Loud. But Michael Jackson was found not guilty of all charges?
It’s all about status. DaBaby is nowhere near as successful as Michael Jackson was, so his career is easier to dispose.
This is where accountability takes play. Every artist should be held accountable for their wrongdoings. Talent and artistry should not provide immunity or excuse harmful behavior or actions.
Holding an artist accountable for their actions does not necessarily mean completely disregarding their music. I’m sure we all have ties to songs by controversial artists, but it can be possible to separate the two by critically engaging with the artist's work while acknowledging and addressing their misconduct. This can involve engaging in discussions about the artist's actions or using one's platform to raise awareness about ethical concerns. It is a delicate balance between appreciating the art and upholding accountability.
it’s your decision in the end
Ultimately, the question of separating an artist from their music is based on personal preference. It’s up to the listener to come to their own conclusions, based on their own beliefs. Some may choose to quit listening to an artist cold turkey, while some may find a separation between the art and the artist.
