jeremiahdraper:

jennhasfeet:

I know that the statement was never confirmed…that why I said “may or may not have”…but again, we’re focusing on the wrong matter here. The Lauryn Hill situation just served as an example. 

I was on NY subway trains all day, so I didn’t get to go into much detail. You seem to encourage people give their two cents when you blog, so I figured I’d chime in on that part first. We as white people are offended when we are told something was not made for us. While you may have only been thirteen, you still use this as your base example. Even if you’ve filed it in your mind as “dumb shit musicians say” its still something you cite as reprehensible. Thus my focus was on that one part of your post. I also understand that the point was not that she had or hadn’t said it. It was just a starting point for an entry. I don’t want you to think I didn’t give your entry the time it deserved. The overall tone was that musicians have a responsibility to the public. That music and art is all inclusive. That the artist need sto be careful about what is said. I don’t belive the artist has a responsibility to anything other than creating art. If you don’t like what the artist has to say and find that you simply can’t reconcile that with the art, that is entirely up to you. This is the age old question of “can you sepereate the art from the artist?” I’m not judging you on this and I am noticing more and more that I offer opposition rather than support to your posts. I usually agree with most of your writing.

I’m not looking for your agreement. Maybe you are just bored on your subway train rides and looking to break down technicalities when it comes to defining words like “racism.” If the statement was reversed, coming from a white artist that I admire, I would be equally offended. I am offended against ALL racial intolerance, not just of my own. But again, the example was only used to illustrate how deeply affected I was as a responsive adolescent, no matter what the statement, and how our words (again, NO MATTER THE WORDS) can affect other individuals. And I agree that a musician’s only responsibility is to create music, however, if that music is used to reach out to an audience, then you have a responsibility to make sure that the message you are trying to convey comes across. There is fault of mine for not elaborating on the many bands these days who try to reach a specifically young audience who consistently send messages of self-loathing, violence, greed and intolerance, and I think it’s a fucking shame. I’m not speaking of the music itself, but the persona that they possess on and off the internet. When these bands are consistently reaching out to these kids just to plaque them negativity and actually making them feel like they are unwanted as fans? It’s one thing if your music offers legitimate emotion to whatever it is that you truly believe in, but to be a fucking asshole about everything else? I’m not into it. Maybe that’s what the blog should have said.