Do they deserve support?

Rapper Xxxtentacion performing at a concert.
Photo credit: lebaloo.com 

 

Artist such as Chris Brown, R. Kelly, XXXtentacion, Tom Brady, and Miley Cyrus are a few of the many entertainers who have been in the news for allegedly doing or being accused of doing despicable acts. The question is, should we stop supporting these artists?

Damario Chappell, a junior biology pre-med student, believes the artists that rapper J. Cole coined as “the little whatevers,” should have standards to live up to.

“I don’t think we should support these people because their values are not positive and do not contribute to our community’s future.”

Damario also said that an entertainer’s personal life and profession go hand in hand.

“Because of the voice they carry, they become an icon. The younger generation may take after the principles and ideology these singers are singing and most of these ideologies are not that good.”

What is different about artists in this generation is that the bar is set fairly low for moral values, or maybe it just seems that way because with today’s technology we have the ability to see your favorite artist’s every move, private and personal.

In the past, plenty of entertainers did disgusting, criminal things, but with the absence of camera phones and social media, means of communication was narrowed down to paparazzi and word of mouth.  

20 years ago, you would hear about a crazy altercation at a concert similar to the numerous violent alterations that have taken place at XXXtentacion’s concerts, but that was the age before vast technology. Are multiple instances of bad behavior excusable, or should artists be held accountable for their actions as the public withdraws their support?

Although legendary football player, Tom Brady, considers Donald Trump “a friend,” many still support his football team and root for the Patriots.

If Miley Cyrus releases a hip hop song tomorrow and it is successful, will it be celebrated in the clubs as if she did not slander the entire name of rap music just last year? If Taylor Swift were to drop a song with another rap feature like she did with Kendrick Lamar, would it still be supported despite her silence and refusal to address #BlackLivesMatter and police brutality? Selena Gomez said that a hashtag does not save lives in regards to her using the #BlackLivesMatter hashtag, yet she still has over 50 million followers on twitter and 135 million on Instagram.

According to Haile Robertson, a senior pre-occupational therapy student, “everyone has a dark past and their own personal issues. If apologized for and they have made steps to do better, they should be pardoned because we love them for the music and art they create.”