Why is the sky blue? Why is the ocean salty? How does a bird fly?
These are questions every young kid should have. This curiosity hopefully is encouraged, particularly in the internet age. As one matures, curiosity should continue as well especially once introduced to critical thinking. While not all information is available, research begins from just asking a question and can typically snowball from there. When I first heard about Brooklyn rapper, Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter, partnering with the NFL my first question was 'why'? Why was Jay-Z interested in working with the NFL and why was the NFL interested in working with Jay-Z? I had these questions coming off what seemed like support for the embattled former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick --the player at the center of the anthem protests in the NFL. Also very aware of Jay-Z and how the artist has carried himself, especially pertaining to social justice issues, this partnership appeared to be off-brand to say the least. Those questions I had led to research that I sought to answer in Moral Victories Is For Minor League Coaches. Many within the culture ecosystem have chimed in with opinions on the matter on social media and through various platforms; some critical like myself --and the writers I attributed in my article-- others in defense. Anyone that knows me can speak to my penchant for debate and especially given the time it took to craft an article I certainly looked forward to having a discussion on this topic. I'm a fan of the musical artist that is Jay-Z, I'd love nothing more than to have my opinion changed. But, even as of typing this post, I have yet to come across someone in defense of Jay-Z that seems informed. What I've heard is blind optimism and staying far away from a conversation that dares to even acknowledge the fairness in questioning the motives behind such a partnership. Every 'debate' ended the same way: me answering a question of theirs that in their eyes seem to absolve the rapper of any wrongdoing in inking the deal, me asking questions I had and researched and then radio silence --soon followed by "let's wait and see". A few people immediately came to mind when mulling over similar cases where we as a culture and a society may have also taken this approach: Bill Cosby, R. Kelly and Donald Trump. All feature varying levels of consequence for our naiveté but have allowed each man to continue business as usual despite the presence of damning evidence. Let's start with America's Dad: Jay-Z is a decorated artist, where a number of fans can relate to the 'Hard Knock Life' as well but few have ever amassed the influence of Bill Cosby. To gain the title of America's dad, as a man of color, is a legendary feat and the nation shared in being unable to come to terms with the accusations against the actor and comedian. This is someone that has done wonders for America as a whole, not just the African-American community, holding many honorary degrees as a show of deference and homage. Then we saw the domino effect happen after one brave soul went against the grain, against the hypnotic spell Cosby had on the country. To venture a little closer to home, we learned about another blind spot we had for singer/songwriter R.Kelly. Ironically, Kelly and Jay-Z have history --working together on 2002's The Best of Both Worlds. Caught in the middle of this pair was --Roc-A-Fella Records co-founder Damon Dash-- who was acutely aware of Kelly's budding reputation through Dash's romantic relationship with, now deceased, singer Aaliyah. Kelly's annulled marriage to Aaliyah served as the beginning of Lifetime's documentary Surviving R. Kelly. The six-episode exposé did provide new information on allegations of sexual misconduct and manipulation of young women by the I Believe I Can Fly singer. Yet, a majority of the series was dedicated to pointing out just how shielded Kelly was from being held accountable even after his six year trial from 2002 to 2008 brought his accusations to light. After Kelly's acquittal and welcome back into good graces, it would take nearly ten years for true accountability to land at the his doorstep. This issue would play out on the national stage as then-Presidential candidate Donald Trump tested the lines of inappropriate behavior throughout his campaign. A 2005 recording between the real estate magnate and a former Access Hollywood host unearthed the vulgar phrase "grab 'em by the p***y". In a previous era where decorum was appreciated, this would have been the death knell for a Presidential hopeful's chances at taking up residence at the White House. It appears Trump knew this all along and the public was late to the party with this decree nine months before the release of the recording:
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All four of these men have two things in common: they have massive levels of influence and they are human. Despite the former, we should never forget the latter. We should never forget these people are prone to mistakes. Criticism does not strip away their magic or take away from their strengths, accomplishments or accolades. It reinforces they are human. Society could use a crash course on what it is to hold someone with fame accountable. We appear to have a tendency to skip to ring the Cancel Culture bell --naturally --prompting fans to be defensive of their favorite rapper, actor, singer or politician. But what are the consequences of enabling someone? And is it possible we can take our fandom too far by withholding criticism and accountability? Jay-Z's deal with the NFL will not result in the same level of terror we've seen from the aforementioned celebrities. But the unconditional attachment shown to Carter proves we have not learned any lessons from the dangers of putting our idols on pedestals. Comments are closed.
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Ty FosterQuestion everything. WQHC Archives
June 2020
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