Consumer responsibility.
With the influx of information that has been presented about numerous artists and their ever-growing accounts of sexual assault, rape, and pedophilia, the argument of a consumer's responsibility has arisen. Very recently, there was a three-part documentary aired regarding R. Kelly and the abuse that women had suffered by his hands. The women's stories were heartbreaking and they all had much at stake by contributing their experiences. This is just one of the examples of men in Hollywood that are being exposed for the horrors they have committed, despite how long they had gotten away with it.
In regard to consumers, these allegations, arrests, and sentences have left many confused on how and if they should continue to listen to their music; and, as a fellow consumer who grew up listening to R. Kelly with my family and enjoyed XXXTentacion's album, I believe it is our responsibility to sever our ties.
As consumers, our most vital way to showcase our feelings about certain topics and people is how we invest our most; and, most importantly, our time. Whether it be from streams on Spotify, purchasing the song on Apple Music, or downloading it from various sites, by supporting that song and that artist, you are indirectly supporting their actions. By investing your time and money into their products, you are showing the artist and those who sponsor and work with them that you do not care that he has sex tapes with underage girls or beat his girlfriend until she was unconscious.
You are showcasing support for their actions, whether or not you explicitly state it, and you are aiding their funds and increasing their popularity so that they can continue such actions.
Every day, we have a chance to tell those in power that we will not stand for the abuse that they have unleashed onto others, even in ways that might seem insignificant. So, I will continue to stop supporting these artists as the damages they have caused come to light; and, as more information is shared and researched, I will continue to share the information as widely as possible.
There is so much music in the world, old songs you always skipped and new songs coming out every day, and while the memories that you hold with these songs are important, I ask you to question if they are worth the continuation of pain and suffering.
