When someone dies, there's always a reaction, even if it's indifference. Social media makes us performative and wires us to everything that's going on.
The most vocal response from a non-political issue of late is of death: rapper XXXTentacion, who was shot on June 18.
While X was the subject of controversy ever since he came into the limelight, his most infamous charge had already taken place when his single "Look at Me" first charted: he was arrested in October 2016 for beating and threatening to kill his girlfriend.
The story didn't stop there - X's trial was originally to take place in May 2017 and was not held until December.
The fact that X was sentenced to house arrest and released three months later is another issue: the point here is that X's history of abuse has been publicized throughout his entire career.
Fans knew who he was from the beginning and still chose to support him.
X's then-girlfriend was continually harassed by his supporters, many of whom either accused her of false allegations or blamed her for his death.
In addition to his ex-girlfriend, X also volunteered in an early interview that he almost killed his cellmate because he thought he was gay and a video was released in which X hit another woman, who later said she was "terrified for her life."
X's stated fear regarding the video was that he would be financially extorted.
There's a common juxtaposition used to exemplify rape culture: on dates, men worry they will be laughed at and women worry they will be murdered.
X's career was able to succeed because we are able to excuse abuse, especially against women. Calls for respect after his death disregard the disrespect given to his victims and how the criminal justice system failed them.
Citing his mental health issues does not excuse his actions. If anything, it tries to argue that if he wasn't mentally ill, he would not have done what he did.
That isn't fair. We don't know what his life might have been like: only what it was. Women are hurt for men to evolve, to produce art or just to get by. It's seen as a phase to go through.
Men like X normalize abuse: some after his death asked who knew a couple who had not had a history of domestic abuse, who had had similar experiences. That is not normal.
In the same way that making racism socially unacceptable is key to discouraging it, we need to promote a culture that doesn't promote abusers.
Many fans cited X's music as inspirational and I don't doubt that. Multiple people shouldn't have to almost die in order for him to flourish.
