Thumbs up to cancel culture

Over the past years, a number of celebrities, Harvey Weinstein, Bill Cosby and many others, have given the term “cancel culture” prominence, with the latest being singer Robert Kelly, known as R Kelly.

This was also followed by the #MuteRKelly campaign, which saw the Ignition’s hitmaker’s music being taken off famous airwaves and platforms such as Apple Music and Spotify, by not including his songs on curated playlists.

Chance the Rapper also pulled his collaboration with Kelly by removing Somewhere in Paradise in January 2019 as a way of cancelling him.

In simpler terms, cancel culture is a modern way of ostracism, especially among public figures and celebrities, as a way of calling them to order and holding them accountable for something offensive or illegal they may have said or done.

Aja Romano in her Vox article, described being cancelled as culturally being barred from having a prominent public platform or career.

“The rise of cancel culture and the idea of cancelling someone coincides with a familiar pattern: A celebrity or other public figure does or says something offensive or illegal. A public backlash, often fuelled by politically progressive social media ensues,” she says.

“Then come the calls to cancel the person that is, to effectively end their career, whether through boycotts of their work or disciplinary action from an employer.”

Personally, I agree with cancel culture and apply it to the people in my life as well. I do not restrict it to public figures or celebrities.

Some people find this type of ostracism unfair and toxic because they believe everyone should be given a second chance and say people cannot be judged on their mistakes.

Which is a fair statement but in my opinion, I do not think what R Kelly was accused of was mistake.

I am talking about a man who not only had a documentary created about him where his victims courageously spoke about his sexual misconduct allegations, which date back as far as the early years of his career.

Andrea Kelly, his ex-wife, was among the women who spoke up and spoke about the abuse she endured during her marriage.

R Kelly is the same man who, also in September after a lengthy trial, was convicted of abuse, including a charge of racketeering and eight counts of violating a law which prohibits transporting people across state lines for prostitution.

He faces up to 20 years in prison and will be sentenced on 4 May 2022.

I want to reiterate that rape and sexual misconduct can never be a mistake. Violating another human being means changing his or her life forever, because not only does it leave a person with long-term trauma and other mental health issues, but scars that may never heal.

That is why it is only fair for him to have his life turned upside down in the harshest way possible and face the wrath of the law.

I also found it bizarre the record producer’s streams and sales saw a double-digit increase following his verdict.

According to Rolling Stone, R Kelly’s music saw double-digit growth in streams and triple-digit growth in sales.

This reminded me of Twitter users who said they would never mute the singer’s music because he is a musical genius and his music did nothing to them.

Of course, we are different and have our own opinions, but I obviously disagree. Even though I was not the biggest fan of his music, I can say he was a consistent hitmaker and there were a few songs that were enjoyable.

But I have decided to mute him because I feel as though his music is the closest thing that associates me to him.

For me muting the I Believe I Can Fly singer not only means I am standing in solidarity with his survivors, but also means I am not adding to the millions he is receiving through royalties.