I Don’t Think J. Cole Was Wrong
Though I am a J.Cole fan, I have disagreed with how he’s used his platform to address people in the past. But not this time.
--
What a year. If this global pandemic has shown us anything, it has shown us that anybody at any time can find themselves on the wrong side of the publicity and media lens. In the span of a few months, celebrities like Doja Cat, B. Simone, Desi Banks, and a host of other well-known people have found themselves having to apologize for comments they made publicly.
Normally I remain quiet in these matters, opting to simply sit by and allow the good times to roll. Those good times usually consist of tweets and memes meant to highlight inconsistencies and problematic actions taken by the said party. Inside, I often feel as if this environment does more harm than good, forcing people to hide their true thoughts and punishing them for failing to be in the know of the new agreed upon group thought, but I stay quiet. Until now.
It’s been a minute since it first landed on my timeline and it has given me some time to reflect. After giving it a thought, I realized my feelings on the subject hadn’t changed. I really tried to wrack my brain and think about how anyone could have thought it prudent to suggest canceling an artist like J.Cole.
Those who know me know I’ve been a fan of him for some time now. My love for his music and artistry has ebbed and flowed from extreme to more casual to unimpressed and now back to respect. I’ve always maintained that entertainers of all fields are people we elevate and give platforms, which is why we should never treat them as if they are gods or expect them to be more than they are.
But when I see people embracing cancel culture on someone whose whole platform is based on confronting their own imperfections and ignorance, I have to draw the line. At what point are black men allowed to disagree with black women and it not be viewed negatively? At what point are we allowed to say you’re right with what you say, but it would be better if you didn’t address the issue from a stance of moral/intellectual superiority?
Snow on tha Bluff
