Judge, Jury, and Executioner: The Public Can Mediate Creators’ Controversy
By V MURDAYA ‘27 and LEON XIE ‘27
“If you’re a Kanye West fan, you’re not a fan of me. You’re a fan of yourself.”
- Kanye West
…and I’m so glad you said that, I thought after reading his latest hate-charged rant on X. Most watch their step on the stairway to fame and continue to carefully mediate their public statements after they get their big break, but that’s not to say there aren’t a lot of famous artists who use their platform to shout their incendiary ideas for all to hear. In certain cases, the things that are said can even verge on hate speech and cause significant harm to the people they target. For as much damage as these personalities can cause through their antics in the media, and as much as we might want to seize the megaphone from their lips, the outrage that they cause only sears them further into the minds of the masses. Every press of the big red button marked Ignite Controversy brings all the news reports and armchair journalists running. The First Amendment prevents anyone from infringing on their right to speak as they wish unless it can be pinpointed as the direct cause of an instance of harm, which is about as effective as asking a criminal to decide their own verdict. So are we forced to allow anyone with a platform to use it to perpetuate hate? Maybe we can’t take the publicity that great art brings to its makers. But we can ensure their careers do more for the world than against it, and that lies in separating the art from the artist.
The distinction of their work separates artists from famous people in other trades (of which many also express views that align with the public’s like two north poles of a magnet). They make a living by distributing a special kind of commodity, one that finds its value in the way it communicates with the emotions of consumers. The creatives that have the biggest modern following are recording artists. They’ve climbed their way to the top by consistently producing tracks that capture a facet of their lives, both unique to themselves and ubiquitous to every listener in the feelings they express, and convey it in a manner that’s appealing in sound and poetry. The vice that lurks behind fame’s dazzling glare. The euphoria and torment of relationships fleeting and forever. These are the things that are common to everyone who’s ever walked the earth, and though music reflects contemporary society, the greatest works can tug at something in the depths of souls across time. Those capable of this level of art catch on with the public, and are raised onto a pedestal for their ability to make the common human condition something new and beautiful. The twisted irony lies in the way that star power is used all too often to tear people apart.
Some famous artists intentionally use the voice that’s been amplified by their acclaim to spread corrosive ideas, and thanks to the shock factor that media outlets are always looking to lace their next release with, these inflammatory words gather exposure at lightning speed. The reaction of most — outrage — only fans the flames in a cycle that lets the message reach more and more ears. Ideally, the platform would be swept from under the artist’s feet and access to their following of millions would be denied for the purpose of letting loose whatever insane take they cooked up, but nothing of the sort could be done without jeopardizing the contributions they’ve made through their art. Great artists have gifted the world an expression of universal truths, colored and nuanced in their own rendition, and if that has been allowed to lift the hearts of their fans, how is it any different to them when they’re sparking controversy by sharing opinions they may support with the same ardor? Forcing famous artists to have their words moderated by a body outside of their own will isn’t a valid solution to the problem. Thankfully, the key to mitigating the damage an artist can do with their fame is why they have become so in the first place: us.
As a professional artist, a big part of success is how well the art is received by the public. Without streams, views, and fundamentally the approval of an audience, there’s no niche for an artist to fill. The household names of the industry have found a way to retain the authenticity of the stories in their work while hitting the right spots in listeners’ minds, but they still run the risk of drawing ire from fans if their next release fails to do so. What’s so unexpected, then, is how some of them manage to survive while making destructive, hateful statements. So here’s my call to action. As the public, we determine what does and doesn’t slide. Fame isn’t an unmovable monument; it’s the statue of Ozymandias, and we’re the sand. Without a crowd of people to scream, “I can’t believe they said that!” and place the artist’s name in the whispers passing behind cupped hands, these creators whose impact is determined solely by the whim of their audience can be completely nullified. The next time you see an artist whose words you love on the beat but not the news ticker, steer your finger away from the repost button. The most powerful weapon against someone who seeks attention isn’t public humiliation. Indifference kills in silence.
