Controversy Kills

Ray Bellville

Music Journalist

Controversy has most recently served its purpose by tearing the artist down from the pedestal of fame. But it also has the ability to project careers into the limelight through abnormal acts that gain attention, dubious social lives, legal troubles, and scandals. I’ll be showcasing examples and explaining how artists have used controversy to capitalize even as their popularity declines. In the age of social media, streaming culture has been on the rise. By showcasing and integrating artists’ lives, the media has been slowly creeping in and taking away privacy. However, to say it hasn’t done any justice would be an understatement. It has been shedding light on some of the grandest names of artists and darkening the fame of stars. I’m asking myself whether this cancel culture has brought justice to the world. 

The social lives of celebrities are known to be captivating, but Sean “Diddy” Combs’s has been among the most intriguing in the last 20 years and is currently the face of controversy in the music industry. Diddy was up and coming. He established famous parties in the 90s by making connections to some of the bigger names in the industry. As more information was found, some of the parties were found to be very sexual and later used to incite law enforcement into action against him. In recent times, the investigation completely turned Diddy’s social perspective from a shady businessman into a miscreant with hundreds of sexual assaults and civil lawsuits. His image crumbled and was overcome by all the vile acts he committed.

The rise in streaming’s popularity brought many collabs that led to celebrities joining livestreams. Adin Ross, DJ Akademiks, and NEON are all very controversial figures who commonly use their chaotic streams to quickly grow their audience. After forced bad takes to get quick clicks to fill their pockets. But some of their acts have warranted frenzies of angry online individuals looking for trouble throughout their careers. Many have tried to cancel the group but have inevitably failed.

Canceling only works if the artist is big enough to draw attention and has a connection to fame that makes them unwilling to lose it. On the other hand, it’s also up to the masses to decide what action or idea warrants such attention, and whether it even matters that much. In conclusion, the people decide how far it goes and have the power to completely dislodge someone’s career or skyrocket it into the mainstream. In conclusion, the effectiveness of cancel culture depends on the scope of one’s actions. Little internet games and weird lives aren’t enough for people to wipe off the internet, but when real crimes are met with large exposure, that is when it becomes most effective.