WHY I HATE CHRIS BROWN

This isn’t the first time I’ve spoken about how much I hate Chris Brown. A bit sad maybe I know.

 Artist Chris Brown has been detained in Paris after rape allegations. Are we surprised? No. It seems no matter how many times Chris Brown abuses women the music industry and the public are willing to turn a blind eye and support his music. It seems like the que of people (mainly young men) who are willing to justify his actions or listening to his music never ends.

I don’t listen to Chris Brown. At all. I consciously make an effort to not stream Chris Brown as much as I can over the past few years.

“Can’t you just separate the artist from the art.” And:

“no one is perfect” are a couple of my favourite reactions I’ve received over the past couple years after telling people I actively do not listen to Chris Brown’s music. The real question is should we really be separating the artist from their art in the first place. All that I know is there is an almost unlimited about of upbeat and romantic RnB and rap I can listen to, guilt-free knowing I’m not supporting the man who beat Rihanna, harassed Karrueche Tran and now maybe even raped a woman.

Even though in this particular case is so far unresolved. Where there is smoke there’s fire and Chris Brown is in no way a man who respects women.

In the light of new movement in the case against R.Kelly and his sexual abuse of underage girls due to the realise of  documentary about the singer we saw a spike in streaming numbers of his music. Its like the light shed on his personal life wasn’t enough to deter people from listening to his music.

But aren’t we just separating the artist from the music? What’s really the problem with that?

The problem with that is streams equal support. Support equals money and as we all know, money means power. The power to pay his way out of justice and out of ever having to take responsibility for his actions. The power to silence his victims for life.

 It’s this cycle of supporting abusive artists when we continuingly separate the artist from the music that contributes to a society that allows women and children to be abused and ignored.

Now let’s be real for a second, if we cancelled every artist who had some shade in their past we would be ignoring the fact that people do change, deserve second chances and make mistakes. Which is especially difficult when the public eye is constantly watching you. But, repeat offenders don’t always deserve another chance. Brown clearly learned nothing after having to face what he did to Rihanna.

Is his time up? I hope so.

Again, I’m willing to say it loud and proud. I hate Chris Brown and you should too.