Ultimately, individuals must decide how they approach this issue and how they choose to interact with art in relation to the artist who created it.
R&B singer R. Kelly leaves the Cook County jail after posting $100 thousand bond on February 25, 2019 in Chicago, Illinois. Kelly was being held after turning himself in to face ten counts of aggravated sexual abuse. AFP photo
Suppose you were well aware that your favourite artist sang your all-time favourite song while hacking to death an innocent child, would you still say such things as “separating art from the artist”?
Could you still love his music but hate the man? Does that even make sense? Would his music still evoke feelings of love and affection? Okay, let us bring it closer to home: food. If you received a video of Mama Gundi frying your favourite beef samosas stark naked in the middle of Mabira Forest, chatting with some bajaja from down below while twiddling her underarm hair, would you still buy her samosas? Love the samosas, but cancel the cook?
You say you hate that R. Kelly is a prolific sexual offender, but you love his falsetto when he sings “My mind is telling me no, but my body, my body is telling me yes,” in Bump N’ Grind.
Never mind that what he probably meant when he sang that line is that his body did not care how old his next victim was; likely a 14-year-old, being marinated with drugs, alcohol and money somewhere in one of his mansions or hotels. I honestly congratulate everyone who can look past the filth of the artist and still appreciate their music…………………………..CONTINUE READING…………………………
