Sara Quin Wants Critics to Sop Defending Tyler the Creator

courtesy of last.fm

Sara Quin, the Sara-half of Tegan and Sara, had this to say on her blog about rapper Tyler the Creator's homophobic and misogynistic lyrics, and the journalists and critics who defend them:

As journalists and colleagues defend, excuse and congratulate ‘Tyler, the Creator,’ I find it impossible not to comment. In any other industry would I be expected to tolerate, overlook and find deeper meaning in this kid’s sickening rhetoric? Why should I care about this music or its “brilliance” when the message is so repulsive and irresponsible? There is much that upsets me in this world, and this certainly isn’t the first time I’ve drafted an open letter or complaint, but in the past I’ve found an opinion – some like-minded commentary – that let me rest assured that my outrage, my voice, had been accounted for. Not this time.

The rest of the post is here, and I implore you to read the whole thing.

Without sounding like a hypocrite, I'm trying to come up with a reasonable argument why I think Sara Quin's criticism is warranted, but Ashley Judd's (who similarly called out hip-hop's misogyny) is not. It would be irresponsible of me not to. I think it comes down to this: Sara's comments were specific. She didn't vilify an entire genre of music, and not once did she say that Tyler the Creator's music should be stopped or censored, but that critics need to stop defending his rhetoric, which is brimming with homophobic language just because he happens to be a talented, nay, "brilliant," artist. Talent shouldn't earn you a pass.

I also think it's symptomatic of music journalism as a whole: the refusal to, at least, acknowledge that some of the most critically acclaimed artists are guilty of some pretty problematic behavior. Be it Morrissey's comments on China last year, rape imagery in the Decemberists' music, or the latest critics' darling whose album just happens to be chockablock with hate speech, too many things get glossed over or ignored. Some may be more blatant that others, but all warrant further criticism -- genuine criticism, not accolades.