@ChappellRoan and @halsey
Who thought it was a good idea to publicly challenge an educator to a 25k “one-upping” contest? Really? Do you know what teachers make? Right idea pointed in the wrong direction. Someone around you should have advised you to put up 25k before Sunday to challenge the industry to match –you would have collected from everyone and they would have felt good about doing it on Grammy nite. Think how different the conversation would be today. Instead you’re challenging a guy who has given away thousands of hours to artists in need to a cash duel on social media—Your ego isn’t allowing you and your team isn’t telling you what this manager would tell you: Stop dumpster diving and act like the agent of change you say you want to be! I’m neither the enemy nor the problem– I could shake my network of friends and supporters of the mission and have 25 people lined up as advisors and mentors and mental health providers in no time. But were doing this instead?
My article was not a personal attack—it was a call to action and a warning to avoid the pitfalls of many who walked before you. It was a reminder that your status has changed, your strength has different muscles and when used effectively can move mountains and affect change. I even offered several ways you could launch immediately. I never wanted you to feel attacked, my goal was to show a more effective pathway forward. I stand behind my premise and advice in my article, but I apologize to you openly if my words left you feeling attacked. If you weren’t fucking capable of ascending and didn’t have once in a generation kind of magic around you, I wouldn’t bother. Consider that.
Stop wasting those valuable muscles on me. Use your time to ask others “how do we get it going?” Sitting atop your platform punching me and challenging me is about as productive as running on a treadmill expecting to get somewhere. Move the conversation forward and focus on this Foundation. I will happily help built it, fundraise for it, run it, recruit providers for it, get label and pub support for it, or donate personally to it. That’s what I do.
If you and Halsey had directed your fanbase to donate $1 to your Living Artist Fund for every hate filled slur sent to me— you would have enough funding in ONE DAY to cover health care for every single artist and writer in need for almost 2 years. The results aren’t going to change–I’m not losing my job over this, I’m self employed. I’m lucky to already have insurance, thankfully. My feelings aren’t hurt–years of artist management cured me of those. And your fans are creative with their slurs but I survived 3 teenagers of my own who are a lot meaner. Now what?
Today there’s 25k more for artists in need because of you than before I wrote the article so that’s progress. If you, your artist friends and your fans want to attack me for pushing you to think and act like a champion, to lead by doing instead of finger pointing and to be the change you want to see, then carry on. Artists will lose and you will fall prey to the very cliche I warned of in my piece that launched this shitshow. Your move.
