The 1975’s Matty Healy Apologizes For Comments About Rap And Misogyny
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The 1975’s Matty Healy is the kind of person on whom you can depend for eyebrow-raising pullquotes. He’s given a large number of interviews promoting the band’s new A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships — one of the best albums of the year — and honestly I’m surprised it’s taken him this long to properly put his foot in his mouth. But it’s happened: Healy said something ill-considered, and people are upset.
In an interview with The Fader published six days ago, writer (and Stereogum contributor) Larry Fitzmaurice asked Healy about his perspective on drugs in the music industry right now. This is how Healy replied:
One of the problems is the youth of hip-hop. At the moment, with SoundCloud rap, it’s become a bit of a drug-taking competition, and that happened in rock and roll. Those things get weeded out the longer those things exist. The reason misogyny doesn’t happen in rock and roll anymore is because it’s a vocabulary that existed for so long is that it got weeded out. It still exists in hip-hop because [the genre] is so young, but it’ll stop. That’s why you have this moment with young black men — Kanye-aged men, as well — talking about their relationship with themselves, which is a big step forward for hip-hop. Drake, for example. But then they’ll be like, “But I still got bitches.” The scene’s relationship with women hasn’t caught up to its relationship with itself, but that’s something that will happen.
Today, that excerpt began making the rounds on Twitter. Healy drew criticism for his suggestion that misogyny has been erased from rock and his apparent condescension toward toward hip-hop. Now, in a thread on Twitter, Healy has apologized for the comments. Here’s the full text of his thread:
This bit of me talking in an interview reads as patronising, uninformed and reductive. And to be fair it is. And I’d like to apologise….(thread)
What I said isn’t correct. And it’s not all a misquote. Just for clarity I said that misogyny wasn’t ALLOWED in rock and roll now days in a way it is in hip hop – not that it doesn’t exist, that’s maybe a misquote as I’m aware of the misogyny in rocknroll…
I would never deny the RAMPANT misogyny that exists in Rock n Roll. It’s everywhere and has been a weirdly accepted part of it since it’s inception.
. BUT now looking at what I said – I was simplifying a complex issue without the right amount of education on the subject
think cos I’m so actively trying to support women(not a brag but with the record label etc)I kinda forget that im not very educated on feminism and misogyny and I cant just ‘figure stuff out’ in public and end up trivialising the complexities of such enormous, experienced issues
So basically, I’m sorry for saying that as I was wrong. And thanks for pointing it out cos if I’m gonna do this I have to keep learning.
UPDATE: He added a couple clarifying tweets.
Just to clarify I’m not apologising for saying ‘rock music is void of misogyny’. I didn’t say that. Any body who says that is not only thick as fuck they most probably don’t have physical eyes. It’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard
I’m apologising for the fact my words could INSINUATE that misogyny in culture and music is an exclusively hip hop (black) issue. I do not believe that. What I believe is that I’m not educated enough to speak on THAT properly and a big part of that is this white dick that I have
Seems like a genuine apology except the part where he throws the writer under the bus! Below, you’ll find the tweets in their original form.
This bit of me talking in an interview reads as patronising, uninformed and reductive. And to be fair it is. And I’d like to apologise….(thread) pic.twitter.com/UMO62lzVgn
— matty (@Truman_Black) December 5, 2018
What I said isn’t correct. And it’s not all a misquote. Just for clarity I said that misogyny wasn’t ALLOWED in rock and roll now days in a way it is in hip hop – not that it doesn’t exist, that’s maybe a misquote as I’m aware of the misogyny in rocknroll…
— matty (@Truman_Black) December 5, 2018
I would never deny the RAMPANT misogyny that exists in Rock n Roll. It’s everywhere and has been a weirdly accepted part of it since it’s inception.
— matty (@Truman_Black) December 5, 2018
. BUT now looking at what I said – I was simplifying a complex issue without the right amount of education on the subject
— matty (@Truman_Black) December 5, 2018
think cos I’m so actively trying to support women(not a brag but with the record label etc)I kinda forget that im not very educated on feminism and misogyny and I cant just ‘figure stuff out’ in public and end up trivialising the complexities of such enormous, experienced issues
— matty (@Truman_Black) December 5, 2018
So basically, I’m sorry for saying that as I was wrong. And thanks for pointing it out cos if I’m gonna do this I have to keep learning.
— matty (@Truman_Black) December 5, 2018
Just to clarify I’m not apologising for saying ‘rock music is void of misogyny’. I didn’t say that. Any body who says that is not only thick as fuck they most probably don’t have physical eyes. It’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard
— matty (@Truman_Black) December 5, 2018
I’m apologising for the fact my words could INSINUATE that misogyny in culture and music is an exclusively hip hop (black) issue. I do not believe that. What I believe is that I’m not educated enough to speak on THAT properly and a big part of that is this white dick that I have
— matty (@Truman_Black) December 5, 2018
