Matty Healy of the 1975 apologizes for comments about misogyny in rap: 'Iām sorry if I sounded like the poster boy for both male and white privilege'
Matty Healy, the frontman of the 1975, is apologizing for comments he made about misogyny in hip-hop.
The singer shared a portion of his interview with the Fader, in which he was asked about drugs in the music industry and the overdose death of rapper Lil Peep. His response was: āOne of the problems is the youth of hip-hop. At the moment, with Soundcloud rap, itās become a bit of a drug-taking competition, and that happened in rock ānā roll,ā said Healy, who has been candid about his own heroin addiction. āThose things get weeded out the longer those things exist. The reason misogyny doesnāt happen in rock ānā roll anymore is because itās 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 itāll stop. Thatās why you have this moment with young black men ā Kanye-aged men, as well ā talking about their relationship with themselves, which is a big step forward for hip-hop. Drake, for example. But then theyāll be like, āBut I still got bitchesā. The sceneās relationship with women hasnāt caught up to its relationship with itself, but thatās something that will happen.ā
But in a series of tweets, Healy both apologized ā saying the comments, specifically about misogyny in rap āreads as patronizing, uninformed and reductiveā ā and also claimed to be misquoted.
This bit of me talking in an interview reads as patronising, uninformed and reductive. And to be fair it is. And Iād like to apologiseā¦.(thread) pic.twitter.com/UMO62lzVgn
ā matty (@Truman_Black) December 5, 2018
He clarified that what he said was that āmisogyny wasnāt ALLOWED in rock ānā rollā today the way it is in hip-hop. Though he said it still exists. He said he failed by trying to simplify a complex issue āwithout the right amount of education on the subject.ā He said that he should never try to āfigure stuff outā in public by talking about it in an interview because he ends up ātrivializing the complexities of such enormous, experienced issues.ā
What I said isnāt correct. And itās not all a misquote. Just for clarity I said that misogyny wasnāt ALLOWED in rock and roll now days in a way it is in hip hop ā not that it doesnāt exist, thatās maybe a misquote as Iām aware of the misogyny in rocknrollā¦
ā matty (@Truman_Black) December 5, 2018
I would never deny the RAMPANT misogyny that exists in Rock n Roll. Itās everywhere and has been a weirdly accepted part of it since itās inception.
ā matty (@Truman_Black) December 5, 2018
. BUT now looking at what I said ā I was simplifying a complex issue without the right amount of education on the subject
ā matty (@Truman_Black) December 5, 2018
think cos Iām 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 āfigure stuff outā in public and end up trivialising the complexities of such enormous, experienced issues
ā matty (@Truman_Black) December 5, 2018
Healy later tweeted to clarify that he wasnāt apologizing for the misquoted part.
Just to clarify Iām not apologising for saying ārock music is void of misogynyā. I didnāt say that. Any body who says that is not only thick as fuck they most probably donāt have physical eyes. Itās the stupidest thing Iāve ever heard
ā matty (@Truman_Black) December 5, 2018
Iām 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 Iām not educated enough to speak on THAT properly and a big part of that is this white dick that I have
ā matty (@Truman_Black) December 5, 2018
He also responded to some fan comments about his apology-clarification. To one person who applauded him for owning up to his mistakes, he said was sorry āif I sounded like the poster boy for both male and white privilege.ā
Iām currently reading (on recommendation) āWhen Chicken Heads Come Home To Roostā by Joan Morgan ā (a woman of colour). Kind of The only relevant perspective on the matter. Iām sorry if I sounded like the poster boy for both male and white privilege in that quote!! ????
ā matty (@Truman_Black) December 5, 2018
Thatās a misquote I said āthe reason misogyny isnāt allowed in rock musicā¦ā ā not that it isnāt there and isnāt a massive issue still ????
ā matty (@Truman_Black) December 5, 2018
It was a misquote I said that is wasnāt allowed or permitted in the music. Iām sure Larry would back me up that I was not saying āthereās no more misogyny in ārock musicā. I mean look at emo!? Honestly I would never say that itās been misinterpreted ??
ā matty (@Truman_Black) December 5, 2018
Yeah calling people thick for reading words as they are written down is a bit rich🙈🙈 Sorry!! I hope to be your ally in this industry and Iām sorry youāve had to deal with all that shit xx
ā matty (@Truman_Black) December 5, 2018
The band recently released its third studio album, A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships.
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