by Diamond Brown
It can be challenging when you’re an artist just trying to connect with fans.
Image Credit: Prince Williams | Getty Images
Yesterday, Rapper JT took to her Instagram live to share updates on her upcoming album, ‘City Cinderella’ (which we are all so excited for, by the way!), and fans noticeably began to call out her hair, makeup, and forehead. After reading through some of the comments, the rapper began to feel self-conscious and questioned her fans, saying, “Are y’all talking about my wig? It’s not glued down; it’s glueless.”
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What made this even more overwhelming was that it was a private live with attendees picked by JT herself. Could she have been emotional because the 600+ people she selected to be in the live—people she deemed her diehard fans—were just haters in disguise? After a few more minutes, JT ended the live, sniffling, “I’m gonna get off, okay. I’m gonna talk to y’all later. I was gonna tell y’all something, but I’m not gonna tell y’all anymore. Imma just let y’all see it because this obviously isn’t a safe space for me…so bye.”
WHEN DID FANS BECOME SO MEAN?
As far back as we can remember, fans were simply not this mean. If they were, no one knew about it because if they disliked an artist, they simply would not show up to their concerts or support their careers. It’s a double-edged sword, really, because music artists back then struggled to market their music, which led many of them down a path of drugs and abuse.
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Whereas now, marketing is a bit easier, but reaching a large number of people in such a short period means fans are mixed with haters—it’s free to spread hate—and it takes a toll on an artist’s mental health, inevitably leading some of them down a path of substance abuse.
And I can say it’s a bit worse now because while the music can sell faster, fans are less patient with their favorite artists to release new music, build on it, and capitalize on it. We can take Victoria Monet, for example, with her single, “On My Mama.” The song did very well on the charts and ultimately helped her earn her first Grammy.
She went on to perform that song over and over again before just recently releasing her new song, “Alright.” Ariana Grande seems to follow this formula as well, and now some rappers, such as Cardi B, are attempting to do this. But her fans are not as lenient or patient.
Image Credit: Prince Williams | Getty Images
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It would seem that there are reasons why some fans can be so mean to their favorite artists:
High expectations and the need to out-chart other artists in the genre are at an all-time high. We’ve seen it recently with the Barbz blocking Megan Thee Stallion’s newest album, "Megan," from earning a number one spot on the charts by re-charting Nicki Minaj’s album, "Pink Friday 2."
Sense of Ownership
Para-Social Relationships: Fans feel that if their favorite artist is not charting high enough or not successful enough, it somehow reflects on them as well.
Anonymity and Social Media
Unmet Personal Needs
Cultural and Social Trends
Envy and Resentment
Constructive Criticism Misrepresented: This is the most common type of negativity from fans. What they view as constructive criticism can come across as mean or harsh, especially when delivered in a blunt or public manner. With limited characters on apps such as X (formerly known as Twitter), Instagram Live, or TikTok Live, many fans just want to get their point across, saying, “Your makeup is bad!” without actually providing additional context that may include a compliment, a suggestion, or a term of endearment at the end. Something so that the person on the opposite end doesn’t feel immediately attacked.
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It’s about time we stop doing this to artists, celebrities, and entertainers as a whole. While some may handle it well, others will struggle and have a hard time. Anyways, JT, we support you and can’t wait to hear the album.
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