Spotify’s confused morality crusade continues.
After initially removing XXXTentacion under its ‘Hate Conduct Policy’ last year, Spotify has had a serious change of heart about the slain rapper.
Last year, the controversial rapper was removed from the platform’s lucrative playlists over horrifying allegations of extreme domestic violence. That included a removal from the highly-influential Rap Caviar playlist, which currently has more than 11.5 million followers.
But after blistering protests from the rap community and significant internal debate, Spotify lifted its ban on XXXTentacion. The reversal, which occurred in late May of 2018, also followed considerable internal pushback, with since-departed executive Troy Carter apparently questioning the slippery slope that Spotify was descending.
Strangely, Spotify is now adding the rapper to its ‘Make Out Jams,’ playlist, which has roughly 500,000 subscribers. Prior to his death, the rapper was accused of beating up his pregnant girlfriend — among other allegations involving extreme violence against women.
The allegations against XXXTentacion never got fully tested in court, however, as the rapper was brutally gunned down. But charges against a long list of other superstars have also been unproven.
Those other musicians were never touched by Spotify’s ‘Hate Conduct Policy,’ however.
In a retort by XXXTentacion’s manager, a long list of artists battling allegations were named, including the Red Hot Chili Peppers, David Bowie, Real Estate, Backstreet Boys, Ozzy Osbourne, Ace of Base, Jimmy Page, James Brown, Michael Jackson, Miles Davis, Dr. Dre, and 6ix9ine.
“I don’t have a comment, just a question,” a rep for the rapper protested. “Will Spotify remove all the artists listed [here] from playlists?”
The answer, as you’ve already guessed, was ‘no’. But since that point, Spotify has continued its policy of selectively removing artists with serious changes against them. But the process remains haphazard and random.
R. Kelly, for example, can still be found on Spotify, but isn’t featured on any playlists. The singer is a mainstay in r&b, with a string of smash hits and multi-platinum albums starting in the 90s. Now, it’s difficult to discover R. Kelly on the platform unless you’re specifically looking for him.
Michael Jackson, whose accused crimes are arguably far more serious than those allegedly committed by R. Kelly, remains on Spotify. Jackson is featured across a number of highly-subscribed playlists.
And late last month, Spotify removed the music of Blood on the Dancefloor (no connection to Jackson). The band’s singer, Dahvie Vanity, has been accused of multiple rape charges. In this case, all of Blood on the Dancefloor’s music was completely scrubbed from the platform, based on allegations of nearly two dozen instances of rape and sexual assault.
Vanity has yet to be convicted of a crime — and neither was Michael Jackson, for that matter. So what’s the difference?
That’s anyone’s guess. But for now, Spotify is judging that people want to make out to XXXTentacion — regardless of the rapper’s ‘hateful’ past.