During the recent MTV Video Music Awards, hip hop artist Tyler, the Creator won the award for Best New Artist, with his video "Yonkers" off his second full length LP, Goblin. The budding OFWGKTA star's nihilistic, hate-filled, and often times humorous wordplay has been as much a catalyst to his success as his tendency to attract controversy. In May, the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation called Tyler and his fellow Odd Future membersfor "violent misogyny and homophobia in his lyrics", as well as claiming media outlets who play their music give a platform for the hate.
After his win, Matt Kane, the group's Associate Director of Entertainment Media wrote that Tyler "writes some of the most violently anti-gay and misogynistic music currently enjoying mainstream recognition." On that point, he's correct. However, the issue of free speech and censorship suddenly come into play. Whether or not MTV is in the right to play his music, even though it is heavily censored, is a topic which the heads of the company need to decide on. MTV needs to realize that many kids (whether it's appropriate or not) watch their network, and need to be proactive in educating their younger (and perhaps even older) viewers to not emulate or respect the lyrics Tyler and similar artists spew, as it's simple music like this that can teach impressionable young minds that hate and bigotry are alright.
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