- 2 years ago
These musicians slipped up in a major way. Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’ll be looking at the most infamous scandals that significantly reshaped the public image of an artist.
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00:00 "Talk to me, boy."
00:02 Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we'll be looking at the most infamous scandals that
00:08 significantly reshaped the public image of an artist.
00:11 "His time in prison had clearly taken its toll."
00:14 We're excluding musicians who died under controversial circumstances like Marvin Gaye,
00:19 as well as Tupac and the notorious B.I.G.
00:23 DaBaby's Homophobic Remarks
00:27 For many, DaBaby's rise to the spotlight seemed to have come out of nowhere.
00:32 "Back in the mail, it's gone.
00:33 She like I smell cologne.
00:35 I just signed a deal, I'm on."
00:36 Following the release of his debut album in 2019, the rapper achieved back-to-back hit
00:41 songs and once occupied the top two spots on the Billboard Hot 100.
00:46 But then came the 2021 Rolling Loud Festival in Miami.
00:50 During his set, DaBaby made a series of bizarre and offensive comments about LGBTQIA+ people,
00:57 as well as those living with HIV/AIDS.
00:59 "Partway through his show, he gets into a bit of a rant.
01:05 He sort of makes jokes about people with HIV.
01:08 He makes jokes about gay men."
01:11 A swift and genuine apology could have mitigated the damage, but instead the rapper initially
01:17 doubled down on his comments and criticized those who called him out.
01:22 Though he ultimately posted a short apology tweet, the incident painted DaBaby in an entirely
01:27 different light and resulted in his removal from several music festival lineups.
01:32 "Lollapalooza announcing his cancellation with this tweet."
01:35 Tory Lanez Shoots Megan Thee Stallion
01:37 In 2020, the hip-hop community was rocked by a scandal involving two prominent stars.
01:44 Rapper Megan Thee Stallion alleged that she was shot by Tory Lanez after leaving a house
01:48 party on July 12th.
01:50 "He's standing up over the window shooting."
01:53 Following these claims, things unfolded pretty quickly on social media and in the rapper's
01:59 music.
02:00 Lanez vehemently denied shooting Megan and launched a smear campaign against her, framing
02:04 her as a liar.
02:06 Yet Megan stood firm.
02:08 In October 2020, Lanez was indicted on criminal charges related to the incident.
02:13 Despite his attempts to mislead the public, he was unable to convince a jury of his innocence.
02:18 Lanez was ultimately convicted on three felony charges and sentenced to 10 years in prison.
02:24 "Not only did the defendant do the heinous act of shooting her, he then subjected her
02:31 to two and a half years of hell."
02:33 Ryan Adams Disturbing Behavior
02:35 To the rest of the world, Ryan Adams was a prolific singer-songwriter whose introspective
02:41 lyrics earned him massive acclaim.
02:46 However, to some of the women who knew him, he was allegedly a sexual predator and harasser.
02:54 This dark side of Adams was revealed to the public in 2019 when the New York Times published
03:00 accusations from seven women, including his ex-wife Mandy Moore and singer-songwriter
03:05 Phoebe Bridgers.
03:07 They claimed that Adams exploited them under the guise of helping to advance their music
03:11 careers.
03:12 "His controlling behavior essentially did block my ability to make new connections in
03:17 the industry during a very pivotal and potentially lucrative time."
03:20 Adams had planned to release three albums that year, but they were delayed in the wake
03:24 of the article.
03:25 Although he initially denied the allegations, Adams eventually owned up to them and apologized
03:31 for his actions.
03:33 Britney Spears Public Meltdown
03:35 After being catapulted into superstardom with the release of her debut album, Britney Spears
03:40 essentially grew up in the public eye.
03:45 Hence, when she experienced a breakdown in 2007 due to personal issues, it received extensive
03:54 media coverage.
03:56 News reports and front pages were dominated by images of the artist shaving her head and
04:01 clashing with the paparazzi.
04:14 Spears who had been revered as a pop star and sex symbol was now portrayed as teetering
04:20 on the edge of a mental health crisis.
04:23 Despite this, she managed to turn the tide and make an incredible career comeback.
04:27 By the time she publicly fought and broke free of her conservatorship years later, she
04:32 had solidified her status as a music icon.
04:42 Cee Lo Green's Outrageous Tweets
04:44 Cee Lo Green's public image took a hit in 2012 when he was accused of sexually assaulting
04:50 a woman he had gone on a date with.
04:52 "Singer Cee Lo Green charged with slipping ecstasy to a woman he was apparently dining
04:56 with in LA last year."
04:58 The victim, who had no memory of the actual incident, believed her drink had been spiked
05:02 by the singer.
05:03 In 2014, Green pleaded no contest to furnishing a controlled substance and received a three-year
05:10 probation sentence.
05:11 However, what truly damaged his reputation were a series of tweets in which he asserted
05:16 that the sexual assault claims are only valid if the victim is conscious.
05:21 The backlash was swift and severe.
05:28 Green's reality TV show was cancelled and he ended up deactivating his Twitter account.
05:32 He later reactivated it to apologize for his offensive remarks.
05:37 Metallica Sues Napster
05:39 The landmark case of Metallica vs. Napster Inc. changed the dynamic between music and
05:45 tech industries.
05:52 It also had an impact on Metallica's image.
05:55 For context, Napster was a peer-to-peer file sharing app that enabled the distribution
06:00 of MP3 files online.
06:06 This meant that copyrighted songs were basically shared for free among users, which was illegal.
06:12 Metallica dragged Napster to court after tracing the leak of a demo track to the app.
06:17 They ultimately won the case, which forced the company to shut down.
06:21 However, Metallica's decision to contend with Napster, which was beloved by millions
06:26 of fans, led to accusations of greed and claims that they were hampering easy access to music.
06:33 Some have argued that such distribution would have eventually boosted sales.
06:52 Ashley Simpson's Lip Sync Fail
06:55 Anything can happen on live TV.
06:57 And when rising star Ashley Simpson appeared as a musical guest on Saturday Night Live
07:02 in 2004, it certainly did.
07:07 Simpson's first performance of her hit single "Pieces of Me" went smoothly.
07:11 But things took an unexpected turn during her second set.
07:18 As she began, the vocal track for "Pieces of Me" unexpectedly played again, an indication
07:23 that she had lip synced the first song.
07:25 Then, to add to the awkwardness, Simpson broke into an impromptu hoedown before abruptly
07:31 leaving the stage.
07:33 She later attributed the incident to her band and health issues.
07:37 But it was clear that her reputation was already tarnished before she had even gotten the opportunity
07:42 to establish one.
07:48 Madonna's Like a Prayer Music Video
07:50 Few musicians have consistently pushed artistic boundaries like Madonna.
07:59 In 1989, the pop star, who isn't exactly known for her family-friendly image, sparked
08:05 a huge controversy with a music video for her song "Like a Prayer".
08:09 The clip featured provocative Catholic imagery that was criticized by various religious groups.
08:19 The day before its release, the song had been used in a Pepsi commercial seen by approximately
08:24 250 million people worldwide.
08:27 Due to the backlash, some of which even came from the Pope himself, Pepsi pulled the commercial
08:32 and terminated their deal with Madonna.
08:35 Through it all, Madonna maintained control of the situation and stood her ground, solidifying
08:40 her image as an unwavering artist and a no-nonsense businesswoman.
08:49 The Chicks Call Out George W. Bush
08:52 George W. Bush's decision to invade Iraq was polarizing, even in the United States.
08:58 Among those opposed to the invasion were the Dixie Chicks, now known just as the Chicks.
09:04 During a 2003 performance in London, lead vocalist Natalie Maines openly criticized
09:10 Bush, expressing shame that the President hailed from Texas.
09:17 Her remarks were deemed unpatriotic by the country music industry.
09:21 Consequently, many fans boycotted the Chicks and radio stations stopped playing their music.
09:27 Even within their own genre, they'd become persona non grata.
09:35 The Chicks eventually made a comeback with their Grammy-winning 2006 album "Taking
09:39 the Long Way" but it still received very little attention from US country radio.
09:50 Billy Squier's "Rock Me Tonight" Music Video
09:53 In the early 1980s, Billy Squier was an undeniable force in rock music with a string of high-charting
09:59 singles to his name.
10:01 However, at the peak of his career, Squier released a music video that proved disastrous.
10:08 It was the video for his 1984 single "Rock Me Tonight" which depicted Squier wearing
10:20 a pink outfit and dancing suggestively in a pastel-colored room.
10:25 This marked a stark departure from his previously gritty rock persona and alienated his core
10:31 fanbase.
10:36 Even Squier himself was reportedly shocked when he watched the final cut of the clip.
10:42 One of his managers tried to block its release but a label executive overruled the decision.
10:49 Squier's sales rapidly declined afterwards, causing his career to ultimately fizzle out.
10:58 Kanye West's Anti-Semitic Remarks
11:01 Kanye West's outspoken nature and mental health issues have landed him in hot water
11:05 several times, significantly altering his public image along the way.
11:13 When he publicly criticized George W. Bush's response to Hurricane Katrina, he was viewed
11:19 by conservatives as disrespectful and by some liberals as a fearless advocate.
11:24 The tables would completely flip years later when West threw his support behind Donald
11:28 Trump and even visited him at the White House.
11:35 However, the arguably most damaging blow to his reputation came in 2022, when the rapper
11:42 put out a series of anti-Semitic tweets.
11:45 For many, West had really crossed the line this time.
11:48 John Legend, a former friend of Ye's, called him out without naming names, tweeting quote,
11:53 "Weird how all these free, independent thinkers always land at the same old anti-blackness
11:59 and anti-Semitism."
12:00 He was widely condemned by both conservatives and liberals and lost several endorsements
12:05 and business partnerships.
12:08 Milli Vanilli's Lip Sync Scandal
12:10 This German music duo burst onto the global music stage in the late 1980s and quickly
12:15 became a phenomenon.
12:17 With three number one singles and a Grammy award for Best New Artist, Milli Vanilli seemed
12:22 destined for greatness.
12:24 But it all came crashing down when it was revealed that the duo did not actually sing
12:29 the songs on their album.
12:31 This revelation shocked the media, left fans feeling betrayed, and triggered an outpouring
12:36 of criticism directed at the music duo.
12:43 Consequently, their Grammy award was revoked and not only were they dropped from their
12:47 record label, but their album was expunged from its catalog.
12:54 It was a fall from grace that remains unparalleled to this day.
12:59 Assault Allegations Against Marilyn Manson
13:02 The name Marilyn Manson has long been synonymous with controversy.
13:12 For years, Manson faced criticism for his provocative lyrics and performances and was
13:17 even blamed for inspiring the Columbine High School tragedy.
13:21 Things took a disturbing turn in 2021 when his former fiancée, actress Evan Rachel Wood,
13:28 accused Manson of abusing her and exhibiting manipulative behavior during their relationship.
13:40 This was followed by allegations from other women, some claiming they had been sexually
13:45 assaulted by Manson.
13:46 While his earlier controversies were somewhat expected given his shock rocker persona, this
13:51 one was inexcusable.
13:54 Manson maintains that the allegations are false, but in September 2023, he reached an
14:00 out of court settlement with one of his accusers, days before a scheduled trial.
14:05 Phil Spector Is Convicted Of Murder
14:08 He was a musical genius who developed the innovative "Wall of Sound" production style
14:13 and worked with several iconic artists in the 60s and 70s.
14:22 But Phil Spector had a dark side that many would not know about until 2003.
14:27 That year, actress Lana Clarkson was found murdered in his mansion.
14:31 The news sent shockwaves through Hollywood and far beyond, as the producer had lived
14:35 a largely reclusive life in the prior decades.
14:39 Spector claimed he had nothing to do with Clarkson's death, as she had taken her own
14:43 life.
14:44 But he was ultimately convicted of her murder and sentenced to 19 years to life in prison.
14:49 In 2021, he passed away from complications due to COVID-19.
14:59 Sinead O'Connor Rips A Picture Of The Pope
15:02 Irish singer-songwriter Sinead O'Connor captivated millions with her powerful voice.
15:11 However, when she decided to use that voice as a tool of protest, it alienated many of
15:19 her once devoted fans and essentially derailed her career.
15:23 On October 3, 1992, O'Connor served as the musical guest on Saturday Night Live.
15:29 During her second performance of the night, the singer held up a picture of Pope John
15:33 Paul II and tore its shreds.
15:38 This was done in protest of the Catholic Church's mishandling of sexual assault cases.
15:43 O'Connor received immense backlash for this act and was permanently banned from NBC.
15:48 However, public perception of O'Connor largely changed after the scandal in the church came
15:54 to light.
15:56 Janet Jackson's Wardrobe Malfunction
15:58 Despite her brother's unparalleled global success, Janet Jackson managed to step out
16:03 of his shadow, establishing herself as a pop star in her own right.
16:09 However, her phenomenal career and public image suffered a devastating blow due to the
16:16 infamous wardrobe malfunction at the 2004 Super Bowl halftime show.
16:24 While performing with Justin Timberlake, Jackson was accidentally exposed on live TV to approximately
16:30 150 million viewers.
16:34 Though the incident was brief, it caused a massive public outcry, mainly directed at
16:39 Jackson.
16:40 Her songs and music videos were blacklisted and she was disinvited from the Grammys that
16:44 year.
16:45 Once among the world's biggest pop stars, Jackson's subsequent music releases experienced
16:50 diminished success in the aftermath of the incidents.
16:59 Chris Brown physically assaults Rihanna
17:02 Once a power couple in the music industry, Chris Brown and Rihanna's relationship went
17:07 downhill as a result of this highly publicized incident.
17:18 On the night before the 2009 Grammy Awards, Brown physically assaulted Rihanna, leaving
17:23 her with serious injuries.
17:25 The widely circulated images of Rihanna's severely bruised face revealed the extent
17:30 of the harm caused by Brown and left many horrified.
17:43 Brown later turned himself in to the police and pleaded guilty to felony assault for which
17:47 he was sentenced to five years probation.
17:50 Despite subsequent efforts at redemption, the incident significantly impacted Brown's
17:54 standing in the music industry and continues to cast a shadow over his career.
18:00 Gary Glitter caught with inappropriate material
18:03 Gary Glitter was once a prominent glam rock star with multiple hit singles in the UK.
18:12 However, his true nature unraveled in 1997 when he was caught with inappropriate material
18:18 involving youth on his laptop.
18:20 By the time he was released from a short prison sentence, Glitter's reputation in the UK was
18:25 irreparably damaged.
18:29 Consequently, he sought refuge in Spain, later moving between various countries while engaging
18:42 in unlawful contact with minors.
18:44 These activities led to his arrest in Vietnam.
18:47 He was deported back to the UK in 2008 and added to the sex offenders register.
18:52 With even more sex crime convictions since then, Glitter is now mostly recognized for
18:56 one thing, and it's certainly not his music.
19:00 Michael Jackson is accused of misconduct
19:03 Arguably the world's biggest pop star, Michael Jackson's reputation was significantly impacted
19:09 by multiple controversies over the years.
19:12 In 1993, he faced accusations of improper relations with a minor at his Neverland ranch.
19:21 Jackson eventually reached a hefty settlement with the boy's family.
19:24 Then in 2002, many were disappointed yet again when Jackson made headlines for dangerously
19:30 dangling his young son off a balcony.
19:32 However, that paled in comparison to the public reaction to living with Michael Jackson.
19:37 "We need to bond again.
19:39 That's very important Martin."
19:42 The 2003 documentary that led to the singer facing charges for crimes against minors.
19:48 Despite being acquitted, the controversy cast Jackson in an entirely different light, creating
19:54 a complex narrative that persists in discussions about his legacy.
20:15 R. Kelly's long history of inappropriate behavior
20:18 Allegations of sexual impropriety with minors trailed R. Kelly for years.
20:23 The singer reportedly even married Aaliyah when she was underage.
20:27 "I'm not proud of that.
20:30 I had papers forged for them."
20:31 In 2002, Kelly was arrested a few months after a video emerged allegedly showing him
20:36 engaging in unlawful contact with a minor.
20:39 The legal battle dragged on until 2008 when he was acquitted after the alleged victim
20:44 chose not to testify.
20:45 "I think that Robert wasn't convicted because my niece and sister and brother-in-law didn't
20:52 come forward."
20:53 A few years later, the #MeToo movement brought renewed attention to the allegations, with
20:58 2019 marking the year that Surviving R. Kelly started to air.
21:02 The docuseries saw several of his reported victims detailing their experiences.
21:07 Public opinion turned sharply against Kelly and he was arrested and charged on multiple
21:11 counts.
21:12 Ultimately, Kelly was convicted of these charges and sentenced to a combined 31 years in prison.
21:18 "This is a significant outcome for all victims of R. Kelly and especially for the
21:23 survivors who so bravely testified about the horrific and sadistic abuse they endured."
21:30 What other celebrities have faced a life-changing controversy?
21:33 Let us know in the comments below.
21:35 "The New York Times is reporting that music mogul Sean Combs, better known as Puff Daddy
21:40 or Diddy, is now facing a lawsuit."
21:43 - The New York Times - The New York Times is a production of the New York Times.
21:50 For more information, visit the New York Times website.
21:56 -
22:02 (upbeat music)
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