The “Me Too” movement has helped expose sexually abusive men in the media. With it, there has been more awareness to stars who have committed other horrible crimes like domestic violence.
Many of these are famous musicians. If you mention R. Kelly, XXXTentacion, Chris Brown, 6ix9ine and Dr. Luke, the first thing that comes to mind is that these are all men who have preyed on underaged girls, raped someone or beat their significant other.
I think it’s great that we are finally holding them accountable for their wrongdoings, but there are still some issues.
Many of them received light punishments or none at all.
While their names are tarnished, their careers remained mostly unharmed.
Predatory and violent men in the music industry have always been an issue.
Why is it taking us so long to acknowledge it?
For example, most people don’t know that Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin had a roadie kidnap a 14-year-old girl from a nightclub.
He held her captive so that no one would know of their relationship and he could avoid statutory rape charges.
The band, led by John Bonham, also tore the clothes off a journalist, Ellen Sanders, after a show.
“They were in a frenzy. I was absolutely terrified that I was going to be raped,” Sanders said.
David Bowie is another famous musician guilty of similar behavior. Although not as violent as the encounters described previously, he slept with a 15-year-old girl as an adult.
A teenager cannot have a relationship with an adult because there will always be a power imbalance, and because a teenage mind is not developed the same as an adult’s mind.
There are many more artists whose actions are better known, and blatantly ignored.
It’s common knowledge that John Lennon beat both of his wives and children, yet he’s still immortalized as the poster boy for peace and love.
Elvis Presley was 24 when he started dating Priscilla, who was 14, and they’re remembered as one of the most iconic romances in rock and roll history.
He gave her amphetamines to keep her awake during long sexual roleplay sessions and pressured her into doing her hair and makeup a certain way.
“I was just a kid, and I was consumed by him. All I desired was not to disappoint him,” she said.
It’s a little disturbing that we’ve taken so long to even begin acknowledging the issue of predatory men in music (or in general).
Instead of throwing it under the rug, we need to be aware of these tragedies.
If we ignore them, it only sends the message that if people like Elvis and Jimmy Page can get away with it, then it’s all right.
We have to start holding people to higher moral standards, especially those in the public eye.
