These days, the illusion that one must always be vigilant in what they say or do has led to many artists on the "cancellation block," facing a swarm of furious social media users hellbent on scrubbing them from the face of the earth.
Though the efficacy of cancel culture, as it has come to be coined, has been long debated, many have opted to simply publically apologize for every transgression in the hopes that whatever situation will happen to blow over. Others have chosen to double down or simply move along unfazed by the scrutiny, unwilling to let the mob shift their principles. For Jack Harlow, who is gearing up to drop his debut album That's What They All Say this Friday, the looming threat of cancellation has already begun to encroach upon him. The reason, of course, being the inclusion of Tory Lanez on his "What's Poppin Remix," a likely candidate for inclusion on his upcoming project.
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During a recent interview with Power 106's Teddy Mora, Harlow found himself reflecting on whether or not removing Lanez from "What's Poppin Remix" ever crossed his mind. "I don't think I'm God," he responded, confirming that the song would remain untouched. "I don't have no room to judge anybody. I wasn't there when this and that happened, I don't know anything. Who am I to judge? For me it's music, and there's a certain integrity you have to keep as an artist. There's three sides to every story. I don't think it's my place to start judging."
Later on, Harlow's demeanor suggests a frustration with the prospect of cancel culture, suggesting that "people should be able to recover from their mistakes." It's possible that he didn't anticipate the scrutiny that artists under the spotlight tend to face, suggesting that the media enjoy stirring the pot. In truth, many are simply concerned with the music at hand, and for Harlow it's been a case of so-far, so good. Especially in the wake of his new single with Big Sean, "Way Out," set to land on That's What They All Say this Friday.
Peep the clip in question around the nine-minute mark.