Mr. Mendes

I wouldn't say that Beyonce really promotes products, hers or otherwise, that extensively. I'd actually go so far as to say she pushes and advertises the brands and products she's associated with noticeably less than other artists who have products they sell.

While I do think that it is the responsibility of artists to be educate themselves and not be ignorant to the realities of the places they go to perform (as doing so offers them legitimacy), I do also think that prior to the aftermath of October 7, many who were not already tuned in didn't really grasp the depth of Israel's evil. Partly through ignorance and privilege, and partly through how successful Israel's propaganda has been until recently. The genocide had been going on long before then, but it was generally a lot quieter in the sense that it just wasn't a major talking point. It wasn't frequently brought up, and if it was, it was often just mentioned as yet another conflict in the middle east. And that was likely by design of course and was a very successful suppression of reality. I could see clearly in late 2023 and early 2024 that many people were realizing the extent of things for the first time. I myself really only became aware of things in 2020 via a college course. Had I not taken that class, I too would've likely only clued into it once it became a widespread point of discussion. There's a long history of many artists performing in Israel. Do I believe that all of them are supportive of Israel's genocide? No, not really. I think many were unfortunately were ignorant about it, and it took this becoming an international talking point for them to get their eyes opened, which was also the case for millions of others around the world. Because many people, especially the rich and famous, are just not that interested in things that don't effect them and they lived lives privileged enough that they don't have to be. Others were likely uneducated and ignorant on it then and are fully in support of it now because they just inherently have that evil in them. Until recently, Israel's propaganda machine was arguably the most effective in the world. They successfully kept a genocide out of popular conversation for years. Only those who were really paying attention took notice and that's why you can go back and see very little mention of it in mass media or among social discussions until Oct 7 blew the lid off it all. All that to say, I judge individuals on what they say and do now that this is an extremely visible topic that has no reasonable excuse to be not educated about. I can believe that before Oct 7, these people really just weren't that deeply educated on it and wete not asking the questions or doing the due diligence to get the education. Which I want to be clear does not mean they should not be criticized for their ignorance or bare no responsibility for that ignorance and the way it indirectly helped Israel continue their genocide, even if they didn't know that's what they were doing. They have a responsibility to atone for it by being vocal now and thankfully some have.

I advocate for complete abolishment and destruction of at the very least LLMs and Generative AI. There are other kinds of AI that I think I need to know a bit more about and see practical application of before I make a final decision but I am skeptical, leaning toward negative and the burden is on them to show me why those things aren't as evil as the two types above. I will be honest in saying that at first, I like many did use Gen AI and GPT when it seemed like a toy. But time went on and more information and research became available and the damage that comes from those things has become more understood. I stopped using it and have not missed it. The ethical infractions are now known, and widely at that. Anyone who still uses Gen AI or GPT with that information now available I do in fact think less of than I did previously. It is to me evidence of a fundamental personality flaw.

I also can't really cook

Last I heard it was kinda unclear whether the owner of GGD is even, like, safe JDKSKD he hasn't been seen in a long time

Girl shut up

Do y'all not see how crazy this exchange is

She's been promoting Palestinian sovereignty and an end to the violence since at least 2004, with multiple statements on it within her shows (Re-Invention, Confessions, Eurovision, and Madame X) and on social media (her angry response to Palestine being removed the map and pleading for the Pope to end the suffering in Gaza) so I think her stance is clear. I do believe in the past she was more willing to engage with Israel both through the lens of Kabbalah, but also through a desire for mutual peace. But since the escalation in the genocide following Oct 7, she has noticeably distanced herself and focused more attention on the situation in Palestine (arguably even earlier; she removed Israel from Killers Who are Partying and replaced it with Palestine on the later MX dates). While I do not doubt she still desires peace for all, I do think her perspective of how to approach the subject has changed as the atrocities have become more nakedly brazen in the last three years. I feel she, like many, has allowed her points of view to evolve as more information and reality has become clear to her.

No

See above. It was a genuine question because I 1) Can't see the links in the OP and 2) Have no clue who this person we're discussing is to start with and can't even really look them up because all I've got is a first name. If I wanted to be shady, I'd be shady. I say what I mean. If I say I'm not being shady but genuinely asking, that's the truth. Don't presume you know anything about me because you don't, you're just mad I won't co-sign every dumb thing you say.

I can't see whatever is imbedded in the OP, it won't load for me no matter how many times I reload the page so all I've got to go off of is the thread title and the responses to it. Hence why I asked. You through being rude?

Then what is your point? You said she gets an exception which is patently false, so what point are you trying to make?

I am asking this genuinely, not in a shady way like it usually gets asked: who are we talking about? Who is she and why did her dislike of gain so much traction? I'm assuming she has some sort of platform.

We celebrate because this was and is a great album that pre-dated all that stuff and this is a website that generally likes to discuss and (sometimes) celebrate music. Yes, he's incredibly embarrassing now and a shell of his former self, and he certainly has a lot of behavior from his past to atone for, but I don't know what to tell if you don't think this and the 20/20 duo records are some of the best male pop records ever made.

A way better song than most are willing to give it credit for. One of her best.

Yes and I kind of side eye anyone who doesn't

She's only had 2.5 (emails is only sort of) successful eras so the majority of her catalogue doesn't count. She didn't ever have a hit to start with until a few years ago.

Absolutely. Her charting positions and sales will inevitably decline the further into her 40s she gets and eventually singles will cease making moves and albums will be her main selling point, but that isn't unique to Gaga. It is the path all female artists unfortunately have to walk. But she will always be relevant, people will always want to see her live, her new music will always have appreciation, and she will remain a pop culture institution. She's the premiere artist of her generation and has made a sizable impact on the medium and culture. Even if her singles aren't going to #1 in this period, her albums will, she'll be a huge touring force, and we'll start the process of truly combing through her legacy for the first time. She'll kill her 40s.

They're not spending so much money. That's part of what leads to what you're talking about. Big investment/big budget videos are fairly rare today. Even one you named—Abracadabra—was not an expensive production. Almost bare set, young dancers that don't need to be paid much, choreography focused, no big special effects, one location. It's shot, lit, and edited well, but it was not an expensive investment.

Because they aren't important enough to a song or album's success anymore for artists and directors to put that much effort into them. Music videos exist today as mostly a formality and are made with the intention of them being chopped up and clipped and those clips posted on the platforms that do influence a song or album's success which is TikTok and other short form content generators. YouTube is a dying platform, and music videos are a dying artform. The only exception really is KPOP which has videos as an important element of the music by design.

Quoting the post they just made to bump it again.

Are you stupid or just doing a bit

Mind you, per recorded evidence, he spent all of 9/11 at Trump Tower in midtown which is nowhere near the World Trade Center.

She did, but this isn't a tour (as of now). She can also change her mind. Or tour in spite of a distaste for it.

As if this is the first example of an artist who many want to see live but don't always buy the record. This isn't rocket science.