Spotify has been taking a lot of heat lately due to a new policy unveiled last week. The policy stated that it would no longer promote the music of artists who were associated with hate speech or went against their values. The first big name targeted was R. Kelly whose history of sexual misconduct and brainwashing sparked his removal from Spotify’s playlists.
Recently, rapper XXXTentacion was next to get hit as his new album 17 was not only taken off Spotify’s playlists, but its no longer posted as a feature. His music was removed because he is currently facing charges of aggravated battery and witness tampering.
The new policy is facing more and more scrutiny as time passes with XXXTentatcion’s representative giving the name of 19 artists (and their supposed crime) whose music has not ben tampered with on Spotify. Many of the names listed have never been convicted or accused of the crimes they have been associated with.
Spotify tells me that the new R. Kelly playlist/promotion ban also includes XXXTentacion, who was on Rap Caviar yesterday but not today (case-by-case basis, they say) https://t.co/u05aQ2XZld pic.twitter.com/yuUpoeprPX
— Joe Coscarelli (@joecoscarelli) May 10, 2018
a response from XXXTentacion’s team on Spotify’s decision to remove him from playlists pic.twitter.com/ivtEDJ2yGS
— Joe Coscarelli (@joecoscarelli) May 10, 2018