will.i.am has raised a few eyebrows thanks his recent comments that saw him defend Michael Jackson’s music with a reference to the Holocaust.
For close to 25 years now, will.i.am (whose real name is William Adams) has served as one of the founding members of iconic hip-hop/pop group, The Black Eyed Peas.
With a musical history dating back that far, will.i.am has had quite an interesting career, working with a number of legendary musicians.
In fact, back in 2006, he was even handpicked by Michael Jackson to help work on his new album.
While this material and album never surfaced due to Jackson’s death, it’s clear that will.i.am has had quite a relationship with the King of Pop, giving him an insight into the late musician’s personality that many others would never have.
For a few months, there has been much said about the legacy of Michael Jackson thanks to the controversial Leaving Neverland documentary.
The documentary itself focuses around claims of child sex abuse made against Jackson, giving particular attention to the allegations made by Jimmy Safechuck and Brisbane-born Wade Robson.
While Jackson’s estate has called it nothing but a “tabloid character assassination”, it seems as though the allegations made have carried some weight, with radio stations around the world dropping Jackson’s music in response, and even his iconic episode of The Simpsons being pulled from streaming services.
'It's not easy for me to sit here and say I don't want to listen to Michael Jackson's music anymore.'
Radio presenter @afuathescot says the late singer's hits have been tainted in light of recent allegations of child sexual abuse.
Should radio stations ban the Jackson's songs? pic.twitter.com/QTbPy6PhBZ
— Good Morning Britain (@GMB) March 8, 2019
Now, will.i.am has hit back at the allegations made by the documentary, claiming Jackson “wouldn’t hurt a fly”.
In an interview with The Mirror (via Sky), will.i.am noted he was torn about the accusations against Michael Jackson, stating that those who ban or ignore his music are guilty of double standards.
“I don’t know what to trust or who to believe,” will.i.am began. “Who is behind it or what? Obviously it’s money.”
“All I know is it’s a smear campaign. If he did it, then it’s sad and inhumane. But if he didn’t, then what is happening is sad and inhumane.”
“It is double standards,” he continued. “You’re not talking about banning Bayer that made the chemicals to kill all the Jews.”
“You’re not talking about real shit and yet you want to flex on a song?”
“Bayer is really responsible for chemicals that killed millions of people but they’re headache medicine now,” he noted. “Are you going to ridicule them for their past? Are there reparations that need to be done for that?”
Check out will.i.am’s ‘Scream & Shout’:
“Imagine every country that ever had slaves and people said, ‘never travel to those countries because of things they’ve done in the past,'” will.i.am continued. “Are you not supposed to do anything with anyone who ever did ill?”
“I could name 1,000 ills that are worse, but we are gonna pull songs instead. Why? We live in a very, very, very hypocritical, double standards, fake society.”
“The Michael Jackson I loved I will always love,” will.i.am concluded. “The person I met was the kindest and most genuine and big-hearted person, who wouldn’t hurt a fly.”
will.i.am’s comments come just a week after Barbra Streisand apologised for comments she made which dismissed the allegations made by Jackson’s accusers, noting that the alleged abuse “didn’t kill them.”
“I am profoundly sorry for any pain or misunderstanding I caused by not choosing my words more carefully about Michael Jackson and his victims, because the words as printed do not reflect my true feelings,” Streisand wrote.
“I didn’t mean to dismiss the trauma these boys experienced in any way,” she continued. “I feel deep remorse and hope James and Wade know that I truly respect and admire them for speaking their truth.”
Check out the trailer for Leaving Neverland:
