12/07/2026
There were numerous themes from my Carib-British Male book I could have picked, but the time feels right for this one.
Once again, we're caught in the middle of a controversy about a song, its message, and morality, artistry and responsibility.
I speak about this in the book as a recurring situation — arising from a cultural standpoint, and largely from within black musical culture.
We've argued about this for decades. Does music cause the crime and antisocial behaviour, or just reflect it? What about movies? Video games? Social media and its platforms, ad infinitum?
Look at it purely as a consumer, and you're either someone who engages or someone who abstains.
But what about as a parent? How does raising a child change how you see this?
I'll admit — I'm shocked, and a little disturbed, hearing children casually drop expletives in front of their parents like it's nothing. And it makes me wonder: how do parents hold an appreciation for the music, while still moderating what their kids actually hear?
A shallow conversation stays at the consumer level. But what about as the custodian of a young, impressionable life?
