Should music artist be judged on their personal lives or for the quality of music they produce?

[Honeybaby]

Example: Chris Brown was heavy criticised for the domestic incident that he had with Rhianna. At one point he disappeared out of the spotlight. Now he is back again producing great songs. Should his private life really have affected whether or not he should be producing songs? What do you all think especially those of you that love music.

[Anonymous]

Nope I just care about their music! the only time I will have a problem with them is if they hurt a child. that's why I can't get down with r.kelly no more! I mean, half his songs sound like they are talking to 11 year olds anyway with lyrics like "you may be young but you're ready/girl, are you ready to go all they way?" so when I hear his song all I can think of him is seranading some middle school girl and that's just UGH but other than child abuse I don't care just make good music!

[Honeybaby]

Ha, I forgot about R Kelly! LoL

[ManaX]

Not normally, but if what their singing about contradicts their lifestyle and it gets out that they are a hypocrite then yeah I believe they have a right to be judged. But it also gets to a point where things need to be forgiven and forgotten, if people are able to do that.

I will admit I hated chris browns music more than I already did after what he did to Rhianna, but I'm not ignorant enough to not admit that I do like a some of what his has sung recently.

[ncmiranda13]

I connect with the artist through the words of the music, not by, if I feel bad for them in their personal lives because I have nothing to do with them, other than being a fan.

the music they produce can be affected by their happiness, sadness, anger and so on, difficult times included.

the way I see it. "artists", are just regular people that make mistakes, have flaws and are just like the rest of us, but, just have money and paparrazzi after them.

[Honeybaby]

I guess most people forget the human side of these individuals, therefore when they do make mistakes they are condemned.

[beerY33]

Nah, he has the right to make music if he wants to. If people are so offended by what he's done, they can choose not to support his music, though. Like Wagner... he was an anti-sematic jerk, which resulted in his music being banned in Israel until fairly recently, but no one can deny that he was quite a musical genius. Interesting to think about, imo.

[Lupianwolf]

Well depends you can't just kill somebody and talk about love songs and then expect everybody to like it

For Chris Brown, it's good he took a long break out of it and when he came back at first there was hate but the music was still good

If the message of the songs don't really conflict with what he's done it shouldn't be a problem

Unless it's something serious nobody should care

Kanye West can be a jackass but his music is really good so it shouldn't affect it

[Honeybaby]

Good point, I'm not a fan of Kanye West but yeah some of his music is good.

[Delaisback]

They should be judged by both. Their music counts, but so does what they show to the public. As far as Chris Brown, I cannot condone beating women (domestic incident doesn't really do what he did justice), and he set black men back ten years in breaking the stereotypes, and deserved his hiatus from Music.

Committing a crime ends peoples lives for much less than what he did, I think he can take a few months off from making million dollar pay checks.

[Honeybaby]

Black, white, yellow - domestic violence happens in all shades so not sure why a black man committing the act should stand out, but yes you do make a good point towards the end. ...and I am totally against any form of domestic violence. :)

[Delaisback]

You're right, no crime is committed by any one ethnicity, but when there is a stereotype of a black man as violent, unfaithful, irresponsible, and ignorant, and then you have a black male who is a public figure who isn't even a rapper, but a pop/ R+B singer who talks about romancing girls in all his songs, and he is shown to have beat the hell out of a girl, it only confirms for most people who do not have regular interaction with black men, that the stereotypes "must" be true.

[Honeybaby]

I didn't perceive it from that perspective so yes I agree with you.

[TimePhantom]

What he does in his private life has nothing to do with the quality of music he makes (you would assume). It does effect how people view him as a person and this will affect whether people choose to buy his music. It's up to the people who buy his music, if they choose to overlook his personal life.

[MissKarolina]

Of course these both things matter to people. We are somehow very biased. What can I say about Chris Brown . I didn't supported him and I was shocked that he did this because I couldn't understand how a man could beat a woman. But now I don't think about that. Everyone does mistakes, he regrets his actions and apologized. So I don't get why so many people hatin' on him now.

[Voltaire]

I don't get why anyone cares about famous people's personal lives. Long as they produce entertainment, that should be enough. Charlie Sheen, Pacman Jones, Chris Brown, whoever.

[Dom163]

Correct it's a job

[Honeybaby]

I suppose so, but at the same time I guess it's the image that these individuals portray and the impact that their influence will have one those that they are entertaining.

[Voltaire]

Nah, not for me at least. I admire the product they put out, not the image they put off.

[Honeybaby]

I can definitely agree that. My music taste is very diverse, from C&W, R&B, Jazz, Classical, Old skool Hip hop (eighties - early nineties), Rock you name it well except for modern day

R&B and Rap especially gangster rap (hate it and what it represents). :)

[xzinax2]

i like to connect with musicians over lyrics,and involving their personal experience helps the way I experience the music,but chris brown makes music for clubs,it's meaningless,therefore,yeah,who gives a sh*t about his life

[CurryQb12]

Ideally just for their music. But living in a country like the U.S. with puritan foundations makes us want to know every little detail about any celebrity and put their personal lives under constant scrutiny.

[Honeybaby]

Same issue in the UK.

[shannonann]

in the world of fame IMAGE is EVERYTHING. so what happens in their personal life will reflect them on their profession.

[Honeybaby]

Unfortunately it's so true.

[dIO_oIb]

Their music by far. Now and days music and the entertainment industry is all about image.

[SayHelloToMyAfro]

Music should be judged by it's quality. You can use whatever rationale you want to decide if you want to buy it or listen to it.