Earlier this year, Migos drew criticism for apparent homophobia after some less-than-sensitive comments about iLoveMakonnen’s sexuality. They apologized, the Culture rollout continued, and the Migos’ pop music takeover continued mostly unabated— including Quavo’s feature on “Lie,” an otherwise unremarkable song from Halsey‘s new album hopeless fountain kingdom. Halsey is bisexual; a few songs farther into kingdom is “Strangers,” her great duet with Fifth Harmony’s Lauren Jauregui, who’s also bi.
It’s fair to ask why an outspoken queer artist like Halsey invited someone accused of homophobia to feature on her record, and the Guardian‘s Peter Robinson recently did. Halsey’s answer: Because Iggy Azalea sucks.
“I think [Quavo]’s misunderstood,” she says. “Just because I choose to be a socially conscious artist, and I’m pretty good at it, that doesn’t mean every artist is going to be equipped to be politically correct. I don’t think he’s inherently homophobic, I think he’s in a tough place of trying to explain what he means. I agree his apology was bullshit but I can’t police everybody.” When I suggest that one place she surely can police everybody is within the walls of her own album, she pauses. “Yes, I can,” she adds, “and there’s a lot of people I wouldn’t put on my record. Iggy Azalea: absolutely not. She had a complete disregard for black culture. Fucking moron. I watched her career dissolve and it fascinated me.”
Hey, I get it—Azalea is an easy target. Outright calling bullshit on Migos’ apology while simultaneously trying to defend them doesn’t make a lot of sense, though. A simple, “I don’t agree with what Quavo said, but he apologized and I believe him,” would’ve sufficed. The strongest rationale for Halsey’s position is that Migos currently sell records—pop records—while Iggy Azalea struggles to get so much as a release date.
On Twitter, Halsey attempted to clarify her Quavo comments:
Honestly? I didn’t know that Quavo had made homophobic comments when I collaborated him. We’ve never spoken a word to each other and +
— h (@halsey) June 23, 2017
+ I have no intention of pursuing a friendship there, unless he wants to make a legitimate apology.
— h (@halsey) June 23, 2017
I work tirelessly to represent & support marginalized communities I love & am a part of. I’m sorry if my actions have ever seemed otherwise.
— h (@halsey) June 23, 2017
And I’m proud to watch the young people around me work hard to educate themselves and others to stay woke every day.
— h (@halsey) June 23, 2017
I only meant to say that people can struggle being socially conscious if they don’t have the information/vocabulary. So we must educate them
— h (@halsey) June 23, 2017
I think thats an important point. I AM queer & I TRY to be understanding & want people to be educated. But im truly sorry for my misjudgment https://t.co/ESomRyiyBh
— h (@halsey) June 23, 2017
Why not say in the first place that you were unaware of Quavo’s homophobic comments, or even that the song was recorded before he said them? Anyway, the Azalea diss is understandably getting all the attention, but there’s another Halsey quote in the Guardian story that’s almost as revealing. Robinson asked the singer (real name Ashley Fragipane) about her song “Angel on Fire,” particularly the line “Nobody seems to ask about me anymore”:
“Everyone thinks they know what’s going on in my life, because they read it on the internet,” she says. “I’ll buy a table at a restaurant, I’ll buy bottles, I’ll pay for everyone, then we’ll go to the movies. People I barely know. I’m trying to make friends, I’m trying to get to know people. Nobody says thank you because they’re like: ‘Ashley has money.’”
Halsey, it’s time to fire your friends and buy new ones.