Capitol drops ‘virtual’ rapper FN Meka after claims of racism

completemusicupdate.com:

Less than two weeks after signing ‘virtual’ rapper FN Meka, Universal’s Capitol Records has announced that it is ending its partnership with the project due to accusations of racism.“[Capitol] has severed ties with the FN Meka project, effective immediately”, the company said in a statement. “We offer our deepest apologies to the black community for our insensitivity in signing this project without asking enough questions about equity and the creative process behind it.

We thank those who have reached out to us with constructive feedback in the past couple of days – your input was invaluable as we came to the decision to end our association with the project”.This announcement came just hours after a statement was published by activist group Industry Blackout, which called on the Universal label to sever ties with the project and issue an apology.“While we applaud innovation in tech that connects listeners to music and enhances the experience, we find fault in the lack of awareness in how offensive this caricature is”, it said. “It is a direct insult to the black community and our culture.

An amalgamation of gross stereotypes, appropriative mannerisms that derive from black artists, complete with slurs infused in lyrics”.“This digital effigy is a careless abomination and disrespectful to real people who face real consequences”, it went on. “For example, Gunna, a black artist who is featured on a song by FN Meka, is currently incarcerated for rapping the same type of lyrics this robot mimics.