How Did the FN Meka Mess Happen?
variety.comJem Aswad Senior Music Editor Presented in its worst possible light, the FN Meka controversy — in which Capitol signed, and then quickly dropped, a virtual rapper that used the N-word in its songs and was depicted in racially stereotypical scenarios in videos — seems like an inconceivable blunder.
But a closer look at the details, along with conversations with sources close to the situation, suggests that, while inexcusable and loaded with oversights, Capitol’s role in the FN Meka fiasco may not have been as insensitive as it might seem.
However, above all, it is yet another glaring result of the lack of diversity throughout the music industry — not just at Capitol, not just at major companies, but everywhere.
At the center of this particular issue is not just the use of racial stereotypes by the FN Meka character, which was created by the music company Factory Now and has more than 1 billion views and 10 million followers on TikTok alone, but also the issue of its ownership.
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