As a long-time fan and observer of the music industry, I find myself deeply troubled by the recent revelations about the pervasive culture of sexual misconduct that has long plagued this field. Ty Stiklorius’ op-ed in The New York Times sheds light on the systemic issues that have been hidden for far too long.
In response to sex trafficking accusations leveled against Sean “Diddy” Combs, Ty Stiklorius – a longtime manager of John Legend – has penned an op-ed for The New York Times, providing an extensive account of how the music industry has been characterized by a culture that is predatory in nature and has actively nurtured sexual misconduct, using the aspirations of those trying to break into the business as a means to exploit their lives and bodies.
The work, created by the Emmy-winning producer Stiklorius, who heads Friends at Work – a firm known for collaborating with artists like Legend – is titled “Let’s Purify the Music Industry: Following in P. Diddy’s Footsteps.
27 years ago, Stiklorius recalls a party on a yacht in St. Barts, hosted by Combs. She managed to convince one of the rapper’s associates to unlock a bedroom door and allow her to escape. (The Hollywood Reporter is seeking comment from Diddy’s representatives). At that time, she didn’t fully understand the situation she had extricated herself from. “It was a sign,” Stiklorius stated. “Power has been centralized in the hands of kingmakers: wealthy, privileged, almost always male gatekeepers who control nearly every pathway to success and can, with impunity, exploit their power to mistreat young women and men.
Stiklorius points out that women have faced unsafe conditions in recording studios, on tour buses, backstage areas, and offices within the music industry. This isn’t an accidental issue, she emphasizes; it’s a systemic problem that is deeply ingrained in the industry’s structure.
As a fervent admirer, I pondered upon the arrest of P. Diddy, and some spectators speculated whether the industry would experience its own ‘MeToo’ awakening. However, labeling the malevolence of sexual misconduct, intimidation, and abuse as merely the actions of a few notorious figures such as Harvey Weinstein or R. Kelly seems to portray them as exceptions, overshadowing the deeply entrenched, persistent systemic decay that had infiltrated the music scene.
She suggests that there’s reason for optimism as the grip these gatekeepers once had has weakened: ‘Though they may continue to hold up the keys to success, the locks on the doors are starting to change.’
Stiklorius mentions Chappell Roan, a Gen-Z celebrity, who had to fight her record label for the release of her popular song “Pink Pony Club.” They let her go when their marketing strategies didn’t yield hits, but Roan returned to her hometown and independently published music. She then cultivated a significant social media following which she utilized to secure new distribution and financial support. As a result, Stiklorius notes, Roan showed that the era of gatekeepers is coming to an end.
She goes on to explain: “My early encounters with predators within the music industry almost made me abandon it altogether. A couple of years after the boat incident, during my time studying at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, I was offered an inappropriate invitation by a senior music executive at a dinner – he subtly slid his hotel key card to me under the table. I chose not to accept. However, in 2005, a former college friend who was starting to rise as an artist reached out to me. This artist turned out to be John Legend, and today, 20 years later, I am still his manager and partner in various business endeavors. It seems that many artists, including John, are interested in a different approach to business and culture.
Stiklorius argues in her op-ed that there’s a viable route to move past this cycle of exploitation and mistreatment. She questions, “How many other women had experiences like mine that forced them to give up their aspirations to become artists, let alone engineers, producers, or executives? How many women were pressured, harmed, assaulted, and gagged on their journey towards their dreams, held back by men who wielded power over access and made us think that the entrance to the kingdom was actually a key to their hotel room?
The manufacturer concludes by expressing that the field is indebted to the multitude of survivors who endured sexual assault and misconduct in silence, bravely revealing the truth… We owe it to future artists and creators to transform the industry into a platform fitting for the exceptional work they produce.
This week, Combs has been implicated in two separate lawsuits filed on Monday, alleging that he drugged and sexually assaulted a 10-year-old boy in a New York City hotel room back in 2005, as well as a 17-year-old aspiring contestant for the reality TV show “Making the Band” in 2008. The jailed hip-hop entrepreneur is the subject of these accusations.
120 lawsuits, including the recent ones submitted to the New York State Supreme Court, claim that Combs sexually assaulted individuals at various parties and gatherings spanning the past two decades.
According to the musician’s lawyers, they are completely confident in the truth and the fairness of the legal proceedings. In court, it is the truth that will be upheld: that the musician, Mr. Combs, has never engaged in sexual assault or human trafficking, regardless of whether the victim was a man, woman, adult, or minor.
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2024-10-31 16:28