News of Chrisette Michele’s cancellation is spreading far and wide across the internet. Spike Lee announced his done-ness. Questlove, who is highly respected and well-loved in the musical community, offered to pay her NOT to perform for Donald Trump's inauguration. And former fans, who probably haven’t purchased her music in eons, are blasting <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3dE7gGq3gE">“Goodbye Game”</a> vowing never to support her work again.
<img src="http://madamenoire.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/chrisette-michele-feat.jpg" alt="" class="size-full wp-image-783093" width="1068" height="600" />
Cold world.
More than writing her off for good, I’m trying to figure out what the hell happened. Admittedly Black R&B artists don’t get the financial support they deserve from labels and fans alike. Still, performing for the likes of a man like Donald Trump just seems to go against any and everything every conscious person of color stands for. The man has spent the better part of two years speaking against almost every minority group in this country. And before that, the past eight years trying to delegitimize President Obama. What would have to happen to get Chrisette to do anything for this man, more less use her talents for him as he becomes the most incompetent president in our nation’s history?
Well according to reports, $750,000.
None of that has been confirmed but that’s the number that’s circulating around.
Six figures is a nice little chunk of change for most people. And certainly for an artist who has never gotten the exposure and the backing her talent warrants. Y’all know desperate times call for desperate measures. And people dishonoring themselves for a check is nothing new. Rolling around in all that dough will make up for the feelings of guilt.
Which brings me to the question I want to ask you all, if you found yourself not exactly poor but struggling to break through in your particular career of choice, would you take the opportunity to perform for Donald Trump if it guaranteed a payout bigger than you’d received in the past few years combined? Even if it meant going against the interests of many of your fans, friends and family?
I know for me, unless someone held a gun to my head, the answer would be no. There are some things you just can’t pay for. But for a lot of people, money doesn’t just talk, it screams.
<em>Image via WENN</em>
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<div class="adL"><span class="im"><i>Veronica Wells is the culture editor at MadameNoire.com. She is also the author of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Bettah-Days-Veronica-R-Wells/dp/1535549866" target="_blank" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://www.amazon.com/Bettah-Days-Veronica-R-Wells/dp/1535549866&source=gmail&ust=1485010714785000&usg=AFQjCNHyrWhyE3o_R02KvQEeFHBbx1dqLQ">“Bettah Days.”</a> You can follow her on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/veronicarwells" target="_blank" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://www.facebook.com/veronicarwells&source=gmail&ust=1485010714785000&usg=AFQjCNHeOH-WansY3Q2IP_ZmKuDCCrvbiQ">Facebook</a> and Twitter<a href="https://twitter.com/VDubShrug" target="_blank" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://twitter.com/VDubShrug&source=gmail&ust=1485010714785000&usg=AFQjCNG4ekCpcgTImC5QJ7Dvtuamx14P3A"> @VDubShrug.</a></i> <br clear="all" /></span></div>
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