The “Nothing Breaks Like a Heart” singer, 26, found herself in hot water with her fans back in 2017 when shetoldBillboardin a cover storythat she was no longer a fan of some kinds of rap music because of the sometimes graphic, degrading sex-filled language in the genre.
At the time, Cyrus was promoting her albumYounger Now,which saw the singer return to her country roots. But upset fans were quick to note that Cyrus had previously incorporated the same elements of the hip-hop culture she criticized into her 2013 albumBangerz(and her twerk-heavyVMAperformance with Robin Thicke) — and quickly slammed her.
Though Cyrus later expressed regret over her words, the backlash has continued to follow her. So whenYouTube user Kenya Wilson recounted her hurt over Cyrus’ words in a video she uploaded to her channel on May 31, Cyrus took the chance to apologize again.
“Being silent is not like me at all. I am aware of my platform and have always used it the best way I know how and to shine a light on injustice,” Cyrus said. “I want to start with saying I am sorry. I own the fact that saying … ‘This pushed me out of the hip hop scene a little’ was insensitive as it is a privilege to have the ability to dip in and out of ‘the scene.’ ”
“There are decades of inequality that I am aware of, but still have a lot [to] learn about,” she added. “Silence is apart of the problem and I refuse to be quiet anymore. My words became a divider in a time where togetherness and unity is crucial. I can not change what I said at that time, but I can say I am deeply sorry for the disconnect my words caused. Simply said; I f—ed up and I sincerely apologize. I’m committed to using my voice for healing, change, and standing up for what’s right.”
Miley Cyrus.Neilson Barnard/Getty
The original topic came up in Cyrus’Billboardinterview when she was asked if folk singer Melanie Safka, whom she performed with in 2015, had influenced her.
Cyrus said yes, adding, “But I also love that newKendrick [Lamar]song [‘Humble’]: ‘Show me somethin’ natural like a– with some stretch marks.’ I love that because it’s not ‘Come sit on my d—, suck on my c—.’ I can’t listen to that anymore. That’s what pushed me out of the hip-hop scene a little. It was too much ‘Lamborghini, got my Rolex, got a girl on my c—‘ — I am so not that.”
Days later, Cyrus took to Instagram to address the hurt she had caused.
“When articles are read it isn’t always considered that for hours I’ve spoken with a journalist about my life, where my heart is, my perspective at that time, and the next step in my career,” Cyrus began in the post, which has since been deleted. “Unfortunately only a portion of that interview makes it to print, and a lot of the time publications like to focus on the most sensationalized part of the conversation. So, to be clear, I respect ALL artists who speak their truth and appreciate ALL genres of music (country, pop, alternative …. but in this particular interview I was asked about rap).”
Rachel Murray/Getty
Her Instagram remarks continued with the star reflecting on her experience with hip-hop and thankfulness for the opportunity to “explore so many different styles/sounds.”
source: people.com
