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Backlash, as a very abrupt kind of motion, is governed by the laws of Sir Isaac Newton.
Action begets reaction in equal measure.
The action on Billie Eilish has been intense this year.
Its the first time a woman has ever done so.
She alsosecured the next James Bond theme songand aspot to perform at this weeks Academy Awards.
A year ago, you had to be up on things to know her name.
Now, theres voice-of-a-generation energy around her.
Shes seen as a disruptor.
But is it true?
Does Billie Eilish want that attention?
Billie Eilish dresses like Big Pun, oneTwitter userfamously quipped.
Like her music, Eilishs approach to fame is more of a rejection.
(Gamers may recognize Eilishs mom, Maggie Baird, as the voice of Samara from theMass Effectseries.)
Theres a difference between lying in a song and writing a story, Eilish said in the profile.
There are tons of songs where people are just lying.
Theres a lot of that in rap right now, from people that I know who rap.
Shes not entirely wrong; a good grip of raps bombast is posturing.
Its a grievance thats existed as long as the music has.
Its the reason a sitting president publicly objected to Ice-Ts Cop Killer in the 90s.
But we know Eilish doesnt hate hip-hop.
She loves Tierra Whack.
She was somoved by the loss of XXXTentacionthat she wrote a song for him.
Two things can be true, though.
Billie Eilish can care about rap music and also have said a dumb thing about it.
No one cares anymore.
Drake is a former teen actor whose last album delighted fans with threats of violence.
Future is a drug-rap impresario who admits he doesnt do as much partying as his records might suggest.
Is Travis Scott eating all those pills?
Is Eminem murdering people?
Did Jay-Z lose 92 bricks?
Hip-hop fans come to the music suspending their disbelief.
Pop music demands a certain image, too.
You must be gracious.
You must be woke.
The scrutiny Billie Eilish has seen as her public profile rises is just the audience running the normal checks.
She needs to maybe take a short breather and get her messaging down.
Eilish isnt saying anything veteran hip-hop heads havent already said about new rap.
(That alignment is the problem, actually.
Shes been called aboomerfor it.)
Strange and often terrible things happen when the music industry anoints new royalty.
Backlash is quick and intense.
Stars sweat under the spotlight and start to say and do the wrong things.
(Remember when*Justin Bieber peed in a restaurant mop bucket and cursed out Bill Clinton?)
*Correction:This post originally stated that Justin Bieber peed on a picture of Bill Clinton.
We regret the error.
