One of my first big freelance assignments was an 800-word tribute to the music mogul and visionary I assumed I wanted to be after I grew up. The article was about his achievements before some award he would receive. It was about how I admired his ingenuity and greatness.

The article was about Russell Simmons.

Simmons, co-founding father of the hip-hop label Def Jam Recordings, has been around ever since accused of sexual assault and harassment by multiple women and was the subject of a documentary about these accusations. He also decided to spend the previous couple of years in Bali – with some speculation that he was living there to avoid the legal consequences he would face if he stayed in America.

Since taking day off, Simmons has openly surrounded himself with celebrity friends, despite the accusations leveled at him. a syndicated radio show had him as a guest, affectionately calling him Uncle Russ in 2020. Rappers Redman and The human method they featured it on their Verzuz in 2021 Actress Taraji P. Henson I took smiling photos with him in Bali last 12 months. A brand new, unexpected name was added to Simmons’ guest list: singer-songwriter Usher.

Every time the star poses in public with Simmons, it means greater than just supporting a friend. It’s public support. Usher should know that lending his fame to Simmons is greater than just hanging out with a friend, it’s a public declaration that he stands by a man whose trials will more than likely happen only in the court of public opinion. For Usher to do that at the height of his popularity and fame is beyond disappointing. This is betrayal.

This situation and our response to it’ll test our resolve to hold celebrities’ feet to the fire for his or her support of Simmons and others accused of abuse, and can remind us that no one, regardless of how much they’re loved, must be allowed to nothing to complain about the circumstances.

Usher Raymond IV has spent the previous couple of years having fun with the third or fourth highlight of his profession, establishing himself as one in all the R&B icons of his generation. Everything from his performance to his Las Vegas residency, all culminating in his Super Bowl halftime show in February, made Usher as popular as ever. I’m one in all those that rejoices in Usher’s renaissance, even writing about how his act of serenading women in Las Vegas caused insecure men and toxic masculinity to run amok. We have covered and celebrated Usher extensively on Andscape. Often, once you support someone or change into a superfan of them, it becomes easier to look away once they do something harmful. But celebrities’ biggest cheerleaders must be the first to call them out once they have clearly failed so many individuals who’ve supported them.

Usher’s visit to Simmons is undeniably embarrassing, and he at the very least deserves all the criticism he receives for such a decision. It was not nearly the visit, but about the public nature of the meeting, viz Simmons’ social media post celebrating this occasion.

“When I was at the lowest point of my life, I woke up and this man was sitting by my bed. I actually have known Usher since he was a child, but we truly bonded over our mutual love of self-discovery and our belief in yoga science as a direct path to realizing God consciousness inside ourselves… People, remember this… a friend is available in when others go… I’ll always remember the generosity of spirit I witnessed on this man. God bless you brother @usher 🙏🏾 I really like you!!!!”

I do know I should stop being surprised by such actions by celebrities and other people I do not know personally, but I’m still shocked and indignant by Usher’s decision. I feel the same way about comedian Katt Williams, who I also praised for the first few months of the 12 months for his honesty on the podcast and his comedic courage – even using him to contrast him with Dave Chappelle’s anti-transgender version of comedy. But Williams has since betrayed that good faith by turning on Joe Rogan’s podcast to discuss some silly conspiracy theories and his own brand of anti-transgender bias.

“20 years ago I knew transgender people were going to be fashionable,” Williams said as Rogan stared at him along with his mouth open. “…I noticed that was the earliest I had ever heard the word ‘transgender’ come from Baphomet, transgender. I knew that in Baphomet’s transgender ritual, to show allegiance to him, you had to kiss his ring.

The tirade was as senseless because it was dangerous: linking transgender individuals with Baphomet – seen primarily as satanic and occult figures – is as damaging as anything Chappelle has ever said. And it destroys the goodwill Williams has earned, especially recently.

The stars have discovered how to fight summonses for one of these crime. They consider it’s “cancel culture” and consider criticism an irrelevant tool for people who find themselves too sensitive to matter. But it’s just regular gas lighting. Williams and Usher specifically perpetuate the damage. In Usher’s case, he stands alongside a powerful man accused of harming several women. Williams says he’s using dangerous rhetoric about a community that already experiences disproportionate violence. And these two men do it at the height of their popularity, once they are most influential.

For those that consider these decisions don’t have any impact on us, they’re easy to ignore. Partying with celebrities should never obscure our love for the most vulnerable amongst us. We cannot love a celebrity an excessive amount of for our opinion about them to change. I had to change my views on Simmons, someone I admired enough to praise early in my profession. We have to be willing to change our feelings about these people after we receive latest information. This is what distinguishes us from blind fanatics.

Anything else is a failure on our part. Usher and Williams made their very own decisions. It is up to us to face the truth about these decisions and never ignore them.