Miley Cyrus' relationship with hip-hop has been both controversial and eye-roll-inducing. In 2013, the former Disney star twerked her way up the charts with the Bangerz album and was immediately accused of cultural appropriation. She later distanced her self from the genre in a 2017 Billboard interview, claiming she was no longer interested in rap because of the materialistic and sex-driven messages.
"I also love that new Kendrick [Lamar] song ["Humble"]: 'Show me somethin' natural like ass with some stretch marks.' I love that because it's not 'Come sit on my dick, suck on my cock.' I can't listen to that anymore," she told Billboard. "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 cock'—I am so not that."
The comment set off a wave of backlash, with many accusing Cyrus of exploiting the hip-hop culture and then trashing it because it no longer benefited her career. The singer responded to the criticism in a since-deleted Instagram post, in which she suggested her words were taken out of context.
"Unfortunately only a portion of that interview makes it to print, & A lot of the time publications like to focus on the most sensationalized part of the conversation," she wrote. "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)."
More than two years later, Cyrus has issued an apology for her dismissive remarks. The 26-year-old owned up to her mistake in the comments section of a fan-made video titled Miley Cyrus Is My Problematic Fav...Sorry. Cyrus admitted she still had a lot to learn and acknowledged her privilege as a white musician, writing:
Just watched your video. Thank you for giving me this opportunity to speak up. 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. 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 alot learn about. Silence is a part 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 fucked up and I sincerely apologize. I’m committed to using my voice for healing, change, and standing up for what’s right. Miley
Though the apology is long overdue, it's better late than never.
Cryus' statement arrives less than two weeks after she released her She Is Coming EP, which includes contributions from hip-hop stars Swae Lee, Ghostface Killah, and Mike Will Made-It, who served as executive producer on Bangerz.
