Imagine for a moment that you’re the vocalist of a band who is just about headlining arena status. Or close to it, depending on the location of a specific tour date. Your band, which just topped several rock sales and streaming charts (where you’re also joined on one song by Tech N9NE and Russian *former* Black Sun Nazi tattoo guy), basically prints money itself. The traditional frugal life of a musician is not something you have to experience. What would you do with that kind of financial security and quite obviously a large platform?
For those of us that are artists but also have more altruistic motives, many of us can imagine doing things like sharing our favorite under the radar artists, taking them on tour, and generally trying to elevate other hard-working artists as well. Even those financially secure artists that are very reclusive, the opportunity to create art that reaches across cultures and languages is something that usually isn’t taken for granted.
Falling In Reverse’s Ronnie Radke does not seem to get those memos, for the most part. While only Radke can truly answer how grateful he is to have the platform that he currently enjoys, critics can point to any number of things and events that might point to not taking it all that seriously. Ironic, considering Radke has been known to search his own name on Twitter and other social media to figure out who’s offering the tiniest bit of criticism towards himself or his music.
It’s hard to expect anything less considering his track record, though. When you have an entire subsection of your Wikipedia that reads “Controversies”, even less so. Radke even tried to come at Silent Planet’s Garrett Russell, because apparently being gay is still something that a 40 year old rockstar uses as an insult. The new FIR album cover is literally a Ronnie Radke mugshot. The mic stand jokes write themselves.
Responding back to a critic is one thing. After all, the very essence of social media interaction is to exchange ideas, thoughts, and your opinions – but in a healthy and non-toxic way. Meanwhile, Radke’s first instinct is to almost always dish out insults. There’s proof of it happening almost on a daily basis, and this latest one is particularly vile.
Let’s make one thing clear here: Ronnie Radke has been getting away with blatant misogynistic, transphobic, and now racist rhetoric and buzzwords for years. However, it’s been recently that this speech has ramped up. It was earlier this year where Ronnie Radke admitted to everybody that he was transphobic. Literally, and not in some figure of speech fashion.
Arguing with critics on the Internet, usage of racist // transphobic // misogynistic language and buzzwords aside (oh, we’ll add ableist – Radke sure loves the r-word!), it’s a complete waste of a platform. What’s even more pathetic – but also hilarious – is a dude with Gold and Platinum singles and albums complaining he’s being canceled. While on a headlining tour that’s drawing well, mind you. Radke clearly wants to profit off manufactured outrage, and this is not surprising considering he’s literally threatened a journalist (Metal Injection!!!) with an in-person confrontation before.
You’re not being “canceled”, Radke. Drop the charade and stick to music. You use the r-word and constantly use other mean and nasty language to make even the slightest critic (attempt to) feel bad. Getting held accountable for tearing down those that are different is a motherfucker, isn’t it? And of course, you’d have your buddy Andy Biersack being even more of your BFF despite your continuous attacks on what BVB’s fanbase was built off of. Money talks, but guess what? The truth isn’t good enough for cliche in the end, it doesn’t even matter. But what does is a continued abuse of a platform gifted to him. Then again, it’s not like he’s suffering any consequences that are particular tangible. Sad, really.
