If you are a person with a platform such as an actor or a musician, you have to work doubly hard to ensure that you are portraying your band, product, or art in a way that is professional. One wrong move or ignorant tweet can make you a pariah in the music scene, if not forcibly remove you from it entirety. It IS possible to overcome something like this, if you deeply apologize for it – but often, the damage is already done.
In the case of Standby Records’ pop-punk band Chin Up, Kid, this is a cautionary tale of how not to conduct yourself on social media. Guitarist and founder Cheyenne Nijoe Smith, who is apparently the only original member of the band left, made some very inflammatory statements about police brutality that received tremendous backlash – despite passing them off as a “joke”. In other words, a really, really bad fucking idea if you ever want to play in front of more than 10 people a night.
Hey @ChinUpKidIN.
You’re still trash and I’m making sure you don’t play my venue in Springfield, MO. Never forget what one of their active members said. It’s cool though because it was just a “joke”. pic.twitter.com/71FnYE0yZJ— Seth Kean (@sethisMusic) June 5, 2018
Of course, this is nothing new, considering this photo originally surfaced around 2016-2017. When you draw the ire of one of the best promoters in the Midwest, you can be sure that word spreads around like wildfire about who you are and what you stand for.
LOL Chin Up, Kid seems a little butt hurt. Try not being racist pieces of trash and then maybe you can play my venue ??♀️ pic.twitter.com/J47AUbMxxj
— Andrea McPherson (@brightlyandrea) April 22, 2017
A cursory search of the band on Twitter shows that this band is clearly not well-liked, and the racist comments are making sure the band knows they are not welcomed almost anywhere.
tell your local racists to fuck off @ChinUpKidIN pic.twitter.com/7nh9Aao6qc
— vegan hoe (@grampadingus) May 31, 2018
Despite that, the band is headed out on a headlining tour, which starts in late June. While it’s also unclear if any of the other band members know about these statements (we hope not), it’s always important to surround your band/company with the right people – not ones that try to pass off racism and police brutality as a casual or laughing matter. The lesson? Be careful what you post, and think before you tweet. What’s posted on the Internet stays there forever, and if you’re just going to block everyone who also agrees that you’re racist, you’re doing yourself no favors.
Editor’s note: The band, as of less than 24 hours ago, has now kicked out Cheyenne Smith, the offending party. Full statement below.
