For many artists, social media is both a gift and a curse. Platforms like Twitter and Instagram allow artists to have a direct line to their fans, but more often than not, the communication between “fan” and artist is filled with non-constructive criticism and hatred.
In a new interview with Beats 1 host Julie Adenuga, 2017 hip-hop MVP candidate Cardi B was asked about the downside of social media and how she’s been able to control herself amidst the neverending stream of ugliness.
“A lot of these celebrities do search they name on Twitter. A lot of them do see they comments. All of them. They really do,” Cardi told Adenuga. “I feel like, they don’t respond because it’s like the celebrity thing to do. It’s like you’re too cool. I’m not too cool to tell y’all motherfuckin’ ass something. How y’all square ass gone tell me shit about me? If you know my struggle, this is not easy. My career was not given to me.”
While it’s more difficult for a newer artist to walk away from social media entirely, especially when his or her star is still rising—like Cardi B—countless veteran artists have either deactivated their accounts (Kanye, Frank Ocean) or rarely update them (Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole).
Cardi is the latest in an evergrowing list of artists who have openly discussed their relationship with social media. In just the past few months, Big K.R.I.T. admitted social media has negatively affected his psyche and Joyner Lucas penned an open letter about how his usage “fucks up my entire mood.”