Glorilla and Pharrell Williams don’t use their main influential platforms to help the political and social issues of today. Glorilla says, “But I’m not going to talk politics” from complex. Pharrell says, “I don’t do politics… I get annoyed when I see celebrities trying to tell you who to vote for” from an article on billboard in 2025.
Influencers receive their title from using their platforms to spread awareness and influence/impact economics, companies, society, politics, and more. All people who have a platform have the ability to influence the climate of their day. Impactful music dates back to Civil Rights and earlier.
“The songwriters knew we were doing protest songs… back there in the 60s with Dr. King” states lead singer Mavis Staples in an interview with Andrew Young, a former executive director of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.
Music has been and is an outlet of social commentary. A very notable example would be J. Cole who is extremely influential.
“I don’t want no picture with the president. I just want to talk to the man. Speak for the boys in the bando. And my n****s never walking again”
This phrase from his Album 4 Your Eyez Only, Neighbors, speaks about systematic racism and poverty. How police use jail and prison systems to keep POC in jail systems set for life. Which has a butterfly effect on their life and mental health, families, wealth disparity, and minority progression in society. This progresses to mention police brutality.
“My pops was killed too” from 4 Your Eyez Only
This speaks about black fathers’ absence being a common occurrence in colored families. Whether killed by police, absent in the child’s life, or murdered by gang violence. It speaks about harsh realities of being African American but it does it through music.
“If I could write a letter to heaven I would tell my mama that I shoulda been listenin’” -Megan Thee Stallion
Both of Megan Thee Stallions’ parents are dead. Her father trickled in and out of jail before passing, then her mom passed to a brain tumor. She speaks about advice and irrevocable time through a universal truth, death.
“All you talk about is just getting rich”- Pusha T and Malice, Clipse
This is social commentary about people in general choosing to speak about irrelevant topics instead of those with impact. Like Pharrall Williams and Glorilla mainly speaking about money, partners, sex, violence, and love in their music.
“In 2019 Pharrell founded YELLOW a non-profit working to even the odds for all youth through education” according to World Central Kitchen
This is not to say Pharrell Williams and Gorilla do nothing for society and community among people. But through their main outlets of impact they tend to stay neutral and most people are not keeping up with their non profits or donations.
Music is a form of expression that everyone has the ability to use as an outpouring of emotion. However, many influential people use their most popular outlets to spread awareness. Glorilla and Williams became popularized through music.
In today’s climate and current issues like ICE, and violence as a whole, influential people should speak up for those who can’t, utilizing the most coverage they can.
