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Miley Cyrus

Miley Cyrus On Billboard Interview Controversy: “I respect ALL artists who speak their truth”

Read the full statement.

UPDATE // MAY 8:

Miley received backlash for comments she made about hip hop in her new interview with Billboard, and she’s trying to clear the air. The pop star posted a statement on Instagram addressing the controversy.

When articles are read it isn't always considered that for hours I've spoken with a journalist about my life , where my heart is, my perspective at that time, and the next step in my career. 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. 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) I have always and will continue to love and celebrate hip hop as I've collaborated with some of the very best! At this point in my life I am expanding personally/musically and gravitating more towards uplifting, conscious rap! As I get older I understand the effect music has on the world & Seeing where we are today I feel the younger generation needs to hear positive powerful lyrics! I am proud to be an artist with out borders and thankful for the opportunity to explore so many different styles/ sounds! I hope my words (sung or spoken) always encourage others to LOVE…. Laugh…. Live fully…. to be there for one another… to unify, and to fight for what's right (human , animal , or environmental ) Sending peace to all! Look forward to sharing my new tunes with you soon! – MC

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EARLIER // MAY 5:

It’s been one day and Miley’s causing controversy.

Yesterday, Billboard unveiled their May issue’s cover with none other than Miss Miley Cyrus on it declaring her return while revealing her new look.

The interview revealed that Miley’s yet-untitled album strays from the hip-hop-influenced sounds of her last studio album “Bangerz” and she made some comments about the scene that people aren’t happy about.

When asked who influenced the new material, she praised the lyrical content of Kendrick Lamar’s “Humble” before saying:

“I love that because it’s not “Come sit on my ****, **** on my ****.” I can’t listen to that anymore. That’s what pushed me out of the hip-hop scene a little. It was too much “Lamborghini, got my Rolex, got a ******* my ****” — I am so not that.”

Fans and haters alike went to Twitter to accuse the star of cultural appropriation, slamming her for ‘walking away from black culture’ after profiting from it.

It’s no secret that Miley collaborated heavily with Mike Will Made It on her reinvention album “Bangerz” and she continued to work with him on her SoundCloud mixtape “Dead Petz” – which largely went ignored – despite that project being a huge sonic departure from the hip-hop-pop of “We Can’t Stop”.

Miley’s comments about misogyny in rap music were accompanied by her stating her confusion over the controversy of her having black dancers and past allegations of cultural appropration, saying:

“It’s mind-boggling to me that there was even a controversy around me having black dancers. That became a thing, where people said I was taking advantage of black culture, and with Mike [WiLL Made-It] — what the ****? That wasn’t true. Those were the dancers I liked!”

While Miley somewhat generalised rap music with her statement, her praise for Kendrick and accompanying statements do not seem like an explicit ‘I’m not that person anymore’.

Instead, saying her musical taste has changed in the last four years, which was already fairly obvious with “Dead Petz”.

Regardless, we shall hopefully – and probably – see Mike Will Made It on the new album credits, whenever it drops.

Miley’s new single “Malibu” drops next Friday, May 12.

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