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A thread about Zico. The mistakes made and the debunking of accusations. Read to educate yourself and make your own judgments before subscribing to a cancel culture that no longer distinguishes a past and present and supports the principle of guilty till proven innocent.
This thread aims to clearly distinguish what Zico has and hasnât done. I hope those reading understand the goal of this is NOT to downplay his past mistakes that he is rightfully held accountable for.
Zico has used the f slur once, in the release of his 2014 single âtough cookieâ. Seven Seasons released a formal apology and has changed the lyrics in live performances. Read: https://www.soompi.com/article/669003wpp/seven-seasons-apologizes-for-use-of-derogatory-words-in-block-b-zicos-tough-cookie-lyrics
In 2011, Zico used the phrase âno gay, no homoâ on a show. The following photo may relate to this point, but was part of an article made in response to the previous point in the thread:
Zico has said the n word twice, once in a 2011 cover of the song âIâm Still Flyâ by Drake. There was an official apology for this and the time when Zicoâs talent was âacting Blackâ according to Taeil in 5 minutes before Chaos (2014).
The second time he said the n word was in a tweet quoting a Jay-Z/Kanye song on twitter. He has not spoken out about it. He was 18. If you are not Black, you canât decide whether or not to forgive him.
Zico is accused of doing black face. Zico has never done black face.
Zico is wrongly accused of being ableist from the line "you're paid attention to like a child with a learning disabilityâ, which is actually from a Park Kyung pre-debut (before 2011) diss track. Zico has also been wrongly accused of being misogynistic from the same association.
Zico has worn locs, box braids, and grills. If youâre not Black you donât get to say if this is offensive or not. If you are, youâre in your own right to decide if this is wrong or not.
Zico has lyrics that say âIâm full of black soulâ (Block B's LOL, 2012) and another saying âWeâre the yellow race, but I got a black soulâ (Bermuda Triangle w/ Crush and Dean, 2016). If youâre not Black you donât get to say if this is offensive or not.
Rapper Olltii posted a conversation screenshot in 2017 where it can be seen that Zico, Hangzoo, and Young B reacting to a joke about Nicki Minaj maybe having butt implants by laughing. He has posted a formal apology. https://kbsworld.kbs.co.kr/news/news_view.php?no=17932&sec=kpop&lang=eng&page=1&search_tag=&writer=
Zico wore a jacket with the confederate flag on it from Kanyeâs Yeezy collection for his Tough Cookie MV (2014).
Zico was accused of grossly sexualising a fan. This was fake. https://twitter.com/Ana_NowOrNever/status/1025773064963936256?s=20
Zico was accused of being involved in the JJY group chat / Golden Phone comment. This is false and he has formally spoken out, setting this rumour straight. https://twitter.com/bigboipyo/status/1105528825620848640?s=20
Zico is accused of being abusive to his ex Seolhyun. This is false and a claim with no basis. Seolhyun has spoken fondly of her relationship with Zico in the past. (Iâve only heard of this issue once, but decided to just include it.)
Zico has made mistakes. Know what those are before choosing to relentlessly defame him, before discrediting his career by accusing him a racist and a misogynist. Make your own choice whether or not to support him. Let others have that liberty as well.
Zico has actually openly talked about the struggle to balance who he is as Woo Jiho and the persona of Zico and continues to work to become more true to himself. https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/art/2019/11/732_278401.html
He speaks openly and proudly about looking up to Black hip hop artists and taking inspiration from them. Make your own choice to believe if it makes sense to say his past mistakes were driven by racism or whether it was really ignorance.
Zico remains a well known artist, songwriter, and producer. He has found success in the industry as leader of Block B, a solo artist, and CEO of KOZ entertainment. He has produced and written for many artists and has had many successful collaborations with famous idols.
He continues to work with fashion brands and BH entertainment, often going on popular Korean shows as well. Zico was appointed as a goodwill representative for the city of Seoul in 2019 by late mayor Park Won-soon.
I choose to support the person Zico is now, after knowing and researching the facts, watching his interviews, listening to the messages in his music, seeing his interactions with others, etc.
Thank you if you took the time to read this. I hope you can come to your own conclusion too.
