Justin Hawkins shared his thoughts on Kid Rock’s recent stage incident in a new video on his YouTube channel, Justin Hawkins Rides Again. The lead singer of The Darkness often talks about music industry events, and this time, he discussed whether artists should ever insult their audience.
Hawkins asked, “People pay to watch a show. But if it’s a birthday party, why would you pay to go? Anyway, let’s say it was a paying audience— is it ever okay to say ‘F*ck you’ to them?”
He mentioned how some artists use strong language in their performances but in a different way. “Rage Against the Machine say it a lot, but I don’t think it’s aimed at the audience. Actually, that’s a bad example,” he joked. He also talked about CeeLo Green’s song Fck You* and how the cleaner version, Forget You, isn’t as strong.
Hawkins believes it depends on the way the words are used. “It’s okay to say it, but you have to say it with the audience,” he explained. “If you say, ‘Thanks for your money, but f*ck you,’ that doesn’t work.”
The situation started at Bon Jovi keyboardist David Bryan’s birthday party in Nashville. Reports from Backstage Country say Kid Rock got frustrated when the audience didn’t seem excited before he performed Proud Mary. He told the crowd, “If you ain’t gonna clap, we ain’t gonna sing,” and then walked off stage.
This has led to a bigger debate about what musicians should expect from their audiences, especially at private events compared to big concerts. Some believe artists should perform no matter what, while others think the audience’s energy is important too.
Hawkins, who often talks about music industry behavior on his YouTube channel, gave his honest opinion on the situation. His videos are popular for their humor and insight, making his take on Kid Rock’s actions even more interesting.
