In a new interview, singer Daniel Caesar explains how his fans were justified in cancelling him in 2019 for defending influencer YesJulz.
Caesar’s been making multiple press stops in promotion of his forthcoming album, Son of Spergy. On Jan 16, in an interview with The Breakfast Club, the Canadian singer revealed how he can see his fans’ perspective on the saga that led to his alleged cancelation.
The drama traces back to 2019, when Caesar publicly defended YesJulz after she received backlash for asking Twitter if she could wear a shirt with a racial slur on it.
The T-shirt read, “Ni**as lie a lot,” leading her to become known as a “culture vulture” and “culture appropriator.”
At the time, the “Best Part” singer went on Instagram to defend his friend, where he not only admitted to being intoxicated, but also admitted: “I’m trying to get canceled right now.”
He added, “Why are we being so mean to Julz? Why are we being so mean to white people right now? That’s a serious question. Why is it that we’re allowed to be disrespectful and rude to everybody else and when anybody returns any type of energy to us. That’s not equality. I don’t wanna be treated like I can’t take a joke.”
Reflecting on that moment during his recent The Breakfast Club interview, Caesar did not shy away from accountability. “As time has passed, I’m like, ‘Oh, they were 100 percent right,’” he admitted, acknowledging that his defense of YesJulz was misguided.
He went further, explaining that accepting disrespectful behavior from individuals who have historically marginalized people like himself is “undignified,” adding, “You’re giving up your own dignity.”
His sentiments echo his 2023 interview with Apple’s Nadeska where he took accountability. “I completely understand the response,” he said. “And in time, after taking time to get over myself and to really honestly look at myself and everything that was happening, I was wrong. I was wrong, and I’m sorry about that. For a long time, I was like, ‘You can’t do anything, you can’t say anything without whatever.