Rolling Stone Condemns Comments From Founder Jann Wenner About Black and Women Artists
AP Photo/John Carucci
Rolling Stone issued a statement condemning remarks from the iconic music magazine’s founder, Jann Wenner, comments that prompted his removal from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s board of directors.
“Jann Wenner’s recent statements to the New York Times do not represent the values and practices of today’s Rolling Stone,” the magazine wrote in a statement.
“Jann Wenner has not been directly involved in our operations since 2019,” the statement continued. “Our purpose, especially since his departure, has been to tell stories that reflect the diversity of voices and experiences that shape our world. At Rolling Stone’s core is the understanding that music above all can bring us together, not divide us.”
Our statement on Jann Wenner’s recent comments. pic.twitter.com/dL7lMSTP3k
— Rolling Stone (@RollingStone) September 18, 2023
Aside from co-founding the Hall of Fame, Wenner co-founded Rolling Stone in 1967, and he was the magazine’s leading editor until he stepped down in 2019 months after it was acquired by Penske Media Corporation.
Wenner sparked outrage with comments in an interview he gave to The New York Times about his upcoming book The Masters, which features conversations with Jerry Garcia, Mick Jagger and other prominent rock icons over the years — all of whom are white men.
When asked why he didn’t include any interviews with women or Black artists, Wenner described women as not “articulate enough on this intellectual level” to meet his definition of “philosophers of rock.”
“It’s not that they’re inarticulate, although, go have a deep conversation with Grace Slick or Janis Joplin. Please, be my guest. You know, Joni [Mitchell] was not a philosopher of rock ’n’ roll. She didn’t, in my mind, meet that test,” said Wenner. “Of Black artists — you know, Stevie Wonder, genius, right? I suppose when you use a word as broad as ‘masters,’ the fault is using that word. Maybe Marvin Gaye, or Curtis Mayfield? I mean, they just didn’t articulate at that level.”
Wenner was booted from the board of the Rock Hall of Fame in the wake of those comments. Wenner released a statement through his publisher, Little, Brown and Company, admitting he “diminished the contributions, genius and impact of Black and women artists and I apologize wholeheartedly for those remarks.”
“I totally understand the inflammatory nature and badly chosen words and deeply apologize and accept the consequences,” he said.
Semafor’s Max Tani reported Monday that current Rolling Stone editor Noah Shachtman addressed Wenner’s comments to the staff of the magazine internally, saying they do not represent their “values.”
