Christian conservative rapper Bryson Gray has been permanently banned from Twitter, after previously remarking that Elon Musk’s takeover of the platform was generally a good move for free speech.
Gray is no stranger to either bans or controversy, having had songs removed from Apple Music as well as Spotify and YouTube within the last two years, specifically for “medical misinformation” in at least one instance.
The reason for the Twitter suspension is not immediately clear, even to Gray; Twitter did not did not reply to a request for comments on the situation.
“I think I got banned because I called Elton John gay, which would be weird for obvious reasons,” Gray told Blaze Media.
“Elon Musk censors speech more than the old Twitter. That’s an objective truth that people look over because he allowed a few people back on Twitter,” the rapper continued.
Gray is referring to the new Twitter policy under Musk, which still allows for “shadow-banning” on certain posts deemed to be hateful, “deboosting” and “demonetizing” them, according to the owner.
“New Twitter policy is freedom of speech, but not freedom of reach. Negative/hate tweets will be max deboosted & demonetized, so no ads or other revenue to Twitter. You won’t find the tweet unless you specifically seek it out, which is no different from rest of Internet,” Musk said in November 2022.
New Twitter policy is freedom of speech, but not freedom of reach.
Negative/hate tweets will be max deboosted & demonetized, so no ads or other revenue to Twitter.
You won’t find the tweet unless you specifically seek it out, which is no different from rest of Internet.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 18, 2022
“[Elon] openly brags about how ‘hate speech’ is down on Twitter due to his censorship. Of course, it’s hurtful to my brand to lose an account with over 250,000 followers, but God got me. Trust. Watch him work,” the artist concluded.
Through all his bans Gray has managed to reach the top spot on Apple Music as well as chart on Billboard multiple times, most recently with his song “Burn Balenciaga,” which is charting on Billboard’s Rap Digital Song Sales list.
Musk has reinstated many popular Twitter accounts belonging to voices such as the Babylon Bee, Jordan Peterson, and even Kathy Griffin and Laura Loomer. There have been calls from some for Musk to lessen his approach to “hate speech,” but the platform does not appear to be moving in the direction of free speech as it exists under the law.
Musk’s policies aren’t quite in line with how he envisioned them in early 2022, saying “a good sign as to whether there is free speech is: Is someone you don’t like allowed to say something you don’t like? If that is the case, then we have free speech.”
Musk also called himself a “free speech absolutist” in March 2022 when remarking that his company Starlink would not block Russian news sources.
Starlink has been told by some governments (not Ukraine) to block Russian news sources. We will not do so unless at gunpoint.
Sorry to be a free speech absolutist.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 5, 2022
There is only one meaning of free speech and that is letting all people speak freely. Speaking about violence towards another is not against the law. Ask any abused women who has sought help from the police. Nothing can be done until the crime actually happens. What gives all these tech companies the right to stop anybody from speaking? It is quite simple if a person says something you don’t like stop following them or stop reading their comments. This country is full of unhappy cry babies. GROW UP PLEASE.
Now write some hateful comments to me and see if I care.