It's a simple fact of life that controversy sells, drawing curious eyes in the same way a macabre car wreck on the side of the highway might. For YNW Melly, the fact that he was charged with the murder of two young men, both of whom were thought to be his friends, had a strangely beneficial effect on his music career. Since then, fans have been flocking to his single "Murder On My Mind," a track many have since rationalized to be a precursor to his violent actions.
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And by many, that's an italicized many. Our Generation Music has since reported that "Murder On My Mind" has surpassed a total of one billion streams. A staggering number that would, at least on paper, speak to a bonafide superstar. Not to mention a testament to his support system, who remain loyal to the young rapper in spite of the disturbing allegations against him. In any case, it's clear that the young man will have amassed a decent sum of royalties from the track alone, which will no doubt come in handy should he indeed see his freedom.
What do you think about the fascination with "Murder On My Mind?" An interesting character study, to be sure, but one has to wonder where art ends and real-life begins -- it's a line often moved by those seeking to prosecute rappers, and a slippery slope at that. Are you one of the billion people who gravitated toward Melly's macabre musings of murder?
