This is a short response to the latest Tim Westwood allegations. I’m not even going to try to convince anyone of his guilt. This is more a look at why this doesn’t really matter and why Tim Westwood is like Teflon. This also reflects how the predator spectrum is wide even in a small industry like British Hip Hop. Rodney P is equally as vile and yet wasn’t protected. But that’s a discussion for another day. Back to why Tim Teflon.
Tim Westwood was not alone
Most celebrity predators don’t have to work alone. They have an entourage who not only supply them with the girls or boys or drugs but actively partake in the skulduggery.
I know there are enough of you out there who actively encouraged his shenanigans so that you too could benefit from his fan base. All those DJs and sound system hangers on (*cough* e.g. Rampage et al)
So for 25 years Tim was supported by a hoard of hungry Black men and the BBC who shamed a lot of the Black girls and women who dared to speak out. It was an institution of abuse a la BBC and without the power of social media, it was never going to favour the victim / survivor.
The survivors are Black Women
One of the most under protected groups of women are Black women in the UK. The fact that all of those who have accused him are Black but have rightly chosen to conceal their identity means there the victim isn’t humanised and therefore there is little to no sympathy. Some are already questioning whether these women are lying because Black women are sexualised early as we have recently learned and therefore not seen as those that need protecting.
It was before #MeToo
A lot of Black Women will find the documentary triggering as it reminds us all of a time where we were told to be grateful for the attention we got. Some have experienced it and are still living with the trauma. The 90s in particular are an interesting time in Black British history as the American influence was strong but few Black Women benefitted.
Tim has been accused of assaults from 1992 to 2017 – 25 years? However timing is everything. There will be lack of evidence from the 1990s as we didn’t have the joy of mobile phones then. Also this behaviour was over normalised. I stopped going to certain raves and carnival because of the casual groping and sexual assault which was deemed pleasurable and attention we were meant to all want. No thank you!
But this was before BLM and MeToo and all of those movements spearheaded by Black women. And yet Black women don’t benefit from the awareness and are doubly traumatised by the blame cast upon them by society. It’s the batty riders and the sexualised ragga dancing and the …these were children and young adults enjoying themselves and grown arse men were taking advantage.
They have lessened the charges
Previous social media posts on Tim Westwood focused on sexual assault and statutory rape. Now we are talking sexual misconduct and an abuse of power. Yawn. I’m going to guess that they will even hide the coke taking as well as they pretend to give a balanced view. I think if this were a police investigation I’d have more faith but it’s an investigation by a bunch of journalists which will be squashed if it gets too close to anyone at the top. I just don’t see much happened to this almost pensioner.
The ones investigating are his own people
The BBC are the least investigative media organisation particularly when it comes to their own. The Guardian are typically bleeding heart liberals / hipstas who, happily profit from uncovering why someone may have done something as opposed to the effect on the survivors. So I’m not expecting footage. I’m expecting there to be lots of speculation and possibilities but at the end they will not sacrifice one of their previous own, a man who has done ‘so much for hip hop and Black British culture’ over 7 black women.
The BBC have priors
Remember their paedophile ring and how long it took for that to be exposed? Yeah the BBC are so embedded in enabling their ‘stars’ and ‘talent’ that they turn a blind eye to anyone that is not out of control. Or they bury the evidence. Where is all the footage from pre cell phone camera eras? The BBC would have it any yet let’s see how much of it makes it into the documentary. My guess would be very, very little. He left the BBC in 2013 which may be the mistake he made as he has less protection His only mistake in their eyes.
Why Tim Westwood is Teflon.
So why am I not that bothered by the documentary? Because Tim Westwood is a middle England white dude who has risen to fame off the back of cultural appropriation since the 70s and is idolised by white hip hop fans here. And, admittedly some black fans too.
He brought over big stars in the 90s such as Snoop Dogg and Naughty by Nature. He did what was deemed acceptable until it wasn’t and despite the many times he has been accused of sexualised crimes none of it has criminally stuck. He’s basically untouchable. And at 64 this will be a topic that will disappear much faster than it should. But, I’m glad he’s been put on blast. Rather than denying it, it would have been better if he’d apologised for any unseemly behaviour and learned from this. Alas, he and his minions won’t.
I hope those watching are not hoping that this will bring him down. Just know that it will knock him back a bit. But, Tim Teflon has built a career out of this so I doubt this will affect his pension too much.
Where to watch
The documentary airs tonight 26th April 2022 at 21.00 on BBC3. This is not the high view channels so again, hiding it from middle England.
Happy Watching!
© Chelsea Black ® 2022
