Commentary

A Civil Conversation

What do you do when you place a bet on someone, and you lose? Do you blame yourself and your actions? Or do you question the person who appeared to have your best interests at heart yet failed to deliver your dreams as promised?

If you haven’t been hiding under a rock lately, notable media maven Karen Civil has come under fire for her behavior towards clients, the media, and those she once called “friend” at one time or another.

Recently rapper Joyner Lucas took to Twitter to air his grievances towards Civil regarding paying her $60,000 to build his budding music career. In fact, Joyner Lucas, Karen Civil, and Jessie Woo (a former friend in current litigation with Civil) all chimed in on the Clubhouse app to discuss his side, her side, and the truth.

A shocking reveal that Civil admitted openly to Jason Lee, founder and CEO of Hollywood Unlocked, is that she once hired a teenager to hack Lee’s Instagram account. This wild behavior was in response to a media post that Civil disagreed with, therefore resorting to a street mentality and removing her so-called enemies by any means necessary.

This whole ordeal may seem crazy and outrageous on the outside looking in. Still, internally we are getting a glimpse of the occurrences that happen in this media and music industry daily.

Here are my top a-ha moments from this ordeal that made me say, hmmm:

1.) What’s Done In The Dark Will Come To Light
Some people call it karma, while others will say you reap what you sow. It’s harvest time, and Civil is reaping a crop she didn’t expect to come forth or grow as bountiful as we see before our very eyes.

2.) One Size Doesn’t Fit All
Joyner Lucas passionately shared how he threw his arms around Civil, after paying her $60,000, and requested that she build his career similar to how she developed a brand for the late Nipsey Hussle. So often at times, we look at the lives of others and say, “I want that or give me what you gave him!” When in reality, your path may not be identical to what they had to go through to make it to the top. Sometimes the hands you reach out for aren’t sufficient to create the rungs for your ladder of success.

3.) Itemization Rules The Nation
When in business or conducting a transaction, it is essential to receive the details and itemized work one will complete upon payment. For example, the receipt confirms every product you place in your cart when visiting the grocery store. Therefore if you question why your bill is so high, a quick glance at each item will remind you whether or not those items are worthy of consumption or use. Unfortunately, Joyner Lucas did not receive an itemized document detailing the $60,000 work Civil would complete on his behalf. And that should have been a red flag, but warning signs turn into green lights when our vision is blurred.

Overall this fiasco is a hot mess, and only time will tell how all will recover from this magnified experience. May we all learn from the mistakes of others and let go of friendships that no longer serve our well-being.