I probably am unreasonable because it's for charity so I'm sure no one will feel bad about ripping me to shreds but the what that rapper on the Grenfell Tower Bridge Over Troubled Waters song says

[TheIncredibleBookEatingManchot]

It could have been his mum or his nephew or him up there.

But a couple of lines earlier he says he's never even met any of the victims so what makes him think he could have been in their homes?

I might be a little forgiving if it turns out he lives in or has lived in a tower block as equally unsafe as Grenfell turned out to be but...

At least 79 people have died, many more are injured, traumatised, homeless and bereaved WHY IS HE MAKING THIS ABOUT HIM?

Stormzy's a Croydon boy so knows about tower blocks.

However, that single is an opportunistic, career-boosting pile of shite. All charity singles are. Always some 'classic', because they're not going to bother paying anyone to compose a new/appropriate song (thought if they did, it would probably be shite, too.) Always a load of clapped out old has-beens jumping on the bandwagon for one last chance at a bit of press coverage.

There was no need for a charity single, in this case. Huge amounts of money and goods have already been donated, and donations are still coming in. What's the point of releasing a shitty, disposable single when no one is exactly unaware of this atrocity? Apart from giving a bunch of pop stars a chance to make themselves look like wonderful, generous people...
There's also the perfectly reasonable view that this is an area where the state, not charities, should be picking up a chunk of the bill - the Grenfell bereaved and survivors need justice, not charity.

Honestly, level criticisms at vocal acrobatics by all means but judging by his Glastonbury performance, he seems passionate about the cause.

I wouldn't blame anyone that's lived in social housing for thinking 'that could have been me' especially with all the fallout re: the cladding. I wouldn't say they weren't empathetic, I imagine it's fucking scary putting your kids to bed in places right now where negligence seems rife.

The original version is painful enough!

Stormzy grew up in Easy London, so I think he is trying to explain that it could have been his area that was hit by fire, and judging by the amount of tower blocks that have been deemed to have unsafe cladding he is more right than ever.

Is if just me who didn't know who Stormzy was until this thread?

I am clearly no longer down with the kids.

I was saying to DH tonight it jus seemed like a Simon Cowell vanity project. Most of the people on it are connected to X-factor, and Geri Horner

Agree OP. Also, I can't stand Paloma Faith. Her bit makes me want to pull my own face off.

That said, I hope it raises truckloads of money. But I also hope that I never have to hear it again in my life.

Empathy is 'the ability to understand and share the feelings of another'. You don't actually get to police how people do that

In fact, how exactly are you empathising with the people who experienced this life changing event? Maybe you're more along the line of 'thank fuck it wasn't me, but then I don't and wouldn't live in a tower block'

Exactly. Charity singles are the perfect example of pointless products, marketed solely to extract money from people. They are always songs that you could easily buy a better version of, they are always padded out with nonentities and old lags, and you know you're never going to listen to the fucking things again anyway. And it's always the 'profits' that go to charity, so someone, somewhere, is getting a nice cut of the money.

I have nothing in particular against the general run of fundraising activities - the cute puppy calender for the dogs' home, the charity auction, charity shops, etc. It's just there's something so blatant about charity singles - so much more about ego-tripping than helping.

Yeah, just looked at who is singing on it. I don't really rate any of them to be honest.

Both your posts are unreasonable. You know exactly what he meant when he sang that lyric. Many of us the last few weeks have said the same thing - it could have been someone we knew in Grenfell, it could have been any one of us housed there. Don't understand why you're being deliberatly obtuse?

The only saving grace for the song is that it doesn't have Bono on it.

Gosh, how mean spirited. And it's hardly mental gymnastics to understand that the people who died were people just like us

First time I heard Stormzy words, I felt quite moved. I interpreted it that th epeople,in the tower were ordernary people who were in the wrong place at the wrong time. It could have been anyone of us.

An important part of empathy is putting yourself in someone else's place. Saying 'it could have been me' is not making it about you, or only caring if it could affect you, it's putting yourself in the place of the residents, I.e. Empathy.

yes YABVU just by starting this thread - have you no sympathy? Bored much? HTH.

I don't particularly like the song, but it is not about the rapper. He is saying it could have been anyone and showing empathy. It is likely that he or close relatives/friends live or have lived in social housing.

Frankly I feel the same. I know people affected and it the most appalling shocking thing.

What's the matter with people? So you don't like it - so what? It's for charity! If you don't like it, just switch it off. I used to love mumsnet but every single thread these days seems to bring nothing but negativity, moaning and nitpicking.

u dont hav to lik it but simon was very upset about this and isnt taking any money from it

We can discuss stuff.

It's allowed. I don't like the song, sorry.

Yes the profits are going to charity. It's all going to the charity. Nobody is making anything, it has all been done for free. God, some people! This thread is beyond!
The reason they put it out so quickly is that they want it out before it falls out of people's thoughts, at a time where they can get as much money as they can for it. I'm sure there were many other songs they could have picked, but Simon Cowell picked this one and he was the money man/man in charge of this charity single. So there. FFS. all round, especially for you OP!

I bet it's for charity.

It doesn't mean I have to personally like it. I think they would be better re releasing the original, myself. But anyway

Stormzy is ace.

I love him. Fantastic role model and modern poet of sorts.

I don't get what's so hard to understand. He's saying that it could have been any of us

Yes to whoever mentioned Paloma Faiths line!

The way she sings 'troubled water' as trubble wart-her is really irritating

Easy, Kate ! Chillax with a proper biscuit and put some weight on.