Shamir Pulls "Straight Boy" Video After Director Accused of Sexual Assault

BY Calum SlingerlandPublished Nov 1, 2017

Ahead of delivering new LP Revelations this week, Shamir has pulled the recently released music video for album cut "Straight Boy" after director and co-star Ryan Carpenter was accused of sexual assault.

Shamir explained the decision in a series of tweets today (November 1), writing, "I had to take down the 'Straight Boy' video because as it turns out the actor and director in the video is an abuser... I know... the irony. Turns out out you can't even find cishet guy that's not a shitty person to even play a shitty person. and above all I'm sorry to the survivors and thank y'all for letting me know!"

Speaking with OUT, Shamir said that he first met Carpenter two years ago in Brooklyn, but only learned of his past recently after finding a YouTube comment that read, "That white guy is Ryan Carpenter and he is from Tampa and raped my friend and other people… a lot of peeps kno that guy n he has a rep #metoo. Shamir stands with rapists."

Shamir told the publication that he was met with "nonchalance" in reaching out to Carpenter, explaining his course of action afterwards:

A while back he actually told me a story where someone accused him of abuse in college, but apparently it was all a misunderstanding. He talked it out with the school police, and the authorities, and the person, and everything was sorted. I also was with his friend from college, and his friend concurred.

I cut all ties with him, told him I was going to get rid of the video, took down the video, and made my statement this morning. I said [to him], 'This is horrible. You're obviously an alleged rapist. I don't know your reputation back home because we met in Brooklyn.' We filmed the video in LA, and I went to Florida once, so I don't know his reputation. I didn't know. I wouldn't have worked with him.


Shamir added, "I want to say thank you to the survivors, and to the survivors for letting me know. It's obviously a horrible situation, and I'm just glad the person was honest and allowed me to be on top of it."

Shamir has since replaced the video with one of himself playing "Straight Boy" on an acoustic guitar, prefacing the performance by saying "Fuck sexual abuse. Fuck rapists." You can watch the new version in the player below.

Revelations arrives this Friday (November 3) through Father/Daughter Records. Shamir has also mapped out a winter tour, which you can find further details about here.

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