Grammy wining vocalist Arooj Aftab has called out an American magazine and a music critic for publishing a racist review of her latest album. Music magazine PitchFork praised the album by noting how Aftab and her collaborators crafted emotional depth through the repetition of couplets. However, a review in jazz and blues magazine DownBeat by contributing editor and music critic John McDonough took a different stance. Aftab, rightfully disappointed, took to social media to call out the writer and magazine for “racism and Islamophobia”. — DownBeat Magazine (@DownBeatMag) July 12, 2023In response, Aftab maintained, “Frank, we appreciate all the love for this record, but these lines you printed are racist.
