Rolling Stone co-founder criticized for comment on Black, female rock musicians

Co-founder of Rolling Stone magazine and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Jann Wenner, has been removed from the hall's board of directors for his racist and sexist comments in an interview with the New York Times.

Wenner, 77, was publicizing his new book The Masters, which features interviews with musicians Bob Dylan, Jerry Garcia, Mick Jagger, John Lennon, Bruce Springsteen, Pete Townshend and U2’s Bono—all white and male.

When asked why his book doesn’t feature women or people of color, he responded, “It’s not that they’re inarticulate, although, go have a deep conversation with Grace Slick or Janis Joplin. Please, be my guest. You know, Joni (Mitchell) was not a philosopher of rock’n’roll. She didn’t, in my mind, meet that test.”

“Of Black artists—you know, Stevie Wonder, genius, right? I suppose when you use a word as broad as ‘masters,’ the fault is using that word. Maybe Marvin Gaye, or Curtis Mayfield? I mean, they just didn’t articulate at that level,” Wenner told the Times.

The uproar from his comments prompted an apology from the music journalist.