In 2019, as the broader #MeToo movement continued to ripple across film, politics, and media, a quieter but no less significant reckoning emerged within the music industry, one that exposed uncomfortable truths about power, access, and vulnerability in LGBTQ+ spaces. What unfolded was not simply a scandal tied to one individual, but a case study in how influence operates behind the scenes, and how easily it can be abused when accountability is limited.
At the centre of that moment was independent artist NEO 10Y, who brought forward allegations that would ultimately challenge one of the industry’s most powerful cultural gatekeeping systems.
A System, Not an Isolated Incident
When NEO 10Y shared a series of Instagram direct messages with BuzzFeed News in March 2019, the claims were specific and troubling. He alleged that Patrick Crowley, then a senior editorial figure at Billboard Pride, had solicited explicit images in exchange for editorial support.
The alleged dynamic was one of quid pro quo, a transactional abuse of power where access to visibility, coverage, and career momentum could be conditioned on sexual compliance. For emerging artists, particularly those operating independently without the buffer of major label backing, such access is often the difference between obscurity and opportunity.
NEO 10Y’s refusal, he claimed, came with consequences. According to his account, he was removed from a prominent playlist, a subtle but impactful form of professional retaliation in an industry where algorithms, placements, and editorial endorsements can shape careers overnight.
But perhaps the most significant element of his account was not the individual interaction, but how he framed it. This was not, he argued, a misunderstanding or a one-off lapse in judgment. It was “orchestrated” manipulation, a systemic pattern in which institutional authority could be leveraged for personal gain.
The Floodgates Open
The response was swift. Following inquiries from BuzzFeed News, Billboard terminated Crowley’s employment, stating that an internal investigation had confirmed violations of company policy.
Yet the story did not end there. In many ways, that was when it truly began.
Once NEO 10Y spoke publicly, others followed. Artists including Alextbh, Michael Medrano, and Kisos came forward with similar allegations, describing encounters that echoed the same pattern of coercion and blurred professional boundaries.
This “bandwagon effect,” often criticized in public discourse, is more accurately understood as a release valve. When one person breaks silence, it creates space for others to recognize their experiences not as isolated incidents, but as part of a broader pattern. In marginalized communities, where reputational risk is amplified and support systems are often informal, that first voice carries disproportionate weight.
Power Within Marginalized Spaces
What made this case particularly complex was its setting within LGBTQ+ media and culture. Spaces like Billboard Pride are often viewed as affirming environments, designed to uplift queer voices historically excluded from mainstream narratives.
But inclusion does not inherently dismantle power hierarchies. In fact, it can sometimes obscure them.
When gatekeepers exist within marginalized communities, the dynamics of exploitation can become harder to confront. Victims may fear not only professional repercussions, but also social exile from communities that double as both support networks and career ecosystems. There is an added pressure not to “damage” a space that is already perceived as under threat.
This tension complicates the narrative. It challenges the assumption that shared identity equates to shared ethics, and highlights the need for accountability structures that extend beyond surface-level representation.
The Legal and Institutional Response
In the aftermath, Crowley filed a lawsuit against Billboard, alleging wrongful termination and claiming that he had been treated differently because of his sexual orientation. The case introduced another layer to the conversation, raising questions about due process, workplace protections, and the potential for identity to be invoked defensively in misconduct cases.
A federal judge ultimately dismissed the lawsuit, finding no evidence of discrimination or defamation. While the ruling closed the legal chapter, it did little to resolve the broader cultural questions the case had raised.
The Cost of Speaking Out
For NEO 10Y, the decision to go public carried significant risk. As an independent artist, he lacked the institutional backing that might cushion against industry backlash. Speaking out meant potentially alienating powerful figures and limiting future opportunities in an already competitive landscape.
Yet that risk is precisely what made the moment resonate.
In an interview with the New York Post, NEO 10Y emphasized that his goal was not personal vindication, but exposure of what he described as “systemic behaviour.” His framing shifted the focus from individual wrongdoing to structural vulnerability, particularly for young artists navigating opaque industry pathways.
That act of reframing is central to the legacy of #MeToo, both within and beyond the LGBTQ+ community. It transforms stories from isolated accusations into evidence of patterns, and from personal grievances into calls for institutional change.
Beyond 2019: A Continuing Reckoning
In the years since, the music industry has made visible efforts to address issues of misconduct, from updated workplace policies to more robust reporting mechanisms. Yet many of the underlying dynamics remain intact. Gatekeeping has not disappeared; it has simply evolved, moving across platforms, playlists, and digital ecosystems.
For artists like NEO 10Y, the experience marked a turning point. Rejecting traditional pathways, he has embraced a fully independent trajectory, positioning himself outside the structures that once constrained him. It is a path that reflects both resilience and disillusionment, a reimagining of success that prioritizes autonomy over access.
But not every artist has that option.
The 2019 exposé serves as a reminder that progress is uneven, and that visibility alone does not guarantee safety. It underscores the importance of continued scrutiny, particularly in spaces that pride themselves on inclusivity.
If the broader #MeToo movement taught us anything, it is that silence is rarely a sign of absence. More often, it is a reflection of risk.
And in an industry built on aspiration, that risk can be everything.
Since surviving the fire of that exposé, NEO 10Y has completely transcended the traditional “pop star” trajectory. Rather than seeking a new corporate master, he leaned into total independence. His music has evolved into what he calls “dimensional sonic ascension” – a genre-bending “cinematic grunge” that treats music as a catalyst for spiritual ascension. His latest era, headlined by the release of ASCETIC HEDONIST (currently viral on TikTok) and Quantum 3rd Eye Realness, uses high-frequency ancient-futurism as a “sonic portal to oneness.”
Beyond the studio, NEO 10Y has manifested his philosophy of “oneness” into the physical world through GODDEX, his gender-expansive, alcohol-free fragrance brand. Designed as a “ritual in a bottle,” the scent is entirely vegan and cruelty-free, reflecting his unwavering commitment to animal liberation. He has become one of the UK’s most vocal advocates for the intersection of speciesism and human rights, famously arguing in his BBC and Channel 4 appearances that “peace starts on our plates.”
Today, NEO 10Y exists as a “multi-hyphenate revolutionary.” Whether he is performing at West Hollywood Pride, the Roundhouse, the Troxy or a headline set at Heaven London, collaborating on consciousness-expanding documentaries, or protesting for non-binary visibility, his work remains rooted in the bravery he showed in 2019. He didn’t just break a gatekeeper; he built an entirely new world where the binary between genders, between species, and between the artist and the audience no longer exists.