Ten Walls: Waking up With Your Career on Fire

Lithuanian dance music producer/DJ Marijus Adomaitis (aka Ten Walls) has found himself at the center of a career-destroying firestorm following a homophobic rant posted to his personal Facebook page, where he condemned homosexuality and compared it to pedophilia.

Adomaitis first rose to prominence as Ten Walls via his ubiquitous 2013 Gotham EP on Innervisions and later scored a UK Top 10 dance and singles chart hit with his BOSO/Warner Bros.-released Ten Walls single “Walking With Elephants.” But in the global, industry-wide boycott and backlash that has ensued, he was promptly dropped by his booking agency, London-based Coda Music Agency, which has since pulled the artist’s profile from their website.

At least six major festivals have removed Ten Walls from their lineups, including Sónar, Creamfields, Pukkelpop, PITCH, HARD Summer and Urban Art Forms Festival. Even some brick-and-mortar record shops, like Phonica Records in London, have canceled all preorders for his upcoming Sparta EP. Fellow DJs like Fort Romeau have refused to share gigs with him or play his music. And a seemingly endless barrage of dance music artists, industry professionals and fans took to Facebook and Twitter to express their outrage over his offensive remarks.

SimonDunmore (Defected Records)

Destroyed by your own ignorance! #tenwalls pic.twitter.com/x2qOqzLDbu

— Simon Dunmore (@SimonDunmore) June 8, 2015

KimAnnFoxman

Somebody gets the #LOSER award… and in this industry!?!? zero tolerance and zero support from me!!! http://t.co/l8wz8sisL4

— Kim Ann Foxman (@KimAnnFoxman) June 8, 2015

DRamirezmusic

Wow!! Talk about biting off the hand that feeds! http://t.co/kAY6TRu9Pj @residentadvisor #tenwalls

— D.Ramirez (@DRamirezmusic) June 8, 2015

Guy Williams (DJ/Promoter/Producer): “You can tell you don’t really mean your apology to say: ‘my friends in the gay community AND my fans.’ What does this mean, you think you don’t have any gay fans!!? You’re a homophobic idiot that keeps digging yourself a bigger hole…you are only cancelling shows because you are already being cancelled.”

The controversy began when the site Gay Star News picked up on a post on Adomaitis’ personal Facebook page. Translated from Lithuanian, it stated:

I remember producing music for one Lithuanian musician, who tried to wash my brain that I don’t need to be so conservative and intolerant about them. When I asked him, “What would you do if you realized that your 16-year-old son’s browny (anus) is ripped by his boyfriend?” Well he was silent.

Adomaitis issued an apology for the “misunderstanding” yesterday via his Ten Walls Facebook fan page:

Last week I wrote a Facebook post that was wrong and completely out of character and the result was a badly written post that was unacceptable. It was never my intention to offend anyone. I’m really saddened by everything that has happened and I would like to apologize to everyone I’ve let down, especially to my friends in the gay community, and my fans. I now need to take a break and have cancelled my upcoming shows.

While the international outcry and swift response to Adomaitis’ ignorant and egregious comments have been impressive, admirable and fully justifiable, one wonders if this will be a teachable moment for him; and if so, will he ever be able to rebound from this? Is it enough for him to simply say, “I’m sorry”—followed by a requisite, oblique and formulaic retraction—or does he need to do something more meaningful and sincere, perhaps by way of education, outreach and charitable work for the LGBTQ community?

I’m often concerned that political correctness and the fear of public shaming and ridicule can sometimes be the main deterrent for someone with bigoted ideals to hide their true feelings. It doesn’t make their convictions any less insidious or threatening. Perhaps the humiliation and financial cost alone will be enough to help him open his eyes to the failings of his beliefs.

Either way, I’m happy Adomaitis exposed himself so candidly—whether unintentionally or not—because it forces him to be accountable for his actions. In this digital age, one would have to be ignorant or naïve to think they could post or say anything insensitive, inflammatory or demeaning on social media and it not be subject to public scrutiny. In this case, the results have been particularly damning. The idea that a single post could lead to total career obliteration is astonishing and sobering. It should serve as a lesson and warning for anyone audacious or reckless enough to voice their “opinions” without fear of reprisal.

What is clear from the scope of the fallout is the dance and electronic music community’s vigilance and refusal to tolerate bigotry. Their ability to swiftly mobilize and effectively eradicate the situation will hopefully stop such actions in the future. It also reflects the changing social acceptance and advancement of LGBTQ people worldwide. Dance music and club culture were forged in the blood, sweet, tears, tireless activism and visionary efforts of that community—namely, gay people of color. That scene’s deep roots, rich history and diverse legacy were born out of the ideals of community, equality and diversity.

And while there has been a global mainstreaming of dance music—especially under the “EDM” banner in America, where white male heterosexuals appear to be the dominant driving force—dance music has always been the voice of the disenfranchised, the “outsiders” seeking acceptance, validation and refuge from the limiting confines of traditional societal morays. Anyone who’s ever been involved in the dance and electronic music community—either as an artist, industry professional, club owner, DJ or devotee—bears a responsibility to continually educate the masses and rise up against anyone or anything that fails to uphold its core values. A failure to do so would be a grave disservice to its hard-fought legacy.

That this should happen during LGBTQ Pride Month, and just weeks after Ireland’s landmark referendum to legalize same-sex marriage by popular vote (the first country in the world to do so), and days from the eagerly awaited Supreme Court ruling on marriage equality in America, is serendipitous. It makes Adomaitis’ comments appear that much more shockingly insensitive.

However, consider where he is from: Lithuania is a predominantly conservative Catholic nation, with an estimated population of 3.4 million, where same-sex marriage has been constitutionally banned, and numerous—largely vague—laws have been put in place to “defend family values,” protect minors and essentially keep the existence of the LGBTQ community suppressed, stigmatized and marginalized, denying them basic human rights. So his views aren’t really that out-of-step with his country’s conservative ideals.

The Baltic state is also currently embroiled in a highly contentious national debate about allowing gay civil partnerships, and that might have been the catalyst for Adomaitis’ venomous tirade. It doesn’t justify his statements or make them any less distressing or offensive, but it does provide context. He’s a product of his environment.

This could be a watershed moment for Adomaitis, and the dance/electronic community as a whole, to discuss issues of bigotry, racism, sexism and elitism more openly. In the ever-crowded world of electronic music producers, DJs and artists, Adomaitis was fortunate to find real success and seize upon an opportunity to advance his career. Perhaps he can seize this opportunity to reevaluate his position, expand his horizons, and grow as a person. It would truly be a wasted opportunity and tragedy if this situation didn’t transform him for the better.

Special thanks to Rob Di Stefano, of Twisted Records fame, for his help compiling this article.