Dahmer: Kesha and Katy Perry are called out for old Jeffrey Dahmer lyrics

28 September 2022, 17:28

Evan Peters opens up about playing Jeffrey Dahmer

By Emma Kershaw

"If you're coming for Kesha and Katy over Jeffrey Dahmer lyrics, you better also be asking Netflix to pull their show off the streaming platform"

Katy Perry and Kesha have come under fire for name-dropping serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer during “insensitive” song lyrics.

The controversy comes after DAHMER - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story has remained one of the most popular shows on Netflix since its release earlier this month.

Starring Evan Peters, viewers have been gripped by the horrifying story that has faced its own criticism from the victim’s families. Dahmer spent years committing heinous crimes before his arrest in 1991, with evidence showing that he had even eaten parts of his victims.

In 1991, Dahmer confessed to killing 17 young men in total, and was ultimately found guilty of 16 murders. He was sentenced to 16 terms of life imprisonment before he was killed in jail in 1994.

READ MORE: Here’s what happened to the police who left Konerak Sinthasomphone with Jeffrey Dahmer

Although some people are only just discovering Jeffrey Dahmer through the Netflix show, he has been a focal point in the pop culture world for many years, often relating to his crimes and cannibalism.

In a verse during Katy Perry’s 2013 hit 'Dark Horse', the rapper Juicy J sings, “She’s a beast / I call her Karma / She eats your heart out / Like Jeffrey Dahmer.”

Additionally, Kesha’s 2010 song 'Cannibal' references the serial killer. The song was also a part of a popular TikTok trend in 2020. "Your little heart goes pitter-patter / I want your liver on a platter...Be too sweet and you’ll be a goner / Yeah, I’ll pull a Jeffrey Dahmer." The singer continues: “I eat boys up, breakfast and lunch, then when I’m thirsty, I drink their blood”.

Off the back of the limited series, some music fans have expressed their disgust with the lyrics, taking to social media to voice their opinions.

“Why isn’t anyone calling out Katy Perry for allowing such a vile & terrible lyric to be included in one of her hit songs? Jeffrey was a notorious serial killer & Katy CHOSE to romanticize his criminal & inhumane actions. I actually feel sick to my stomach. She NEEDS to apologize,” one Twitter user wrote, adding screenshots of Katy’s lyrics.

Another said: “It still upsets me when I hear the line in the song Dark Horse "She eats your heart out like Jeffrey Dahmer" and I always make my daughter turn the station. It's so disrespectful to the victims families. I hope people remember them while watching Netflix. Sorry for their losses. [sic]”

READ MORE: Relative of Jeffrey Dahmer victim slams Netflix for "retraumatising" their family

However, while some internet users are upset, others have pointed out that it is only now that people have begun to slam the lyrics.

“Y’all really cancelling Katy Perry for Dark Horse lyrics now bc y’all didn’t know who Jeffrey Dahmer was until last week,” one person expressed.

A second wrote: “Mad about the Katy Perry lyric but y’all was bumpin to Dark Horse when it came out so ???”

A third said: “I think it’s funny how people on TikTok are mad at Katy Perry for her lyric in Dark Horse as if they weren’t dancing to Cannibal by Kesha a few months ago,” while a fourth wrote: “Gonna say this once. If you're coming for Kesha and Katy over Jeffrey Dahmer lyrics, you better also be asking Netflix to pull their show off the streaming platform. Point Blank.”

Read more about Netflix's DAHMER here:

• Where is Christopher Scarver now? Here's what happened to the man who killed Jeffrey Dahmer
• Here's what happened to Ron Flowers and the men who survived Dahmer
• Where is Glenda Cleveland now? Here's what happened to Jeffrey Dahmer's neighbour in real life
• Does Jeffrey Dahmer's apartment still exist? What does it look like now?
• Evan Peters says Jeffrey Dahmer is the hardest role he's ever had to play

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