We all were told by our media outlets of choice that staring at Monday’s solar eclipse without any kind of protection may cause eye damage, but leave it to rapper and noted conspiracy theorist Joey Bada$$ to question the mainstream position on eclipse viewing. Oh, on an unrelated note: vision problems might also be the cause of Joey Bada$$ cancelling tour stops in Cleveland, Chicago, and Toronto.
Earlier this week during Eclipse Monday, Bada$$ (government name: Jo-Vaughn Virginie Scott) tweeted out his reluctance to believe any harm could happen to his eyes, and noted that he watched the eclipse without any protection and that he’s got experience in staring at our friendliest burning star already: “I’ve sungazed before and afterwards saw colors for a whole day. I didn’t die tho”:
Am I crazy for watching the eclipse today w no glasses? I've sungazed before and afterwards saw colors for a whole day. I didn't die tho
— BADMON (@joeyBADASS) August 21, 2017
This ain't the first solar eclipse and I'm pretty sure our ancestors ain't have no fancy eyewear. Also pretty sure they ain't all go blind.
— BADMON (@joeyBADASS) August 21, 2017
Then, one day later:
Due to unforeseen circumstances, my Cleveland, Chicago & Toronto shows on the #EverybodyTour are cancelled.
— BADMON (@joeyBADASS) August 22, 2017
Sure, it probably won’t outright kill you, but letting the sun’s ultraviolet radiation directly hit your retinas isn’t a good idea. Even while the sun is totally occluded by the moon, ultraviolet sunlight can causer eye disorders including macular degeneration, solar retinitis and corneal dystrophies. Of course, the “unforeseen circumstances” that prompted the cancellations could literally be anything under the uh, eclipse, but you gotta admit the timing is suspicious and those circumstances could easily be “stared at the sun even when the whole world was telling me not to”.
If the cancellations are somehow eclipse-related, well, at least Joey can take heart in knowing he isn’t alone:
People rushed to ask Google why their 'eyes hurt' after the solar eclipse https://t.co/uSpEewYpRY pic.twitter.com/o61w1tHFE6
— TNW (@TheNextWeb) August 22, 2017