Chester Bennington’s son, Jaime, took to social media to publicly blast Linkin Park over the announcement of their new co-vocalist Emily Armstrong.
Jaime criticized Mike Shinoda for hiring Armstrong despite his alleged knowledge of the singer’s history with Scientology, as well as the fact that she wrote a letter in support of fellow church member Danny Masterson — the actor known for playing Hyde in That ’70s Show — who was recently convicted of rape. “You have refused to acknowledge the impact of hiring someone like Emily, without so much as a clarifying statement on the variety of victims that make up your core fan base,” he wrote on Instagram Stories.
He continued, “You quietly erase[d] my father’s life and legacy in real time not only during a band interview meant to clear the air about certain aspects of Linkin Park’s history and future during international suicide prevention month.”
“You betrayed the trust loaned to you by decades of fans and supporting human beings including myself,” Jaime added. “We trusted you to be the bigger, better person. To be the change. Because you promised us that was your intention. Now you’re just senile and tone deaf.”
Neither Shinoda nor the other members of Linkin Park have responded.
Armstrong acknowledged the initial public backlash last week in a statement posted on Instagram, “Several years ago, I was asked to support someone I considered a friend at a court appearance and went to one early hearing as an observer. Soon after, I realized I shouldn’t have. I have never spoken with him since.” She continued, “To say it as clearly as possible: I do not condone abuse or violence against women, and I empathize with the victims of these crimes.”
