For the most part, cultural shifts happen gradually enough that it's hard to notice them until it's suddenly 10 years later and they've already taken place.
And for controversial public figures, that can be clearly seen in how their behaviors are received by the public. Although it would be disingenuous to say that — for example — Eminem's more homophobic lyrics in the late '90s and early 2000s weren't controversial at the time, it's also clear that this controversy hardly precluded him from mainstream success.
But in the time since he first arrived on the scene, he and other artists who work with dark themes are more likely to consider the implications of the use of slurs either either on a societal level or for their more immediate impact on their careers.
However, it's clear that one artist who isn't prone to these kinds of considerations is Kid Rock.
So while some are clearly disappointed by his response following an incident that saw him use a homophobic slur during a performance, they're not likely to be surprised by it.
