Also bear in mind the socioeconomics of the situation. While white performers can barely admit to making a living off of their music before being called
sell outs, black artists who sung and rapped their way out of often crushing poverty are less ambivalent about the "easy" success of a record deal. They can feel less guilty about getting that break than those who came from more comfortable backgrounds. Black artists are not accused of selling out, but white artists are, presumably because the
latter could just go get office jobs, and the
former would otherwise still be on the streets.
See also:
double standard,
self-righteous