Popular entertainers getting embroiled in controversy, in this post-literate era of infotainment news, gets more attention from the public than war news or financial news.
That's why the Cohen controversy is important for bringing the BDS issue to public attention. Just as United Artists Against Apartheid raised the consciousness of millions with the Sun City song, the Cohen concert in Israel can provide the focus for widespread discussion and understanding of the issue of Israeli apartheid and Zionist aggression in general.
So it's not a matter of cart-before-horse. It's a matter of being able to recognize a horse when you see one.