Joe Rogan's Past Use Of N-Word Resurfaces Amid Spotify Backlash
Feb. 3 2022, Published 1:25 p.m. ET
India Arie is calling out Joe Rogan for his history of using the N-word as she calls for Spotify to remove her music from their platform.
The singer addressed the situation on Instagram. Arie's post includes not only her asking for her music to be pulled from Spotify but also includes multiple video compilations of Rogan making more than tasteless jokes about black communities and his nonchalant use of the N-word throughout the years.
The singer begins the video by saying she is asking her music to be taken off of Spotify followed by an old clip of Rogan comparing black neighborhoods to the Planet of the Apes. She clarifies that she empathizes with other artist like Canadian- American singer Neil Young who are protesting Rogan due to COVID misinformation and believes they should.
She also said she believes that the controversial podcaster has the right to say anything he wants to say - but she believes that goes both ways.
Arie points out that artists like her make 0.003% of the money generated from Spotify. She asks for her music to be taken off the platform specifically because she doesn't want money she makes for them to go towards what she believes to be problematic and racist.
The singer also included a 30-second video of Rogan saying the N-word over and over again throughout the years openly on several podcasts and interviews. Arie clarifies her thoughts "[Joe Rogan] shouldn't even be uttering the [n-]word. Don't even say it, under any context. That's where I stand. I have always stood there."
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The singer's final statement in the video sums it all up. "We have this person who is offensive to a lot of people and is paid $100 million. The backbone of Spotify is the music. You pay the musicians .003 to .005 percent of a penny and take this money generated over here and use it to invest in this guy? Do you what you want, but take me off. Or pay me too. I mean us. Pay artists like me too. Pay podcasters of color too."
