Metro
Joe Rogan Calls Backlash Over His Use of N-Word a ‘Political Hit Job’
Joe Rogan weighed in once more on the controversy over his repeated use of the N-word on his podcast — and Spotify’s elimination of dozens of previous episodes due to his “racially insensitive language” — and this time performed the sufferer card.
Final Friday, Spotify pulled 70 episodes “The Joe Rogan Expertise” from its platform, courting from 2009 to 2018, which the streamer stated it did on the request of Rogan and his crew. That got here after singer India Arie final week stated she was pulling her music and podcasts off Spotify, citing Rogan’s “language round race”; she reposted a video on Instagram compiling 24 occasions Rogan used the N-word on his podcast, and the resurfaced clip quickly went viral.
Rogan addressed the scenario in Tuesday’s episode of his podcast, which is completely distributed by Spotify.
“That video had all the time been on the market. It’s like, this can be a political hit job,” Rogan stated. He continued, “And they also’re taking all these things I’ve ever stated that’s improper and smushing all of it collectively.”
On the similar time, Rogan stated, “It’s good as a result of it makes me handle some shit that I actually want wasn’t on the market.”
“You simply have to remain offline… Life goes on, as regular,” Rogan informed his visitor, humorist and actor Akaash Singh, firstly of the episode. Singh informed Rogan, “Actual life is individuals who know you, and also you’re an amazing man” and stated he was happy with Rogan for apologizing for his use of racial slurs: “We’ve all stated some wild shit, and also you apologized, and owned that it’s improper, good for you.”
Rogan added, “I do assume you need to be very cautious to not apologize for nonsense.” He cited Awkwafina’s latest assertion addressing critics accusing her of appropriating Black tradition. “They had been saying it was a ‘blaccent,’ which is — come on, man,” Rogan stated.
Beforehand, Rogan, in an Instagram publish on Feb. 5, responded to the clip of him saying the N-word. He stated it was “probably the most regretful and shameful factor I’ve ever needed to speak about publicly,” and added that he had not used the N-word in years.
Following Rogan’s apology, Spotify CEO Daniel Ek on Sunday despatched a memo to staff saying the he was “deeply sorry” for a way the controversy over the podcaster has affected them. However, he wrote, “I don’t imagine that silencing Joe is the reply… canceling voices is a slippery slope.”
In his memo to staff, Ek additionally stated Spotify will make investments $100 million for the licensing, growth and advertising and marketing of music and audio content material from “traditionally marginalized teams.” Spotify’s unique multiyear take care of Rogan is reportedly value greater than $100 million.
To make certain, Rogan has been a controversial determine even earlier than Spotify inked its unique take care of him in 2020. When Spotify added “The Joe Rogan Expertise” to the service in September 2020, it had dropped some episodes together with these that includes right-wing visitors equivalent to Alex Jones, Proud Boys founder Gavin McInnes and Milo Yiannopoulos.
The present intense highlight on Rogan — who had the No. 1 most listened-to podcast on Spotify final 12 months — began final month after Neil Younger demanded Spotify take away his songs or drop Rogan’s podcast, citing COVID misinformation on the present. On Monday, Younger urged Spotify staff to stop, writing in a weblog publish, “Get out of the place earlier than it eats up your soul. The targets said by Ek are about numbers — not artwork, not creativity.”
