Joe Budden Slams BTS, Mislabels the K-pop Group as Chinese
Rapper and podcast host Joe Budden angered BTS fans this week over offensive remarks made during The Joe Budden Podcast. In the episode titled “We Don’t Lose,” the rapper slammed BTS while discussing the 64th Annual Grammy Awards.
His comments included mislabeling the seven-member Korean pop group as Chinese. Budden’s rant comes days after hip-hop producer Mike Dean attacked the group in a series of tweets.
Joe Budden says he hates BTS
In a profanity-laced conversation during his Apr. 6 podcast, Joe Budden said he hated BTS “You can get mad at me, but I hate them BTS n****s.”
Co-hosts Ice and Ish asked him why to which Budden responded, “Do I need a reason? I hate them n****s. I don’t have to divulge my reason to you. I just hate them n****s.”
Budden ranted, “I don’t wanna hear that s***, I don’t wanna see them dance moves, I don’t wanna see you come down in the sky in a little umbrella. I don’t wanna see your four f***ing (indecipherable) come from the audience and then link up like Voltron and do all of the 98 Degrees moves. I don’t wanna see none of this s***.”
He was referring to BTS’ Grammy Awards performance, where they did intricate choreography while singing their hit song “Butter.” A crowd of their peers gave them a standing ovation when they finished. Budden was not invited to the ceremony.
Joe Budden mislabels the K-pop group as Chinese
After explaining that he hates BTS for no reason, Budden then made xenophobic comments mislabeling the group.
“I know they big, I know it’s China, I don’t wanna see it,” Co-host Parks informed him that they’re actually from South Korea. “I don’t want to see Korean-Sync,” Budden replied, laughing at his own joke.
“Why do you all think that because a group is big, because an act is big, that you can’t hate them?”
Ice and Ish seemed uncomfortable with the remarks chiming in that it’s “disgusting” not to like someone without reason.
Budden has not apologized for the comments and seems happy with the attention. When a fan asked him why he’s trending on Twitter, he said, “cause I don’t like assembly belt pop.”
BTS fans think he is ‘clearly a racist’ and ‘should be ashamed of himself’
ARMY, the BTS fandom has not stayed silent since the Apr. 6 podcast was released. Some begged other fans not to give him the attention he so desperately craves, while others were upset and hurt by his statements.
On a Reddit thread, one fan wrote, “never heard of this nobody before, but he is clearly a racist.” Another person asked, “Does he hate them because they’re Asian?? A boyband??? Or a boyband that wears makeup???”
People expressed gratitude toward Parks, Ice and Ish, “I’m glad the other men on the podcast called him out and corrected him.”
Fans also left their opinions under a Billboard News YouTube video, “HATE is a very strong word, he should be ashamed of himself.” Another fan wrote, “there’s never a reason for racism but the fact that he didn’t even stop after getting called out is unbelievable.”
One ARMY shared, “He needs to love himself. That’s what he needs to do. He’s been living in hatred and toxicity for too long, which seems to be the only thing he can spew out without any reasons. What a sad little human being. So much has been deprived. Someone go hug him!”
This isn’t the first time Budden has garnered attention for negative behavior. He fired his previous podcast co-host on-air in an ugly blowup and faced domestic abuse allegations from his former girlfriend and Love & Hip Hop castmate, Tahiry Jose.
BTS has not commented on the remarks. They’re currently playing four sold-out shows at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, NV.
How to get help: In the U.S., call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or text START to 88788.
