Wiz Khalifa Responds to ‘Racist’ Lyrics Backlash By Saying ‘I Have Korean Friends’
By Bryan Ke
American rapper Wiz Khalifa receives a bit of a backlash for a lyric line in his latest single “Hot Now” where he compared having low eyes to “looking Korean;” however, he did not apologize and instead used the “I have Asian friends” excuse.
Wiz Khalifa, whose real name is Cameron Jibril Thomaz, recently appeared on “The Breakfast Club” to talk about stuff including his new album “Rolling Papers 2” and his single that just came out, “Hot Now.”
At around the 13:55 minute mark, show host Charlamagne tha God opened up the topic about the controversial lyric in his song that goes: “I’m a different type of being/Drive the type of whip your bitches like to be in/Smoke got my eyes lookin’ Korean.”
In his response, Wiz Khalifa said: “And I also say I smoke like a Jamaican; and I also say I live like a white man… so chill out. I’m not a racist. I love all races.”
The show host then asked the 30-year-old artist if he would like to apologize for his lyric. But the rapper, in a straightforward response, said “no.”
“I have Korean friends that are not offended. I don’t know those people who are saying that,” he continued.
The article that was brought up in the interview, from Korea Times, mentioned how Wiz Khalifa did not explain the message behind the lyric. And in the interview, when pointed out and asked by the show host, he yet again slammed it by saying “I don’t need to explain anything,” following it with, “I love Koreans.”
Many people did not exactly like Wiz Khalifa’s lyric as it plays on the stereotype suggesting Asians have “small eyes.” Netizens are calling him out, and trying to point out that if the situation is to ever be reversed, they will be in a totally hot mess from the community.
“If any Korean said some sort of racist thing to black people they would be attacking us like wolves,” a YouTube user said in the comment section, as reported by Korea Times. “Maybe your Korean friends joke about it and are completely fine with this, but clearly most Koreans living in Korea are not. Please think about this.”
Featured image (left) via YouTube / Breakfast Club Power 105.1 FM | (right) via Instagram / wizkhalifa
Share this Article
Share this Article