Fat Joe’s hot take about Latinos’ contribution to Hip Hop has gotten him into water so hot he’s been forced to step away from his BET Awards hosting duties.
Last month, Joe, who’s Puerto Rican and Cuban, got on Math Hoffa’s podcast and claimed that Latin American’s contributions to early Hip Hop were equal to that of foundational Black Americans, calling it a “50/50” split.
This pissed off some Black people. One of them, Que Parker, started a petition to “remove” Joe from the culture.
“As a foundational black American, I find myself increasingly disturbed by the conduct and rhetoric of the white Hispanic rapper, Fat Joe,” Parker writes in the description. “His comments towards foundational black Americans have been consistently disrespectful and bigoted. Moreover, his blatant use of racial slurs, coupled with his audacious claims that Latinos invented hip hop, perpetuates harmful stereotypes and creates a culture of misinformation.”
While the petition only has 300 signatures, Joe has decided it’s best to at least remove himself from any hosting duties at the upcoming BET Awards.
🚨 Update: Fat Joe Resigns from BET Awards Amid Pressure from Freedmen Community 🚨
On January 10, 2025, Fat Joe officially resigned from hosting the BET Awards, following sustained pressure from the Freedmen community. This is a testament to the power of unified advocacy and… https://t.co/Fks0aYVDcz pic.twitter.com/kD58IWkGUz
— Arthur Watkins Jr. 🇺🇸 (@arthurwatkins) January 10, 2025
Should Joe be shunned for his comments?