No matter the grievance, there is always someone who’s got your back, as is the case with Joe Rogan and Freddie Gibbs.
Rogan’s Perceived Missteps
After surfacing a video compilation of him for the banal use of the “N” word, Joe Rogan took an excessive amount of heat. He was implicated on the spot with no need for a judge, trial, or jury. The proof was in living color, and there was no way of walking away or hiding from this.
Rogan Offers an Apology
Immediately Rogan went to work on his PR, making a video apologizing. No one outside of Rogan’s camp could assuredly understand Rogan’s intent. This made the reservation of judgment necessary, at least until hearing what Rogan had to say.
In the video, Rogan acknowledges the compilation and the horror of the content. He speaks on how he was horrified by the footage. The footage compiled all the times it appeared Rogan blithely used the “N” word.
Now, In the beginning, it seems Rogan is not offering an apology, at least for using the “N” word. Instead, it seems Rogan is apologizing for the way the footage was compiled. Evidently, the footage was spliced together for a specific intent. In hindsight, the video did what it was intended to do. However, that is a topic for another article. Subsequently, in the video, Rogan apologizes for his assumptive behavior. Finally, he acknowledges his ignorance on the matter and his present growth.
Context is King
The Rogan debacle makes an excellent point on context.
How something is perceived implicates you, no matter how inauthentic or authentic it might be. So, context is everything. The apology video provides an example. Undoubtedly, one would need to look at the video in its entirety with an open mind to make a sensible conclusion.
Not Everyone’s Mind is Open like Gibbs’
After the compilation surfaced, a few artists withdrew their support from Rogan. Some removed their entire catalogs from Spotify. A few outright chastised Rogan. As a source notes, Trevor Noah, Samuel L. Jackson, and Fat Joe were a few to go in on Rogan. FM Hip Hop covered Fat Joe’s response and the ensuing backlash. However, this was not the case with Freddie Gibbs.
Gibbs is Not Everyone
Gibbs did not quickly turn his back on Rogan. Instead, Gibb’s used his experience with Rogan to make a character assessment. So, based on what he knows of Rogan, he’s refusing to label him as a racist. In Gibbs’ words,
“I never thought you were a racist. I just think you were saying some shit you shouldn’t have said and a lot of us n-ggas say stuff that we shouldn’t say sometimes. It is what it is.”
No one can deny Gibbs’ point.
People aren’t perfect. Almost every individual has said something inane or negative in their lives at some point. Assumedly, If what was said were plastered publicly, we would find ourselves on the defense like Rogan.
Gibb’s is Not the Only One Standing in Rogan’s Corner
As the music executive, J. Prince, points out in a post following the debacle, what’s important is what happens after the fact. According to Jprincerespect Rogan, acknowledged he didn’t know better at the time. He took responsibility.
And despite the inaccuracy of the portrait painted, Rogan did the big thing that deserves a show of humanity.
As J. Prince put it,
“I forgive him because I never want to become one of those people that are filled with unforgiveness and hate that we complain about all the time.”
Judgment is always in the hands of the beholder as Gibbs and J. Prince are proving. However, it’s so easy to take things out of context and believe everything presented in the media. Such makes discernment a necessity in these times.
So kudos to Gibbs and J. Prince for choosing a different path. It’s easy to jump on the bandwagon. Nevertheless, standing up for someone you know when they are under fire by refusing to take the position of less resistance says everything about one’s character.
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Written by Renae Richardson
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Heard the news about Freddie Gibbs new album? If not then check out FM Hip Hop’s retrospective article.
