Fat Joe Resigns From BET Awards Amid FBA Controversy & Petitions Against Him

Fat Joe is enjoying the new year despite a lot of flack coming his way, a phenomenon that might become more difficult for him to overcome with time. For those unaware, his appearance on Math Hoffa’s My Expert Opinion podcast drew much controversy for his criticism of foundational Black Americans, who pushed back on his narrative that this group and Latin American folks created hip-hop “50/50.” While Joey Crack seems pretty dismissive of the whole thing, a new Change.org petition alleging “derogatory behavior and claims” continues to call him out. Its organizer is Que Parker and it’s reportedly gaining some traction online despite having less than 300 signatures at press time according to AllHipHop.

“As a foundational black American, I find myself increasingly disturbed by the conduct and rhetoric of the white Hispanic rapper, Fat Joe,” Que Parker wrote in the petition’s 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.

“Not only is [Fat Joe’s] speech questionable, but his actions are equally disturbing,” Parker alleged. “Being a convicted felon, his avowed possession of firearms is not only unethical but also illegal—an act that should not be overlooked or taken lightly. It is alarming to know that celebrities who influence millions worldwide, adults and impressionable youths alike, can get away with such behavior. With such reach, his harmful rhetoric and actions have a far-reaching effect that can foster negative stereotypes and propagate misinformation.

“We, therefore, urge the music industry, his audience, and all platforms that host his content to hold Fat Joe accountable, to stand against his bigoted comments, and to cancel him until he offers a sincere public apology and undergoes sensitivity training to address his biases,” the description reads towards its end. It seems like this backlash had an effect, as Joe reportedly resigned from hosting the BET Awards. Despite this controversy, it’s important to note that the rapper’s comments – and other remarks – also point to larger debates around cultural and ethnic relations in diaspora communities, but there’s clearly a lot of areas in which his words did not have the most positive impact.