Dr. Umar Responds to Backlash for Saying Eminem Can’t Be Hip-Hop’s G.O.A.T. Because Em’s White
Dr. Umar has responded to the backlash of saying Eminem can't be hip-hop's G.O.A.T. because Em's White.
Dr. Umar Addresses Backlash Over Controversial Eminem Comments
On Wednesday (Dec. 27) Dr. Umar Johnson hopped on his Instagram Live and addressed the critics who have been attacking him on social media over his controversial remarks about Eminem. In the video below, the self-proclaimed "Prince of Pan-Africanism" defended his criticisms of Em being considered the G.O.A.T. of hip-hop because he's White.
"When I look at the responses from America’s Caucasian community over this issue of Eminem being the G.O.A.T. of Hip Hop—and let me say this: I have nothing personal against Eminem," Umar prefaced before launching into his diatribe, which you can watch below.
"My comments had nothing to do with Mr. Marshall Mathers personally. And I want Mr. Marshall Mathers to understand that Dr. Umar Ifatunde harbors no personal ill will towards you," he stated. "You are a talented musician, lyricist, producer. You seem like you are an OK guy."
"So my comments are not personal; they apply to any non-African," he continued. "This is about business—the business of protecting the integrity of African culture."
Dr. Umar later explained that Whites historically have appropriated Black music and called it their own, including rock and roll and now hip-hop.
"But from a cultural integrity perspective, haven't they [White people] stolen enough from us? Haven’t they appropriated enough from us? Haven’t they robbed, stole, killed, enslaved, lynched, miseducated, mass incarcerated, politically dominated us enough?" Umar asked.
"The fact that you got Black people arguing for a White man to be considered the greatest of all time in an African artform speaks to how psychologically ill we are as a race of people," he concluded.
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Dr. Umar Says Eminem Is Not a G.O.A.T. Rapper Because He's Not Black
Dr. Umar is directly responding to people who were upset over the social media personality's remarks about the Detroit rhymer on a recent episode of The Joe Budden Podcast.
In the viral clip, which can be viewed below, Dr. Umar discredited Eminem as one of the greatest rappers in hip-hop because he's not Black. He contends that since Em is White he can't be better than a group of people who have created the music and culture.
"No non-African can ever be the best of anything African," Umar said. "It's an insult to the ancestors. It's an insult to the race and it's an insult to every Black person."
"We have to stop naming non-African people as being the best of any aspect in our cultural product because it's an insult," he added.
Although Dr. Umar's stance on cultural ownership and representation is valid, his comments did not sit well with fans who viewed Eminem's lyrical ability as more important than his ethnicity.
In the end, Dr. Umar has social media going nuts over his controversial remarks.
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Watch Dr. Umar defend his remarks about Eminem not being hip-hop G.O.A.T. because he's not Black below.
