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India Arie has accused Joe Rogan of being “consciously racist” amid the row over his controversial Spotify podcast.
Appearing on The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, the US musician went into detail as to why she wants her songs removed from the streaming service, which exclusively hosts The Joe Rogan Experience.
Arie, who shared a compilation of Rogan using the N-word on his podcast earlier this month, said she felt “disrespected” by the comedian and UFC commentator.
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She also said she was “still in a fight” with Universal Music Group over her music still being on Spotify. She told Noah that she still wanted it removed as she believes Rogan is “consciously racist”.
The Acoustic Soul artist, who has sold over 10 million albums, said of Rogan: “I think he was saying it because it got a rise out of people. That’s why he would say it. He knew that it was inappropriate. And I think the fact that he did it repeatedly and was conscious and knew, I think that is being racist.”
She also stated: “When I go deeper and ask myself what I really think from my commitment to truth that I’ve made this last year, what I really think is that he was being consciously racist and it makes me wonder what he talks like behind closed doors.”
She continued: “I don’t think being a racist makes you a bad person, necessarily. It makes you a person who was raised in our society.”
The Independent has contacted Rogan’s representative for comment.
After the clips showing him using the N-word emerged, Rogan apologised but said the footage was “taken out of context”.
“I know for most people there’s no context where a white person is allowed to say that word – and I agree with that now,” he said. “I haven’t said it for years... I thought as long as it was in context, people would understand what I was doing.”
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Sign up now for a 4 month free trial (3 months for non-Prime members)
Arie told Noah: “I don’t think [Rogan] fully understands what he did. If you want to really lead your listeners down a new path, then lead them, to the point where they don’t feel that is the right language to come in my DMs and call me an ‘N-word’ in defence of him.”
Other artists such as Neil Young and Joni Mitchell successfully had their music removed from Spotify in protest against Rogan, after accusing him of spreading misinformation about Covid-19.
Rogan made light of the ongoing controversy at a recent stand-up gig, where he said “If you’re taking vaccine advice from me, is that really my fault?”