Spotify’s Joe Rogan Used ‘N-Word’ 24 Times In Videos, Leading India Arie To Pull Music

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Grammy-winning singer-songwrtier India Arie has posted clips today to Instagram showing Spotify host Joe Rogan using the N-word, a situation which she claimed led her to withdraw her music from the streamer.

The resurfaced clips, which were posted on YouTube at one time, were used to explain Arie’s decision. She also called on followers to “delete Spotify,” and used the hashtag.

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“Hey, ya’ll,” the 46-year-old singer says in the first of a series of stories posted to her Instagram highlights account. “I’m going to leave a short message here about why I decided to ask my music be pulled off Spotify.”

She followed that up with clips of Rogan using the racial slur, which Rogan used 24 times in the 23 clips. The slurs predates his $100 million deal with Spotify in 2020.

“He shouldn’t even be uttering the word,” Arie said. “Don’t even say it, under any context. Don’t say it. That’s where I stand. I have always stood there.”

Arie joined several musicians and podcasters who have pulled their content from Spotify. Most cited the alleged misinformation Rogan was providing on the pandemic in his podcast. Spotify has since backed Rogan’s right to free speech, although it said it would monitor and warn customers about the potentially problematic content.

“I empathize with the people who are leaving for the COVID disinformation reasons – and I think that they should. I also think that Joe Rogan has the right to say whatever he wants to say,” Arie said. “I also think that I have the right to say whatever I want to say.”

She added that she didn’t want to help generate money that funds Rogan, so she was therefore removing herself from the platform.

“Just take me off. That’s where I’m at.”

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