Recently, BTS member RM, BLACKPINK’s member Jennie, as well as Latto landed in a huge controversy which sparked an outrage on the internet. So, this particular controversy took root when RM, a member of BTS, shared a song titled “Bad Religion” by Frank Ocean on his Instagram story. The song, released in 2012, has been in headlines due to perceived Islamophobic undertones in its lyrics. This action prompted the hashtag #RMApologizeToMuslims to trend, with concerns about the song’s content causing division among netizens. While some criticized RM for sharing the song, citing potential offense to religious sentiments, others defended him, arguing that the song’s theme revolves around unrequited love rather than religion. RM’s fans, known as the BTS Army, stepped in to support the artist. They also highlighted instances of his respect for different religions and suggesting that his intent was not to hurt anyone.
Latto took a screenshot of what's trending because her name was trending and she posted it on her Instagram story but Jennie's name was also trending under "Jennie apologize to Muslims", and so blinks are attacking latto on her Instagram because she didn't crop out Jennie name pic.twitter.com/EBUdarYvXG
— ʟᴀʏᴏ(ꪜ)ᴇʀ⁷ₕₒₚₑ ₑDᵢₜᵢₒₙ (@Army_11234) August 17, 2023
"Many people confuse Frank Ocean's choice of example and the title of the song as a diss towards Islam because he sings "Allahu Akbar," which is Arabic for "God is great," and then goes on to sing "but don't curse me," in reply to the Taxi driver that is praying an Islamic prayer… pic.twitter.com/mE182v66QW
— ²¹⁷RM Indigo Union⁷ (@RMGlobalUnion) August 16, 2023
Jennie’s Involvement in the Controversy
The controversy expanded as fans noted that BLACKPINK’s Jisoo had previously shared a video of Frank Ocean performing the same song at Coachella. This led to calls for her to apologize as well, with the hashtag #JisooApologizeToMuslims trending. Subsequently, the hashtags #ApologizeToMuslims and #JennieApologizeToMuslims gained traction, involving BLACKPINK’s Jennie. The issue gained momentum, with supporters and critics alike using these hashtags to express their opinions on social media.
Latto Also in Controversy
During the trending of #JennieApologizeToMuslims and #RMApologizeToMuslims, Latto, a rapper, posted an Instagram story showing her name trending on X (formerly Twitter). In the same screenshot, the hashtag #JennieApologizeToMuslims was visible beneath her name. This led to accusations of insensitivity towards BLACKPINK’s Jennie and sparked the trend #LattoApologizeToJennie. As this unfolded, Latto’s fans rallied to her defense, asserting that she did nothing wrong. However, this ignited discussions on Latto’s past actions on X, resulting in trends highlighting her problematic history. Supporters countered with positive hashtags in her favor.
As the controversy gained momentum, fans and observers awaited responses from RM, Jennie, and Latto. Thus far, none of the artists have addressed the situation, leaving the controversy to unfold largely on social media platforms.