The Wireless Festival was in London’s Finsbury Park this past weekend and Roddy Ricch took the stage on Friday.
Video of the performance swiftly began circulating, though onlookers’ attentions swiftly shifted from the “High Fashion” artist to his predominately white crowd of festivalgoers.
The clip, produced by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), shows Wireless Festival attendees unabashedly singing “The Box” word-for-word, which included the primarily white crowd belting out the N-word alongside Roddy Ricch.
Roddy Ricch had the crowd in London singing “The Box” word for word #WirelessFestival2022 📦🔥pic.twitter.com/Ghxran0Bog
— Wave Check🌊 (@thewavecheckk) July 9, 2022
Understandably, this didn’t sit well with Black Twitter. Check out what some viewers said about the viral clip below.
The Caucasity left many in awe, with one user noting that Black people seeing their favorite rapper perform live “HAS to be a top 10 terror.”
no way 💀 she sucked WHO soul?? https://t.co/7rSa2ZkYY5
— Spac𝓮 ⭐️ (@sadcrib) July 10, 2022
going to see ur favorite rapper perform live as a black person HAS to be top 10 terror 😭 https://t.co/QEfVl1ZQUD
— HOOD VOGUE is tired of poverty (@keyon) July 10, 2022
Another Twitter user took the opportunity to utilize the popular Usher meme, which began circulating after his recent NPR Tiny Desk Concert.
“I’ve never said the n word in my life.”
White people at concerts: https://t.co/Ys0Xr2VJgx pic.twitter.com/jRZf13Xugq
— Bobby Foster (@_bobbyfoster) July 10, 2022
People went on to aim at those defending the festivalgoers’ word-for-word sing-along.
i hate that there was so many white people saying the n word during roddy ricch’s festival set & hate even more that white people love to come to twitter to defend shit like that
— $𝔞𝔦𝔫𝔱 ✞ (@614saint_) July 10, 2022
Shade was also thrown at Black men who may have stanned the white girls who sang along to “The Box.”
A certain section of Black men saw them White girls singing along off beat with Roddy Ricch to The Box at that festival and immediately got wet
— ᶜᵃˢᵗᵉʳ ˢʰᵉˡˡ (@castergunx) July 11, 2022
The assertion that people shouldn’t be bothered if Roddy Ricch didn’t care about the sing-along was also shut down.
do u rlly think roddy ricch’s short ass speaks for the black community ????
— 💟 (@pyramidslost) July 10, 2022
Finally, some proposed a solution to the matter: violence.
me beating every yt persons ass in the crowd that think they can say the word nigga cos they at a concert: https://t.co/C9BVToTn4n pic.twitter.com/YUgLHbxBVX
— 🇯🇲🇯🇲TTG Music Connoisseur (@MusicConnoisseu) July 10, 2022
Worry yam about attending a festival overseas is hearing the n-word around people of a different skin tone. I would get into at least 2 fights, I know it. https://t.co/LqJKNgQIw8
— Aunty Baby 💕 (@nomondesj) July 10, 2022
Roddy Ricch hasn’t directly commented on the video on social media, though he notably did take the time to address another recent controversy that involved him kicking a fan who attempted to rush him at a show in Switzerland.
ya moms shoulda swallowed u https://t.co/b1kcGHBUrS
— Roddy Ricch (@RoddyRicch) June 13, 2022
At this point, it’s worth adding the controversy caused by the white festivalgoers’ sing-along wasn’t the only noteworthy take-away from Roddy Ricch’s Wireless Festival performance.
The 23-year-old rapper also garnered praise for incorporating a tribute to numerous people who passed away at a young age during his set. Some of the artists who were honored include XXXTENTACION, Nipsey Hussle, King Von, Aaliyah, Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes and the Notorious B.I.G.
Trayvon Martin, Kobe Bryant and Gianna “Gigi” Bryant were also honored.
Roddy Ricch did a tribute for some of the people we lost early 🕊 pic.twitter.com/xjn8G3LzG5
— rapczn (@rapczn) July 10, 2022
What are your thoughts on the situation?
