Twitter users aired their conflicted responses about the Motown legend’s stance online, with some agreeing and others saying he was misinformed.

I don’t see a problem with what he said. Actually, I only see one issue: all his years of traveling, he’s never been to Africa?

— Epictetus (@darky07025216) March 7, 2022

I know people who are proud of their Italian heritage, who have never been to Italy. No matter what part of the world they end up in, they will always be Italian because of their bloodline.

— Brick Mason (@BrickMason112) March 9, 2022

Smokey Robinson… a man born in the 1940’s is on the internet tellin people to drop the African and just call him Black American. Cause he never been to Africa. What’s the stages of Dementia?

— Life Dutchee (@LifeDutchee) March 8, 2022

I knew Smokey Robinson was an idiot after he threw us under the bus for Jennifer Lopez but this latest stunt takes the cake.

As I said mere days ago, the facts that ‘Black is a race’ and ‘African American is an ethnicity’ really whoops y’all’s asses.

— Lauren (@_Elle_Spencer_) March 4, 2022

We are Black! pic.twitter.com/eAvLu22NDc

— M69ike (@m69ike) March 9, 2022

Smokey has his opinion- we all do. We are all correct. It boils down to semantics. We are found all over the globe: India,Asia,Europe,AmericasPacific Island/Hawaii, Australia. From the very inception of life on Earth.

— Wisdom_Seed (@conga_2) March 5, 2022

All our stories began in Africa. The Land of Ethiopia- AKEBULAN

— Wisdom_Seed (@conga_2) March 5, 2022

Nah. There is no us without the Motherland. Period.

Our ancestors would’ve never survived slavery if not for the strength of the melanin in our Black bodies… which derives from Africa.

The drums in our music, the rhythm in our souls, the food that we eat… African.

— I Drop Alpha 📦💭 (@akaJustCrypto) March 5, 2022

In my younger days I did take on the AA moniker. I didn’t realize the connotations behind that. Rap artists like X Clan had me thinking this was right. Fast forward 2022, I see that is not the case I’m proudly an FBA✊🏽

— DEBO (@blaqqbutterfli) March 5, 2022

So what’s the deterrent to say African. Are we trying to cut ties with our African lineage

— Joe LEMAINE (@JoeLemaine) March 5, 2022

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