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BTS leader RM aka Kim Nam-joon recently took to his Instagram Stories to share a track from Frank Ocean’s debut studio album Channel Orange titled Bad Religion. But this post didn’t go down well with the netizens as it sparked an outrage online with the hashtag “RM APOLOGISE TO MUSLIMS” trending on social media. The post has divided the fans and a flurry of opinions from both sides of the argument have created a stir on the internet as many people feel RM has shared an Islamophobic song on social media.
Many people accused RM of being Islamophobic due to the perceived implications of the song’s lyrics. One tweet read, “BTS’ RM shared an Islamophobic song on his IG story and I’m talking about me and all Muslims that this is shameful bcs he’s a @/UNICEF ambassador who is supposed to fight racism not to support and what is happening now is he insulting Islam openly?” while another user wrote, “It’s the biggest mistake he ever made, man you have a big Muslim fandom out there they always respect you as a person who makes a change in this sick world! And protect you from hate! This is how you return the favor to them?? RM APOLOGISE TO MUSLIMS”.
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However, there was a group of fans who immediately jumped to defend RM in this crisis and asked people to understand the true meaning of the song. One fan clarified, “Before you go critiquing Namjoon, please educate yourselves on the song’s true meaning. It’s not an Islamophobic song. It’s a song depicting the struggle of being gay while also religious.”
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Here’s how critics accuse RM:
BTS’ RM shared an islamophobic song on his ig story and i’m talking about me and all muslims that this is shameful bcs he’s a @/UNICEF ambassador who is supposed to fight rac!sm not to support and what is happening now is he insulting Islam openly? pic.twitter.com/a6UMLmtDY7
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— ໊ (@gorwony) August 16, 2023
you have a largely muslim fan following, been to UN assemblies campaigning about “loving yourself” only to have islamophobic stance and disrespect another religion and god publicly. i don’t have words..
NAMJOON APOLOGISE TO MUSLIMS
RM APOLOGISE TO MUSLIMS— 🫧🐚 (@ctrlaespa) August 16, 2023
Another one wrote, “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 for him. What he’s really saying is that his sexuality isn’t accepted by Islamic religion, or many other religions, he just chose to use Islam as an example. What he’s really titling a “Bad Religion” is his love for someone who doesn’t love him back; unrequited love. “It’s a bad religion/to be in love with someone/Who could never love you/I know/Only bad religion/Could have me feeling the way I do.
Again a tweet explained, “Ocean’s negative response to ‘Allahu akbar’ is apparently what then compels the driver to recommend that he pray. At first, Frank seems to perceive no harm in the idea but then concludes that ‘if it brings me to my knees, it’s a bad religion’.”
Have a look:
“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
For the unversed, Ocean‘s ‘Bad Religion’, which released in 2012, is known for its exploration of unrequited love in the face of religious struggles. The song’s title often leads to misunderstandings as it refers to the Islamic phrase “Allahu Akbar”. In order to explain this to the critics, RM’s fans emphasized that the song addresses Ocean’s internal struggle of being a gay and questions the established religious norms while adhering to religious beliefs, rather than being Islamophobic.
The song takes a bold step forward that contributes to the discussion about homosexuality in the hip-hop world. Frank Ocean was one of the first major stars who openly discussed about same-s*x attraction in the genre. Being a UNICEF ambassador, RM has always advocated for positive change and understanding. Thus, fans feel that people should understand RM’s purpose of sharing before jumping to conclusions and demanding apologies. However, this is not the first time when the song has created a controversy.
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