Bow Wow is facing backlash.
The “Growing Up Hip Hop: Atlanta” star took to Twitter on Saturday to speak out after a video circulated on social media of him performing for a packed, largely maskless crowd at a nightclub in Houston, Texas, on Friday.
The video of Bow Wow performing his 2005 hit “Like You” for a crowded audience amid the COVID-19 pandemic even had celebs weighing in. “I thought about it and have decided I’m not willing to die for Bow Wow,” Zach Braff tweeted, while Insecure star Natasha Rothwell wrote, “For… Bow Wow…?”
In a series of since-deleted tweets on Saturday, Bow Wow addressed the controversy. According to the club’s Instagram, masks are required, and the rapper said he wore one “up until I got on the mic.”
“I just woke up… aww god. Here we go,” he tweeted, per Buzzfeed.
“Man i been hosting parties all last year. I wore my mask in the club. I cant host with that thing on,” Bow Wow added. “I promise my mask i wore in the club up until i got on the mic. That simple. Keep sanitizer on me at all times.”
The 33-year-old rapper also referenced states’ different regulations amid the pandemic. “Man Texas is open. Atl is open. I cant help i live in a city where we been open since last spring,” he wrote.
On Monday morning, Bow Wow tweeted that “the mayor of Houston hates my guts,” adding blamed for his club performance is “ridiculous.”
Safe to say the mayor of houston hates my guts. I cant believe i get the blame for a whole weekend. This is ridiculous.
— Bow Wow (@smoss) January 18, 2021
His tweet came after Houston mayor Sylvester Turner tweeted that Bow Wow’s performances were “on our radar.”
These events that are scheduled with @BowWowPromoTeam today in Houston are on our radar. Other bars/clubs that are operating as restaurants, beyond capacity and social distancing requirements, please expect visits. Today we report 1964 new cases and 17 more deaths. st
— Sylvester Turner (@SylvesterTurner) January 17, 2021
On Tuesday, Bow Wow followed up with an apology, but he insisted he was blamed for an event he had no part in orchestrating.
Heres the TRUTH: My only statement. 1. It was not a bow wow concert. I simply did one verse to like you. And went back to my section and simply put my mask BACK on.
2. I did not i repeat did not GET PAID for anything. It was my boys 30th bday weekend and i came down off the love
— Bow Wow (@smoss) January 19, 2021
3. I apologize if i did anything wrong. I love the city of houston. I consider it like a 2nd home. A place i go to on my free time.
4. Sorry to the mayor for any confusion. I understand the time we are living in so I apologize.
— Bow Wow (@smoss) January 19, 2021
My clip was the only clip to go viral and we know why. Anything with my name attached to it reads HEADLINES. Thats why they chose me. I understand this is what i signed up for. I can take all the heat and not sweat. Sorry for any confusion.
— Bow Wow (@smoss) January 19, 2021
In a June interview with ET, Bow Wow opened up about the importance of staying safe amid the coronavirus pandemic.
“It’s definitely a life changing moment, not just for me but for all of us,” he said. “I don’t see myself not wearing my mask anytime soon. I hate getting colds, I hate getting sick, if I can prevent it by doing that then absolutely [I will wear a mask]. I even think that when we go on tour, get back to these arenas, I think we’ll see a lot of fans with masks on, designing their own masks, making Bow Wow masks. I think from here going forward, we’re going to see a lot of people taking this seriously. We have to.”
“I know I’m following my own rules. Just because the bars here are open in Atlanta — everything is wide open and people are packing these bars out and no one is wearing masks — for me, I’m wearing a mask,” he continued. “We have to protect each other by all means, and if wearing a mask is that, then I’m down to do it. Plus, it gives me a chance to go out in public and do things I couldn’t do without the mask. So, now I can finally walk down Hollywood Boulevard without security. So, I will continue to wear my mask and I’m sure the fans will too.”
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