Kevin Hart Defends Himself For Supporting Jussie Smollett After Facing Backlash

BYAron A.Updated on September 26, 20228.1K Views

Kevin Hart attends Morehouse College REAL TALK with 'Night School' actor Kevin Hart & producer Will Packer at Morehouse College on September 11, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia.

"Do you want change? If so I am an example of what u want people to do...CHANGE!"

Jussie Smollett was viciously attacked earlier this week and received an outpour of support from fans, friends, and peers in the entertainment industry including Kevin Hart. The comedian faced immediate backlash after showing his support for Smollett due to the Oscar debacle in December. Many believed Hart was hypocritical for refusing to apologize for decade-old tweets while showing support for Smollett who's a victim of a homophobic and racist hate crime. However, Hart took to Twitter to clap back at critics, saying he's an example of the change that the world needs.

Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images

The host of Crooked Media's "Keep It," Ira Madison, got a response from Kevin Hart after tweeting that the comedian's support for Smollett was his "funniest joke." Hart clapped back quickly, stating that he's apologized for his offensive jokes towards the LGBTQ community and that he was simply showing support for Smollett.

https://twitter.com/_/status/1090653859448446977

"I stand with a man in his time of hurt and need by giving him heart felt support and u take the time to harp on my 10yr past that I have apologized about and moved on from by being a better person," he wrote. "Do you want change? If so I am an example of what u want people to do...CHANGE!"

Despite the explanation, Ira was quick to point out how Hart spun the controversy as some sort of smear campaign by trolls.

https://twitter.com/_/status/1090741184161632256
https://twitter.com/_/status/1090811719998365696

About The Author

Aron A.

Aron A. is a features editor for HotNewHipHop. Beginning his tenure at HotNewHipHop in July 2017, he has comprehensively documented the biggest stories in the culture over the past few years. Throughout his time, Aron’s helped introduce a number of buzzing up-and-coming artists to our audience, identifying regional trends and highlighting hip-hop from across the globe. As a Canadian-based music journalist, he has also made a concerted effort to put spotlights on artists hailing from North of the border as part of Rise & Grind, the weekly interview series that he created and launched in 2021. Aron also broke a number of stories through his extensive interviews with beloved figures in the culture. These include industry vets (Quality Control co-founder Kevin "Coach K" Lee, Wayno Clark), definitive producers (DJ Paul, Hit-Boy, Zaytoven), cultural disruptors (Soulja Boy), lyrical heavyweights (Pusha T, Styles P, Danny Brown), cultural pioneers (Dapper Dan, Big Daddy Kane), and the next generation of stars (Lil Durk, Latto, Fivio Foreign, Denzel Curry). Aron also penned cover stories with the likes of Rick Ross, Central Cee, Moneybagg Yo, Vince Staples, and Bobby Shmurda.