Stuttgart – Kim Namjoon, known professionally as RM and member of the hugely popular K-pop group BTS, has become the center of a heated controversy following his decision to share Frank Ocean’s song ‘Bad Religion’ on his Instagram story.
The seemingly innocuous act has sparked a wave of backlash, with fans and critics divided over allegations of Islamophobia.
The social media firestorm began when RM’s Instagram story revealed his musical preference for Frank Ocean’s track, ‘Bad Religion.’
The hashtag #RM_Apologize_to_Muslims swiftly gained traction on various platforms, with supporters and detractors of the musician weighing in on the matter.
Critics of RM’s choice to share the song have raised concerns about potential Islamophobia, pointing to the perceived implications of the song’s lyrics.
A tweet condemning the action stated, “BTS’ RM shared an Islamophobic song on his IG story and I’m talking about me and all Muslims that this is shameful [because] he’s a @/UNICEF ambassador who is supposed to fight racism not to support [it] and what is happening now is he [is] insulting Islam openly?”
The song in question, ‘Bad Religion,’ released as part of Frank Ocean’s debut studio album ‘Channel Orange’ in 2012, explores themes of unrequited love and draws a metaphor between this emotional state and religion.
Of particular contention are the lyrics that include the Arabic phrase “Allahu Akbar,” which holds significant religious importance for Muslims.
Ocean’s use of the phrase within the song’s context has raised eyebrows and drawn criticism from those who find it inappropriate and offensive. The lines, “He said ‘Allahu Akbar’; I told him ‘Don’t curse me’,” are repeated throughout the song and have sparked renewed debate about cultural sensitivity and religious respect.
Others have been more inclined to give RM the benefit of the doubt, pointing to his past advocacy work as a UNICEF ambassador and his broader contributions to social causes.
