Source: Paras Griffin / Getty
Omari Hardwick is at the center of more controversy on social media following his tone-deaf tribute to the late Chadwick Boseman. The tribute was shared Sunday in the form of a lengthy Instagram caption accompanied by footage of the “Power” alumn receiving an award for which both he and Boseman were nominated. And while his choice of media for a rest in peace post was seen as questionable to some, it could be argued that he chose that particular video because he acknowledges Boseman and the relationship that they had in his acceptance speech. What could not be explained away, however, was the caption, which read:
I didn’t have enough time that fateful night to share what i whispered to you. So now i will. But not before sharing what you said first. You said “O, go claim that award that’s had your name on it from the gate…from the moment i met you. I whispered back, “Thank you Bose…for being the superhero I knew you were from the moment i met you.” Then I quickly added….”we still gotta do that movie together!” You replied: “Bet.” … I hear you whispering more than ever my dearest brother of a Black Panther. One of my biggest honors was being one of your biggest competitors and an even bigger friend.
You are HUGELY missed, but I got you next to me even more on the rest of this run.
A wise man told me this morning…”In the Kingdom no crown is wasted. When one man drops his crown, another man picks it up. Pick it up O!”
From king Chadwick to king Hardwick….i will do just THAT my brother. Rest in your glory.
PS: Brave has worn his Black Panther costume everyday for the past 3 weeks.. trust me I’ll make sure he keeps wearing it…..
When faced with criticism dished out by fans, many of whom called him out for being self-centered, Hardwick doubled down on his comments, telling one fan:
“Your message is as cancerous as what Chad fought. Sad. Good luck going forward. God bless.”
Straight up cringeworthy. While Omari likely did not have ill intentions when he made the post, the reality is that his words did come off as insensitive and in many ways, self-serving.
