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Candace Owens is not impressed by the response she received from 9-year-old rapper Lil RT after she condemned his inability to read.
Owens mainly targeted the rapper’s adult guardians in the Nov. 7 episode of her eponymous podcast, published on YouTube. The political and cultural commentator’s latest video about Lil RT responded to the child reacting to her initial video about him and his song “60 Miles.” In late October, the commentator discussed the rapper’s virality in a video titled THIS Is What’s Wrong With Black Culture. She harped on how the lyrics and music video of “60 Miles” were problematic. She also expressed concern for Lil RT and claimed the rapper was illiterate.
“It’s not funny. It speaks to the corrosion of our culture. It speaks to the corrosion of Black culture, obviously a part of the bigger American picture. People shouldn’t find this type of content funny,” Owens argued after seeing the young Atlanta MC’s response to her.
“He’s obviously being egged on by the adults, and that’s really who I want to respond to because Lil RT is a child, and my heart breaks for him. Genuinely, I see a child that could have so much potential, and yet he is surrounded by monsters — people who know that they aren’t furthering his rap career. In fact, they’re probably leading him down a path of harm,” said the 34-year-old mother of two. “Obviously, if he cannot even read at the age of 9 years old, the future is not looking bright for him unless there’s some sort of extreme intervention, which there should be.”
Owens implied that Lil RT was the result of a more significant problem in America and society’s view of Black Americans.
The conservative pundit claimed Lil RT rapping about X-rated topics, being in the streets and running from the cops were unfortunately expected of Black people in America.
“I’m paying attention to how your parents are harming you, which your underdeveloped brain obviously can’t comprehend,” she said while addressing the child directly for a brief moment.
The 34-year-old asserted that Lil RT’s parents were intentionally exploiting him. She lumped them into a wider group of parents in the country she claims care more about receiving online attention than the well-being of their children.
“They [Lil RT’s parents] think it’s funny to show [him] that people are just jealous of him — we aren’t. We are concerned for him because we should be concerned. Every person should be concerned when there is a young child who should have their entire world before them, who instead is sitting on a couch responding as if he’s in a rap battle with someone who is expressing concern for his life.”
“This kid needs a book. This kid needs to learn how to read. This kid needs better parenting,” Owens firmly stated.
The mother of two based her claim that Lil RT can’t read on a clip of the child posted on his Instagram account Oct. 20.
The young rapper picked up a piece of paper and asked, “What the fuck does this say? I’m only 9.”
Viewers can hear assumably adults laughing in the background at the child.
Lil RT’s “60 Miles” music video has over 2 million views on YouTube, and the young rapper has over 36,800 followers on the platform.
In addition to X-rated lyrics and the 9-year-old rapping about speeding away from the cops, he also spewed profanity and mentioned hitting someone with a “Glock.”
In the clip of him reacting to Owens’ initial video, he said, “She needs to be quiet. Cuz they all up in my silk, they’re always trying to stop my music.”
Owens hasn’t been the only person to condemn Lil RT’s music. Rapper Doe Boy, 29, received online backlash in late October for collaborating with the young musician on “60 Miles 2,” according to Complex.
Doe Boy defended himself and Lil RT in a video he posted Oct. 27.
“I been seeing all the goddamn comments and all the little posts and the little tweets and all that shit just hating on the lil’ nigga,” the 29-year-old said. “That shit lame as hell to me. At the end of the day, he’s 9 years old. I don’t know if you from where we from, but from where I’m from, goddamn, that’s a regular little nigga in the hood.”
“So it’s like shit, at least he tryna do something positive though,” Doe Boy continued. “Him rapping is gon’ change his life. It’s gon’ change his life and make his life good — ’cause in a couple of years if his life don’t change, that lil’ nigga gon’ be thuggin,’ cause he already thuggin’! But that lil nigga gon’ be thuggin’ if he don’t get it out, so hell yeah, I’m finna help that lil’ nigga get the check.”
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