Michael Rubin And When Outsiders Speak Freely About The Black Community

Michael Rubin speaks as the United Justice Coalition hosts the Inaugural Social Justice Summit with acclaimed activists, entertainers, attorneys, experts and more at Center415 on July 23, 2022, in New York City. | Source: Shareif Ziyadat / Getty

B y the time Michael Rubin said “I’m probably going to get killed for saying this because I’m a white rich guy” in a recent interview on The Breakfast Club , he had already proven himself guilty of speaking too cavalierly about the Black community.

He first started sounding too familiar during his defense of rapper Lil Baby from (homophobic and stupid) internet trolls when he declared: “You know what I hate? Watching a Black person try to take another Black person down. That’s f****d up. Let’s keep it real.”

The Fanatics founder was actually on the show to promote Fanatics Fest, which has been described as the “Comic Con of Sports” and is expected to draw some 50,000 attendees to see athletic icons like Tom Brady and Derek Jeter.

I wish he had stuck to that.

However, when the hosts started talking about Rubin’s infamous White Party that attracts the sort of celebrity crowd only a man reportedly worth $11.5 billion can, the conversation shifted to some of those famous friends who frequent his viral bash.

I suppose, to his credit, Rubin seems like a good friend.

In addition to his offensive but well-meaning (I guess) defense of Lil Baby, when asked about the rumor that he did not allow Kendrick Lamar’s “ Not Like Us ” to be played at his most recent White Party to not offend Drake, Rubin answered: “It was true. Drake’s my friend for a long time. I’m not gonna invite him — and look, he’s obviously going through a little bit of a battle right now. I’m not gonna have him come there… I just didn’t think it was appropriate.”

Aww?

As he mentioned throughout the interview, “I want to bring people together.”

Good friend to these rich Black rappers or not, though, if Rubin wants to get along with the rest of us, he may want to reconsider how freely he chooses to speak about a community he is not a part of.

After Rubin talked Lil Baby and Drake, he addressed Meek Mill, who has been relentlessly clowned on every corner of social media this year for varied reasons.

“When I see the narrative of, a really good friend of mine like Meek, and people are trying to… Again, if he was gay — which there’s not one gay bone in his body — who cares, number one,” Rubin explained. “If people wanna be gay, it is 2024. Who the f**k cares? Number two, there’s not a gay bone in his body, so why do people wanna lie about that? Why do people want to change the narrative of a bet he made with me to hurt him?”

He continued: “That is the one thing I’ve learned about, you know, look, I’m just being blunt because it’s me. It’s the one thing I’ve learned about Black culture that I don’t like is that Black hate on hate.”

I can understand.

Instead of being challenged, Rubin was encouraged to speak more by the hosts.

So he did.

“I think there’s a little bit of a Black culture of Black hate on hate, like that Black judge that Meek had that hated on him and wanted to go extra hard on him,” Rubin added. “It’s what people always say to me, like ‘Black hate on hate.’ I think it’s terrible. I think it’s culturally wrong.”

It was only after all this that Rubin noted “I’m probably going to get killed for saying this because I’m a white rich guy.”

Yet in response, Charlamagne Tha God said , “I’m glad you’re saying it openly. If this is the conversations that are being had amongst [your people], I want to hear this.”

I’m not as pleased as Charlamagne about what Rubin had to say.

As a gay man, I, too, think the Meek Mill gay rumors to be dumb and homophobic. And if Rubin feels like he played a small role in Meek being wrongly maligned, defend your friend. Just not at Black folks’ expense.

People of all backgrounds turn to emasculation to make a man feel small. There are currently Republicans trying to debase vice presidential candidate Tim Walz as “Tampon Tim” because as governor of Minnesota, he mandated public schools offer free menstruation products in their bathrooms. Homophobia is not unique to the Black community and I don’t like any framing that directly or indirectly contributes to narratives to the contrary.

For those select Black people on the internet asking what was wrong with what Rubin said, you can now quit wondering.

Based on the way Rubin was encouraged more than he was questioned by The Breakfast Club hosts, I worried that Black celebrities wouldn’t check him because they want to go to the White Party next year.

Yet while writing this, I saw that someone called Rubin and clued him in.

The following morning on X, Rubin posted:

“I got a phone call from one of the people I have the most respect for in the world – they told me while they appreciate my intention, it’s not my place to speak on black culture. I get it and really appreciate the input!

My intention was to say how important it is that we need to uplift each other, stop hate on each other, and push each other to win, and always root for each other’s success!

My bad, Much love and appreciate the feedback.”

I’m glad someone told him to do better and that he acknowledged it because he was out of line.

I want Black folks to let go of homophobia, too, but we don’t need outsiders to tell us that — especially when we know we would never be given the same kind of opportunity to speak to them in a similar fashion.

Michael Arceneaux is a New York Times bestselling author whose most recent book, “I Finally Bought Some Jordans,” was published in March.

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