Rory’s apology backfires after old tweets calling Beyoncé a “hoodrat” resurface; Fans say he’s ‘standing on racism,’ call him out for hanging out with Jay-Z
Rory Farrell’s attempt to apologize for resurfaced tweets insulting Beyoncé, Blue Ivy, and Black women only made the backlash worse.
The backlash surrounding New Rory & MAL co-host Rory Farrell has reached new depths after his apology for resurfaced racist and misogynistic tweets completely backfired. The posts were dated between 2011 and 2018. They included comments calling Beyoncé’s name “hoodrat,” mocking Blue Ivy Carter’s hair, and repeatedly insulting Black women’s looks, weaves, and names. Though the tweets began recirculating days ago, the fallout intensified once fans heard Rory’s defensive apology. It is one that many said “sounded like he was standing on racism instead of apologizing for it.”
What began as social media outrage has evolved into a public reckoning. Rory built his career in hip-hop spaces alongside Black colleagues like Joe Budden and Mal. Now, he is being accused of exploiting proximity to Black culture while harboring deeply anti-Black sentiments. His ties to Roc Nation — and his infamous proposal at the Roc Nation Brunch — have been revisited as glaring examples of hypocrisy. Even days later, the conversation continues. However, it’s not about the tweets themselves. Instead, it’s about how spectacularly his “apology” imploded.
The situation marks a pivotal moment in hip-hop podcasting culture. This is a reminder that proximity isn’t protection, and performative accountability often backfires harder than the original offense.
Background on Rory and the Original Tweets
Rory Farrell, a white podcaster long associated with the New Rory & MAL show, has spent years presenting himself as an ally within hip-hop spaces. A former D’usse Palooza host and regular at Roc Nation events, Rory’s brand has always leaned on his insider access. But that credibility unraveled once users began resurfacing a decade’s worth of offensive posts aimed squarely at Black women.
Among the most viral examples were his comments about Beyoncé — calling her name “ghetto” and “hoodrat” — and his disturbing tweets about a toddler-aged Blue Ivy, speculating about her hair and joking that his unborn son could “date her” someday. Other resurfaced tweets mocked weaves, implied that “no good-looking Black women exist,” and used anti-Black stereotypes as punchlines. More than 100 tweets have now been archived and shared across platforms, painting a clear pattern of disrespect.
The shock wasn’t just in the language itself — it was in how far back the record stretched. For years, Rory has publicly benefited from affiliations with Black figures, from Roc Nation to his podcast co-host Mal. To fans, the old posts reframed his entire career: not as inclusion, but as exploitation wrapped in culture commentary.
Why the Controversy Resurfaced Now
The old tweets didn’t just resurface by coincidence. They exploded into the timeline right as clips of Rory’s past Roc Nation appearances — including his proposal at the 2020 Brunch — began circulating again. One viral post summed up the mood: “Jay-Z let Rory propose at the Roc Nation brunch and he was on here talking about Blue Ivy’s hair.” That line alone reignited fury across X, where users began digging deeper, sharing screenshots from his now-deleted Twitter account, and demanding accountability.
The timing couldn’t have been worse. In the weeks leading up to the resurfacing, New Rory & MAL had gained renewed attention thanks to collaborations and interviews. The renewed visibility meant the backlash spread quickly, amplified by both Beyoncé’s fanbase and broader conversations about white podcasters profiting off Black spaces. What might have been a minor cancellation snowballed into a cultural flashpoint — one that’s now threatening his entire professional brand.
Adding to the intensity was DJ Akademiks, a longtime rival of Rory’s, who seized the opportunity to mock him. Akademiks resurfaced their feud and accused Rory of “hating Black women for years while pretending to be woke.” This extra layer of public humiliation kept the topic trending well past the usual social cycle.
The Failed Apology and Defensive Response
Rory issued his apology on November 13, describing his old tweets as “racist” and “hateful,” but his tone instantly drew skepticism. In his podcast follow-up, instead of showing humility, Rory joked about “fake retweets” and “the Twitter era being wild,” a comment many saw as deflecting rather than apologizing. When he joined an X Spaces discussion later that night, things went downhill fast — he became sarcastic, condescending, and dismissive toward Black listeners questioning his sincerity.
Critics say this was where the apology collapsed entirely. “He wasn’t apologizing — he was arguing,” one listener wrote. “He sounded like a man more mad about being caught than about being wrong.” Another viral post summarized it best: “All Rory had to do was say, ‘I was younger and said stupid things. My bad.’ Instead, he stood on it.”
By the next morning, Rory had deactivated his X account and limited comments across his other platforms. His co-host Mal attempted to defend him but faced her own backlash for doing so, briefly deactivating as well. It was a PR meltdown made worse by pride — and fans noticed.
Reaction Across X and the Podcast Community
X users didn’t hold back. Within hours of the apology, “Rory” trended alongside “Beyoncé” and “Blue Ivy,” as clips of his old tweets racked up millions of views. The replies fell into distinct camps: outrage, ridicule, and exhaustion. Many Black women used the moment to discuss how common it is for white men in hip-hop spaces to harbor the same biases they joke about on-mic.
“Rory insulted every Black woman from Michelle Obama to Beyoncé to Rihanna — and y’all let him cook this long?” one user posted, earning nearly 200K likes. Another quote read: “This is how you know Rory’s a racist POS. Beyoncé’s name is French, and he called it hoodrat.” The tone wasn’t just anger — it was disbelief that a man with such deep industry ties could harbor this mindset for years.
Even fellow podcasters distanced themselves. Joe Budden, Rory’s former co-host, told his audience he felt “collateral damage” just being associated with the scandal. “That’s a white man in Black culture,” Budden said bluntly. DJ Akademiks, never missing a chance for drama, mocked Rory by posting “Thought u had a $10M deal… still in the hood talking slick about Black women?” His words were cruel but reflected how far Rory’s reputation had fallen.
The Hypocrisy Angle and Roc Nation Fallout
Beyond the tweets and the weak apology, much of the fury now centers on hypocrisy. Fans have zeroed in on Rory’s past proximity to Roc Nation — particularly his 2020 proposal to his then-fiancée at the Roc Nation Brunch, reportedly after asking Jay-Z’s permission. The irony of that moment is now a meme across timelines: a man who once mocked Beyoncé’s name and her daughter’s hair publicly celebrating love under Jay-Z’s banner.
Multiple users have tagged Roc Nation and D’usse accounts. Therefore, calling for the brand to cut ties. “No way this man should be anywhere near a Roc Nation event again,” one viral reply read. As of now, there’s no official word on whether any affiliations have been terminated, but silence alone has become its own form of disapproval.
Even deeper criticism has come from within Black fraternities. Rory’s membership in Kappa Alpha Psi has been questioned by alumni online, asking how he could pass as “brotherly” while demeaning Black women. To many, his entire image — from fraternity ties to podcast tone — now reads as performative allyship undone by his own words.
Broader Cultural Implications
Rory’s controversy has reopened broader questions about racial proximity and accountability in hip-hop media. White hosts in Black spaces often benefit from access and credibility until moments like this expose underlying biases. As one user wrote, “You can’t sit next to Black men for years, profit from our culture, and then laugh off racist tweets as ‘old jokes.’”
The conversation has expanded into larger discussions about misogynoir — the specific intersection of racism and sexism directed at Black women. The Beyoncé and Blue Ivy comments, in particular, have reignited long-running frustrations about the policing of Black women’s hair, names, and beauty. Many see this as a reminder of how normalized those insults were in the early 2010s. In addition, how little some people have learned since.
Critics argue that the apology’s failure highlights a deeper issue: not just what was said, but what it revealed about who gets grace and who doesn’t. Had a Black artist tweeted the same about a white icon, the professional fallout would have been immediate. For Rory, accountability remains social, not structural — at least for now.
Conclusion
As of this week, Rory’s X account remains deactivated, his apology widely panned, and his future in podcasting uncertain. New Rory & MAL continues to post new episodes, but engagement has dipped sharply since the scandal. Comments under their YouTube uploads remain flooded with demands for a real apology, not excuses.
The bigger story isn’t just the tweets or the backlash — it’s the exposure of a long-brewing tension between proximity and authenticity in hip-hop spaces. Rory’s fall from grace underscores that longevity in Black culture requires more than shared stages and soundbites. It demands accountability that matches the access.
Whether he rebuilds or retreats, Rory Farrell has become a cautionary tale of what happens when “allyship” collides with archived truth — and when an apology, delivered without growth, becomes its own indictment.