Ryan Garcia & Wiz Khalifa Link-Up Leads To Criticism Following Boxer’s Racist Comments

BYGabriel Bras Nevares1.9K Views
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Ryan Garcia Media Workout
DALLAS, TEXAS - APRIL 09: Ryan Garcia arrives ahead of a media workout at World Class Boxing Gym on April 09, 2024 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images)
Ryan Garcia was previously expelled from the World Boxing Council after his Twitter tirade against George Floyd, Muslims, and more.

Over the weekend, Ryan Garcia went to support his brother Sean in his match against Amado Vargas on the Nate Diaz versus Jorge Masvidal undercard in Anaheim, California. In fact, he even ran into Wiz Khalifa at the event, and he shared a clip of their interaction online. "Real vibes real time @wizkhalifa What’s the next move, Monaco?????," the boxer captioned the clip, with the rapper reportedly replying: "We linking up in Europe." However, a lot of fans weren't happy with this link-up due to Garcia's recent racist rant against Black people and many other groups, and accused him of trying to exploit Wiz and black fans' goodwill.

For those unaware, this even led to his expulsion from the World Boxing Council. "Exercising my authority as president of the WBC, I am hereby expelling Ryan Garcia from any activity with our organization," Mauricio Sulaiman shared on Thursday, July 4. "We reject any form of discrimination. I fear for Ryan well being [sic]. He has declined multiple attempts for our help with mental health and substance abuse." As such, many fans wondered whether or not Wiz Khalifa was aware of what Garcia had said, and posited that he wouldn't be so keen for a photo op if he did.

Ryan Garcia With Wiz Khalifa: See Comments For Backlash

"I haven’t spoken to Ryan in a long time," Ryan Garcia's dad told Fight Hub TV during a recent interview. "He speaks to his mother more than me. But it’s okay, he’ll call me when he wants to. I would love for him to get some type of therapy when it comes to his drinking. I’m being real. He says he can control it. I hope he can. But if he doesn’t... Get that therapy so he can stop."

Meanwhile, Ryan Garcia already apologized for his remarks, although they were very heavy and combative, so not everyone is taking a forgiving stance. It's also not his first notable rap crossover of the year, as he caused another uproar when he claimed truth to debunked rumors that Drake was involved in XXXTENTACION's death. This not only prompted outrage from X fans, but also from close collaborators of him and Drizzy like Ski Mask The Slump God, Vory, and more. We'll see whether other rappers become aware of what Garcia said, and whether or not they choose to let bygones be bygones if they meet.

About The Author
Gabriel Bras Nevares is a staff writer for HotNewHipHop. He joined HNHH while completing his B.A. in Journalism & Mass Communication at The George Washington University in the summer of 2022. Born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Gabriel treasures the crossover between his native reggaetón and hip-hop news coverage, such as his review for Bad Bunny’s hometown concert in 2024. But more specifically, he digs for the deeper side of hip-hop conversations, whether that’s the “death” of the genre in 2023, the lyrical and parasocial intricacies of the Kendrick Lamar and Drake battle, or the many moving parts of the Young Thug and YSL RICO case. Beyond engaging and breaking news coverage, Gabriel makes the most out of his concert obsessions, reviewing and recapping festivals like Rolling Loud Miami and Camp Flog Gnaw. He’s also developed a strong editorial voice through album reviews, think-pieces, and interviews with some of the genre’s brightest upstarts and most enduring obscured gems like Homeboy Sandman, Bktherula, Bas, and Devin Malik.
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