BTS Suga recently released his much-anticipated release to his Agust D mixtape, entitled D-2 but one of the songs received a lot of criticism for using voice samples from an American cult leader who instigated the mass murder of a remote commune.
As fans noticed the familiar voice sample lifted from a speech by American cult leader Jim Jones in 1977, they bombarded Suga and Big Hit Entertainment with negative comments for lack of sensitivity to the victims of the crime, Koreaboo reported.
It can be recalled that at the beginning of Suga's third track entitled What Do You Think? A voice sample from Jim Jones' sermon can be heard wherein the cult leader said that though one is dead, one shall live and he that lives and believes shall never die.
Americans, in particular, are very familiar with Jim Jones as he was quite notorious for directing the mass murder-suicide of 909 people including 304 children. He was, reportedly, close with North Korea and fed his followers with North Korean propaganda, which was contrary to the United States' position against then supreme leader Kim Il Sung at the time. Jim Jones led his commune in Jonestown, a remote settlement in Guayana Esequiba, Guyana .
In response to the controversy, Big Hit Entertainment issued a public apology on their lapse in the selection of the voice sample.
According to the label, the producer who worked on the track selected the voice sample, unaware of the identity of the speaker. They explained that the sample was selected without any malicious intent.
Big Hit said that the sample was only intended to improve the overall atmosphere of the song. The label said that the voice sample went through the internal review process for the appropriateness of the content.
However, even though they were reviewing diverse content targeted towards a global audience with consideration of social, cultural, and historical issues, they were unable to recognize the issue at once because of their lack of understanding of relevant historical and social issues.
They offered their sincere apologies and assured that the part has been removed in the new version.
The explanation was met with mixed reactions from fans. Some said that the voice sample may have been included so Suga could play off and respond to the message of the source. Some called for a personal apology from Suga, saying the rapper should also take responsibility for the lapse since he woo, was listed as a producer of the song.
