Image via Lil Pump
Lil Pump’s new album, Harverd Dropout, is still nowhere to be found, but the Florida rapper previewed a new song this week titled “Butterfly Doors.” Although it’s not even out yet, the song has already stoked controversy due to its lyrics and ad-lib with a punchline comparing his eyes after smoking pot to the features of Chinese basketball player Yao Ming:
Smokin' on dope, they call me Yao Ming cause my eye real low (ching chong)
In the clip, Pump stretches his eyes out while rapping along to the lines. In addition to fans on Twitter, Crazy Rich Asians actress and rapper Awkwafina reportedly tweeted and deleted a comment about the line, calling it a tired stereotype.
A similar punchline also earned Wiz Khalifa criticism earlier this year, when he rapped:
Drive the type of whip your bitches like to be in
Smoke got my eyes lookin' Korean
Young Thug, Juicy J, Jeezy, Chingy, A$AP Rocky, and Meechy Darko of the Flatbush Zombies are just a few examples of rappers who have previously made similar references comparing stereotypical Asian facial features to being high. None of these rappers have faced much backlash, even ones who used the derogatory term “chink.” However, as the relationship between hip-hop and Asian culture comes under greater scrutiny, it seems people are growing less tolerant of these types of references.
Pump has yet to comment on the issue, and hasn’t announced a release date for “Butterfly Doors” just yet.
In the meantime, watch the clip above and read all the currently available lyrics to Lil Pump’s “Butterfly Doors” on Genius now.
