Since its early days, rap has celebrated larger-than-life businessmen, crime lords, and drug kingpins, which has resulted in rappers comparing themselves to some questionable individuals. It wasn't long ago that Rae Sremmurd used Trump's name to symbolize any sudden accruing of wealth (they since amended the error). Pablo Escobar has popped up more than a few times, most famously as one of Nas' best-known nicknames and one the many "Pablo"s of Kanye's last album. His name is a catch-all for being a successful entrepreneur, though Escobar's drug trade supremacy in the 80s and 90s resulted in the murders of thousands even as he helped built homes for Colombia's poor. The ugly, messy real-life truth of Escobar's role in Colombian history and his symbolic icon status in rap collided a few days ago thanks to Wiz Khalifa.On tour in Escobar's hometown of Medellin this past Friday, the Pittsburgh rapper took some time to lay flowers on the drug lord's grave and pose for a few pictures next to it and Escobar's former apartment. For the 'Gram, of course.
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As the BBC reports, Medellin's mayor Federico Gutierrez wasn't impressed, calling Wiz "a scoundrel" and saying that he "has never had to suffer from the violence inflicted by these drug traffickers." Other Colombian citizens were mortified.
The tweet above loosely translates to "Wiz Khalifa is completely insane for visiting Pablo Escobar's tomb and house in Medellin," FYI.Look, Rick Ross may have said he was like Big Meech, but he sure as shit wasn't visiting him in prison. Just… do better, everyone.Phil is a Noisey staff writer and disappointed half-Latin American. He's on Twitter.