American rap artist Wiz Khalifa has kicked up quite the controversy on his visit to Colombia.
During a trip to perform at a festival in Medellin, the celebrity posted pictures to his Instagram account of him apparently paying tribute to the late Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar. The rapper posted one photo of colorful flowers at the grave’s headstone.
Wiz Khalifa also posted several photos of him smoking what appears to be marijuana near Escobar’s grave, as well as a picture of him posing outside of a property — site of a bombing and attempt on Escobar’s life in the ’80s — formerly owned by the drug lord, who died in a shootout with authorities in Medellin in 1993.
Medellin’s mayor, Federico Gutierrez, called the rapper’s Pablo Escobar-themed photo tour of Medellin disrespectful.
“That scoundrel, instead of bringing flowers to Pablo Escobar, he should have brought flowers to the victims of violence in this city,” Gutierrez said in an interview with local media. “He must offer an apology to the city,” he said, adding that the rapper was “not welcomed” back.
Some took to social media to criticize the rapper for paying tribute to the notorious Escobar, who unleashed a murderous wave of violence in Medellin in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
“It’s embarrassing that @wizkhalifa honors Pablo Escobar. What a lack of respect with the people of Colombia,” read one tweet.
Others came to the rap artist’s defense.
“Colombia fills its pockets making series about the life of Pablo Escobar, but are indignant when Wiz Khalifa take him flowers #hypocrites,” said a post.
The rapper has yet to comment on the controversy.