YouTuber KEEMSTAR And YouTube Channel Void Under Fire For Allegedly Mocking SHINee Jonghyun’s Death In New Diss Track
Content Warning
YouTuber KEEMSTAR and YouTube channel Void recently landed in hot waters for their diss track about K-Pop stans.
The video in question included pictures from the funeral of the late SHINee‘s Jonghyun along with the following lyrics:
What these corporations do to these kids? This ain’t right…I wonder why lately man they all committing suicide.
— KEEMSTAR, “void”
After the video premiered, it quickly spread online and received backlash from K-Pop fans and netizens alike. The fact that he made light of the idols’ deaths and used unauthorized photos of Jonghyun and his loved ones was more than inappropriate.
KEEMSTAR took the brunt of the criticism, with fans accusing him of making fun of Jonghyun’s death. They called the diss track “disgusting and insensitive.”
Tw // December 18th, suicide
If any of you have the time, please look up Keemst@r's diss track against Kpop on YT and report it. He used pictures from Jonghyun's funeral as mockery. Maybe if anyone knows his sponsors, you can email them too so you can hit him where it hurts.
— 🚀ᴮᴱ134340 miles from sanity⁷💫 (@naija0329) March 24, 2021
tw // dec 18, eating disorders
stop promoting your groups & fancams under this wtf this dude literally put pics of jonghyun’s funeral & made fun of his death & suicide in general. on top of that the video is xenophobic & he mocked eating disorders. it’s disgusting & insensitive. https://t.co/nk8aFrqiR2
— kinie ♡̶ (@wujuorbit) March 24, 2021
KEEMSTAR took to Twitter to assert his innocence and defend himself, asking for proof that he had mocked Jonghyun’s death.
Lol, y’all lying so much.
I’m innocent and you know. You keep spamming I made fun of the Kpop star who passed away.
Prove it , video proof please?
You can’t prove cus I never said any of that. I was featured in the song & said none of that.
You caught in 4K HDR Lying!— KEEMSTAR
Lol, y’all lying so much.
I’m innocent and you know. You keep spamming I made fun of the Kpop star who passed away.
Prove it , video proof please?
You can’t prove cus I never said any of that. I was featured in the song & said none of that.
You caught in 4K HDR Lying!
— KEEM 🍿 (@KEEMSTAR) March 25, 2021
In a follow-up tweet, he claimed to have not known about Jonghyun and to have not seen the finished video.
No cap,
1. I didn’t know he passed away or even who he is.
2. I didn’t see the finished video or song. I recorded my part back in oct / nov of 2020— KEEMSTAR
No cap ,
1. I didn’t know he passed away or even who he is.
2. I didn’t see the finished video or song. I recorded my part back in oct / nov of 2020. https://t.co/oiqD19M6g7
— KEEM 🍿 (@KEEMSTAR) March 25, 2021
He also addressed the death threats he was receiving, saying “This is awesome!!!!“.
This is awesome!!!!
— KEEM 🍿 (@KEEMSTAR) March 24, 2021
Aside from KEEMSTAR, fans are holding YouTube channel Void and producer Andreas accountable.
Tw // December 18
Ok yall better hold everyone accountable for that jonghyun reference. It's not just keemstar. Fuck @Voydage and @LuvAndreass also. pic.twitter.com/pIdfWZs1AC
— kat was hereforhamin (@hereforomegax) March 24, 2021
In response, Andreas shared that he was not aware of Jonghyun’s death when he helped produce the diss track, and he called for the video to be taken down from YouTube.
I produced on the KPop Stan diss track. That’s what I thought this was. I didn’t write any lyrics. Never knew anybody’s death was involved until it was brought up to me. Engineers, be careful with what songs you work on🤦🏻♂️ Take the video down @Voydage
— Andreas🧩 (@LuvAndreass) March 25, 2021
Void responded to the controversy by posting a video on Twitter. They took responsibility for the pictures that were chosen and clarified that KEEMSTAR played no part in the way the video was edited.
KEEMSTAR collaborated with us on this song. He sent his lyrics to us. We put them together with ours and edited it and put it all together. When KEEMSTAR sent his lyrics to us, he did not see the edit, and he did not see our part. He just sent his clips, and that was it. KEEMSTAR did not know our part or the edits. I don’t know why everybody is on KEEMSTAR.
— Void
In terms of the controversial lyrics about suicide, KEEMSTAR argued that the purpose of his track was not to attack K-Pop idols but to spurn the companies that pressure them.
When he committed suicide, a lot of y’all were blaming the over competitiveness and pressure of the K-Pop industry. And what I was doing in that bar right there, I was literally saying, ‘These corporations ain’t treating these kids right. I wonder why lately man these kids committing suicide.‘ I’m clearly stating that the pressure and anxiety induced by these corporations that run these K-Pop and idol groups is the reason why they commit suicide, and I’m saying it’s wrong and that’s why I’m making a diss track on them. In no way, shape, or form am I mocking anybody’s suicide.
— KEEMSTAR
KPOP DISSTRACK CONTREVERSY RESPONSE @KEEMSTAR pic.twitter.com/9DEXKBjKjL
— Void (@Voydage) March 25, 2021
After the statement went live, KEEMSTAR released a tweet accepting the apology of K-Pop fans who have reached out to him.
I accept your apology #KpopStans ! pic.twitter.com/JSLqInfD7u
— KEEM 🍿 (@KEEMSTAR) March 25, 2021
Void, on the other hand, asserted that they will never apologize to K-Pop fans, calling them “creeps” and swearing at them. Furthermore, they have no plans of ever deleting the video.
Also just wanna clear up any confusion and say in no way am I apologizing to these creeps. I will never delete the video, and I don’t care if you get triggered. K-Pop stans will always be a disease, and I will never feel threatened by you and am prepared to face you all. FUCK KPOPSTANS.
— Void
Also just wanna clear any confusion and say in no way am I apologizing to these creeps. I will never delete the video and I don’t care if you get triggered. Kpop stans will always be a disease and I will never feel threatened by you and am prepared to face you all.FUCK KPOPSTANS
— Void (@Voydage) March 25, 2021
Check out the “KPOP STANS DISSTRACK” video below.