UPDATED May 28, 7:14 p.m. ET: Starlito and Post Malone talked to XXL about why they went at each other on Twitter. Read some of their statements below, and the entire interview here.

Starlito:

“I thought it was a funny ass picture. 90 percent of my tweet, which was a quote of the original photo in the Post Malone tweet, was a re-caption of the picture. You know how people post pictures and they’re like, ‘Caption this.’ It was all a joke, but the inspiration for the joke was Allen Iverson’s facial expression. I looked at the picture, and I thought it was cool enough, regardless of how I feel about the song or Post Malone personally, I did think the picture was cool enough. It wasn’t malicious, it wasn’t personal, it wasn’t like, ‘Fuck Post Malone, I’m about to shit on Post Malone.’ It was more like… Allen Iverson really looks like he doesn’t want to take this picture."

Post Malone:

“I don’t even know where it came from. I know [Starlito] said some shit in HipHopDX, and that didn’t bother me. You’re entitled to an opinion and I don’t care if you don’t like me. But the whole issue is when I posted a picture of me and Allen, that bothered [Starlito] somehow, I guess. I don’t understand, because it made me happy or something? I don’t understand. I just don’t see how that fucks with anybody besides me and Allen. We’re tight, we’re cool. I met [Iverson], he loves the song, we talked about a remix with Jadakiss and I asked him who he wants on the remix and everything. And [Starlito] didn’t like that."



See original story below.

One need not look much further than Katy Perry’s recent SNL performance or Miley Cyrus’ recent about face regarding misogyny in hip-hop to see cultural appropriation is a sensitive topic. The subject came up again recently as Post Malone, Starlito and Don Trip got into a heated exchange on Twitter. The matter was sparked by a recent HipHopDX interview with Lito and Don Trip, as DX’s Editor-In-Chief, Trent Clark, asked Don Trip about any correlation between Trip’s “Allen Iverson” and Post Malone’s “White Iverson.” While Don Trip said he was unfamiliar with Posty’s single, Starlito had some sharp criticism. Video of the interview is posted below, and Lito’s remarks begin at the 45:50 mark.

“I thought it was a little bit exploitive,” Lito told DX. “On a lot of cultural levels. That’s what I thought and felt. I had an opinion about that record. I had just met the Sauce Twinz and they were the only people in the world that I had heard use [saucin’].” Lito also called it “bigotry-laden” and said his first impression of Post Malone’s track was “some blackface type shit.”

Saturday, things escalated when Starlito re-tweeted a picture of Post Malone with the eponymous inspiration for his song’s title, former NBA MVP, Allen Iverson.

Plot Twist: Bubba Chuck snuffed him & will be wired $3M Tuesday a.m. when banks re-open #extortion #reappropriation https://t.co/7TK9Lk2jzE — All Star or STARLITO (@LITO615) May 27, 2017

“Plot Twist: Bubba Chuck snuffed him & will be wired $3M Tuesday a.m. when banks re-open,” Starlito tweeted, while adding the hashtags #extortion #reappropriation.

What followed was an exchange with Lito doubling down on accusations Post Malone stole the “saucin’” phrase from Houston’s Sauce Twinz and Posty calling Starlito ignorant.

@LITO615 lol wish i had 3 million to wire — Beerbongs & Bentleys (@PostMalone) May 27, 2017

@PostMalone Bric can't save you.. Iverson would never self-deprecate in the face of a difference of opinion or slight. You owe Twin nem outta H-Town too — All Star or STARLITO (@LITO615) May 27, 2017

@LITO615 bruh it sucks you're so ignorant I used to like your shit. how're you gonna say anything about when you've never met me?.... — Beerbongs & Bentleys (@PostMalone) May 28, 2017

@PostMalone a) not your "bruh"

b) not ignorant

c) @HipHopDX asked a question, during an intelligent discussion.

d) not your "bruh"

e) I'm saucin on u — All Star or STARLITO (@LITO615) May 28, 2017

@PostMalone @LITO615 @HipHopDX 4x platinum and ain't got 3 mill 🤔. But hey, commemorative plaques are just as valuable...right? — MrDonTrip (@MrDonTrip) May 28, 2017

Both Post Malone and Starlito are slated for upcoming interviews with XXL, so the debate over the line of demarcation between paying homage to a culture versus appropriating one could turn into a teachable moment. As it stands now, there are merely accusations flying in both directions.