Kelly Clarkson Blasted by Fans for 'Insulting' Music Icon

Some fans of Kelly Clarkson are upset after she appeared to mock a fan of a famous rap artist on her show. In an Instagram video of her interview with Rose McIver, Clarkson, 40, talked to the New Zealand actress about once aspiring to become a rapper. When asked who influenced her most, McIver, 33, cited Tupac Shakur's music as an inspiration.

With more than 75 million albums sold worldwide, Shakur is widely regarded as one of the most influential and best-selling rappers of all time. His music often focused on inner city social issues, and he is often considered a figurehead in the struggle against injustice. Shakur was fatally shot in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas on Sept. 7, 1996. He died six days later at the age of 25.

"Growing up by the beach, Bohemian, kind of New Zealand lifestyle, I discovered Tupac, and I finally felt really seen," McIver told Clarkson, who began laughing. Clarkson asked, "You related? You related to the core messages there?" After McIver nodded, the talk show host continued, "That's amazing. You should be a comedian." 

Commenters on Clarkson's Instagram post would later chastise the former The Voice coach for her reaction to McIver's story. "Tupac was legendary!" one person wrote. "If you didn't feel something while listening. You have no soul." Another person wrote, "Kelly is too loud, overbearing, and insulting. She needs to learn how to LISTEN."

"What a bizarre interview," one comment read. "I agree, she didn't listen to what was being said…but yet she had to know what was coming because they flashed Tupac's picture immediately. Relating to Tupac's music is not comedic." Others said they didn't find Clarkson's remarks offensive. "Nothing about this is insulting," one person wrote, "y'all reaching." Another person commented, "Get real, people, Kelly Clarkson laughs at everything, all the time! Just watch."

"Oh my gosh! So what, Kelly isn't a fan of Tupac. Neither am I," another commenter posted. "She had a right to her own opinions, and I don't think McIver felt insulted at all. They're just talking and joking. They both laughed. It's called humor. @kellyclarkson, I think you are a kind and beautiful person inside and out. Keep doing what you're doing."

In the meantime, the official Instagram account for The Voice recently posted a teaser for season 22 of the show. Clarkson will not return to The Voice this year and discussed the reason during an August 23 appearance on The Today Show. "I hadn't had a minute, and it's obviously been a rough couple of years," she said. "So it was really important to me to shut down for a minute." 

Specifically, Clarkson's divorce from Brandon Blackstock had engulfed her off-screen life. After almost seven years of marriage, she filed for divorce in June 2020, and the divorce was finalized in August 2021. Clarkson added that she was looking forward to spending more time with her two children with Blackstock, a task she achieved during her summer off. "The kids were with me and their dad. It was nice because they usually have to travel a lot because of our separation, we were both in Montana, so I think my kids felt a little more centered as well."