Hollywood was shaken when news broke of several beloved figures passing away in the third week of July, including Grammy winners Malcolm-Jamal Warner and Ozzy Osbourne, followed by wrestling legend Hulk Hogan on Thursday, July 24.
While Warner and Osbourne’s final moments prompted widespread tributes and mourning from millions worldwide, Hogan’s demise stirred up complicated emotions and renewed discussions about his controversial past.
Among those grappling with conflicted feelings was actor O’Shea Jackson Jr., who had been one of Hogan’s most vocal critics.
The 33-year-old son of rap legend Ice Cube had notably participated in the merciless booing of Hogan during WWE’s Netflix premiere at Inglewood’s Intuit Dome on Jan. 6, an incident that went viral and reignited conversations about the wrestling icon’s bigoted past.
However, when news of Hogan’s passing broke, Jackson surprised many with his measured response on social media, simply writing “Holy S—t.”
The tweet immediately drew mixed reactions from followers who remembered his previous criticism of the wrestler. Some questioned whether he was genuinely shocked by the news or merely acknowledging it, leading to a barrage of comments and memes targeting Jackson for months following the initial post.
Holy shit.
— O’Shea Jackson Jr (@OsheaJacksonJr) July 24, 2025
“Yeah … you was talkin[g] all that [stuff] now apologize,” one social media user wrote.
Another said, “I don’t say this very often, cause gatekeeping is lame. But anyone who is celebrating this due to personal feelings is not a real fan of Professional Wrestling.”
A third wrote, “I did not expect that to happen today this week has been crazy bruh.”
The ongoing harassment eventually prompted Jackson to address the situation directly.
When one critic tweeted at him, “He woulda called you a n word,” Jackson responded with dignity and clarity: “Like a decent human being, I respect the day of another person’s passing.”
Like a decent human being, I respect the day of another person’s passing https://t.co/uxDH9cA3gX
— O’Shea Jackson Jr (@OsheaJacksonJr) July 24, 2025
His thoughtful response resonated with many who understood the complexity of mourning someone whose legacy was deeply complicated by their actions.
The exchange sparked further discussion among social media users, with some defending Jackson’s stance while others remained skeptical.
One supporter wrote, “Hulk Hogan the character doesn’t represent the mistakes Terry made in his life… the Hulkster was a childhood hero to millions, and he entertained millions more as the villainous Hollywood Hulk Hogan for most of my formative years. RIP… nWo 4-life. The sum of our lives shouldn’t always be dwindled down to only our worst mistakes.”
Another user acknowledged Jackson’s grace, commenting, “You a better man than me ig.”
A third person offered perspective on Jackson’s approach, stating, “Respect, O’Shea. People don’t understand that respecting someone’s passing don’t gotta mean you agree with anything they did worth a damn.”
These exchanges highlighted the nuanced conversation surrounding how to process the transition of public figures whose legacies are marred by serious controversies.
Jackson’s initial criticism of Hogan stemmed from the 2015 scandal that rocked the wrestling world when leaked audio from an intimate 2006 tape revealed Hogan making deeply racially charged comments.
In the recording, Hogan repeatedly used racial slurs and expressed anger about his daughter allegedly dating a Black man, even admitting, “I am a racist, to a point.” The revelations led to WWE swiftly terminating his contract, removing him from their Hall of Fame website, and effectively blacklisting him for three years.
During his appearance on SiriusXM’s “Sway in the Morning” radio show, Jackson had been candid about his motivation for booing Hogan at the WWE event, explaining that Hogan was “hating.” He added, “It’s just hard to forget how detailed that rant was.”
Actor O’Shea Jackson Jr. reveals he and rapper Wale were among those booing Hulk Hogan during WWE Raw’s debut on Netflix because of Hulk Hogan’s past racist rant.
(SWAY’S UNIVERSE/YouTube) pic.twitter.com/3Qo2e5OT8c
— The Art Of Dialogue (@ArtOfDialogue_) January 14, 2025
Jackson questioned the decision to feature Hogan in Los Angeles, asking, “Bringing him out here? What did you think was gonna happen in L.A.? We heard the music and it was like, ‘No, no, no, no! Hold on!’ And they let him have it.”
The incident at the Intuit Dome saw Hogan, accompanied by his longtime manager Jimmy Hart, as he entered to his classic “Real American” theme song, only to be met with immediate and sustained booing from the audience. Jackson wasn’t alone in his protest, as rapper Wale and comedian Eric André also joined in the jeering, reflecting broader community sentiment about Hogan’s past.
Despite WWE’s decision to quietly reinstate Hogan into their Hall of Fame in 2018, many wrestlers and fans remained skeptical of his return. Notable WWE performers like The New Day members and Titus O’Neil voiced concerns that Hogan’s apologies seemed more focused on being caught rather than demonstrating genuine remorse for his actions.
Jackson’s handling of Hogan’s passing demonstrates a mature understanding that this can complicate how we process our feelings about controversial figures.
While he never backed down from his criticism of Hogan’s comments, his respectful response to the wrestler’s eternal rest shows that acknowledging someone’s last goodbye doesn’t require erasing their harmful actions or one’s own principled stance against them. In an era of social media pile-ons and performative outrage, Jackson’s measured approach offers a template for maintaining both integrity and human decency.
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