Controversies

Stereotype

In the cover story for Entertainment Weekly, Mars stated that the song “Nothin’ on You” was rejected because of his race by a “music industry decision-maker – a guy he won’t name”. That experience made him feel like a “mutant”, and he says that was his lowest point. “Even with that song in my back pocket to seal the deal, things like that are coming out of people’s mouths. It made me feel like I wasn’t even in the room.”On April, 2013 during a cover story for GQ magazine, Mars confessed that he changed his last name due to people from the music industry who took him as another Latino artist, and even convince him to sing in Spanish. Mars said “Your last name’s Hernandez, maybe you should do the Latin music, this Spanish music… Enrique [Iglesias] is so hot right now”. Nevertheless, Mars used his childhood nickname Bruno and changed his surname to Mars, in an effort to “avoid being stereotyped

Tyler, The Creator

In the song “Yonkers”, Tyler disparages numerous artists, including Bruno Mars. Tyler, The Creator also disparages Mars in The Game’s song “Martians vs. Goblins”, in which he and Lil Wayne are featured artists. Bruno Mars, in response to the verse “stab Bruno Mars in his goddamn esophagus,” said, “[Tyler] has to wait in line if he wants to stab me…[Tyler’s] definitely not the first guy that’s said something like that to me and he’s not going to be the last.” On April 24, 2015 Tyler admitted to be wrong regarding Mars talent and pointed out Mars performance of “Gorilla” on the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards as evidence.