Owen was tuned into the highly anticipated Instagram Live concert, and at one point during the show, he wrote, “I want some Hennessy & a black & mild for some reason watching this.”

While Black people enjoy a plethora of brands of spirits and various types of tobacco products, like every other race of people, Hennessy and Black & Mild cigars have long been associated with Black culture. So when a person shared a screenshot of the comment on Twitter, there were some people who were offended by Owen’s joke, considering that he’s a white man.

“This feels racist,” the tweet reads.

Another person suggested that the Ohio-born Owen has “been a racist” while one Twitter user claimed the 46-year-old shouldn’t have been in attendance at the Verzuz show in the first place. “Gary Owen is not funny to me. He should not be in our spaces and it always feels performative and like he’s trying too hard,” the tweet reads.

What followed was an onslaught of fans taking to Twitter to defend Owen.

“Gary Owen is NOT a racist, he is blacker than many black men I know. 1. Treats his black wife with more respect that most black men treat black women. 2. Protects his black Queen. 3. He has done alot for the community. Can we give this energy to the 73M who deserve it?,” one Twitter user wrote, adding, “Gary Owen can give y’all a lesson on how to love, protect and respect a black woman. I’m not letting anyone call Owen a racist when most black men can’t treat a black woman with half the respect he treats his black Queen with.”

Fans have also heralded Owen as an ally for racial equality. One person online responded to the viral tweet by sharing a 2019 Instagram video in which Owen speaks out against Delta Airline’s wrongful and racist treatment of his wife.

“For the young folks that need a little education to why Gary Owen is certified! This is just one of the reasons,” the tweet reads.

Meanwhile, others suggested that Owen’s comment wasn’t nearly as degrading as some comments that conservatives like Candace Owens and David Clarke have made about the Black community.