It's 2018 and the earth, which is round, has recently completed its orbit around the sun. This is a time of year when many of us rethink some of our more irritating and problematic habits and resolve to do better. Whatever B.o.B's New Year's resolutions are, they certainly don't include letting go of his flat earth theory, which was recently challenged by Bill Nye when he appeared on a segment with Complex News.
During the clip, Nye took aim at athletes like Kyrie Irving who have claimed they believe in the flat earth conspiracy, remarking that they spend plenty of time thinking about the complexities of basketball defense and statistics, but then, "Since they can't see Florida from Manhattan, the world must be flat or some freakin' thing." He also says that B.o.B, who launched a GoFundMe in September to finance satellites "to find the curve" of the earth, is "just trying to sell albums."
"B.o.B, I challenge you, come to Cape Kanaveral and watch a rocket launch," he says before promoting his organization the Planetary Society.
In a video posted to his Instagram on December 29, B.o.B called out Nye, who currently hosts Bill Nye Saves the World on Netflix.
"You know, I can point you to some books if you want to look more into it, but, you know, I think it's time that you stop picking on rappers and athletes and really step up to the plate and talk to the big dogs. Why don't you sit down with Eric Dubay [author of The Flat Earth Conspiracy], my friend?" says the Atlanta rapper-producer. "NASA be tweeting me, all their astronauts be tweeting me, don't tweet me! Talk to Eric Dubay, you know what I'm saying? I just rap. I'm an information guy. I can just point you to the information."
On Earth Day 2016 B.o.B released, E.A.R.T.H., a mixtape that doubled down on the flat earth theory, and last May his Reddit AMA was overrun with flat earth-centric jokes and questions. He also put out a single, "Flatline," that took aim at Neil deGrasse Tyson, with whom B.o.B has also argued about the shape of our planet. The track caused additional controversy with its reference to antisemitic conspiracy theorist David Irving.
Watch B.o.B and Bill Nye exchange barbs above. We hope the flat earth conspiracy is a meme that'll finally die this year.
