Carlos Santana Apologizes for Gender Comment at Concert, Deletes and Reposts Revised Statement

Grammy winner Carlos Santana apologized Thursday for making controversial comments about gender during a concert this summer. In a viral video, Santana defended comedian Dave Chappelle and said, “a woman is a woman and a man is a man.” However, Santana quickly deleted this longer apology and replaced it with a shorter message about “energy” and “love.”

During a concert on July 28 in Atlantic City, New Jersey, the 76-year-old guitarist made the comments that were captured on video and spread on social media. He also added, “Whatever you want to do in the closet, that’s your business. I’m OK with that,” according to Fox News.

Santana went on to defend Dave Chappelle, who has faced backlash from the transgender community for his comments in comedy shows and specials.

After the video went viral, Santana issued an apology on Facebook, but later deleted it. In the original message, he expressed regret for his insensitive comments and apologized to the transgender community. However, Santana’s revised statement on Facebook was much shorter and focused on the energy of consciousness.