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Neil Young urges Spotify workers to quit, Trump tells Rogan to ‘stop apologizing’

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Neil Young attended a Press Conference for Farm Aid 34 at Alpine Valley Music Theatre, September 21st 2019, East Troy, Wisconsin.

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Neil Young urged Spotify employees to quit their jobs in a fresh attack on the company over its decision to continue giving polarizing podcaster Joe Rogan a platform.

In a statement published on his official website, Young, 76, said he hoped Spotify workers would “get out of that place before it eats up your soul.”

The message came as Spotify continues to face scrutiny over its support for Rogan despite the podcaster’s past comments spreading misinformation around the Covid-19 vaccine and his use of racist slurs on his show, “The Joe Rogan Experience.”

Young, who made headlines last month after demanding Spotify remove his music over Rogan’s past comments, told workers that the “big problem” with the streaming service was really its CEO, Daniel Ek.

“Ek pulls the strings. Get out of that place before it eats up your soul,” Young said. The only goals stated by EK are about numbers — not art, not creativity.”

The “Heart of Gold” singer alsoWe urge you to musicians and other creators to “find a better place than SPOTIFY to be the home of your art.”

Young’s comments came after Ek sent out a letter to Spotify workers on Sunday apologizing for the controversy surrounding Rogan, but also defending the podcaster, saying he did “not believe that silencing Joe is the answer.”

The letter came as the company was reported to have taken down about 70 episodes of “The Joe Rogan Experience” over the weekend after Rogan publicly apologized for instances when he used the N-word in past podcasts.

In his letter, Ek said Rogan had made the decision to remove the episodes himself and said he agreed with the move.

Rogan’s past comments, he said, “do not represent the values of this company” as he emphasized that Spotify does not act as the publisher of “The Joe Rogan Experience” podcast.

Still, Ek said that Spotify had been in talks with RoganAnd his team about “some of the content in his show, including his history of using some racially insensitive language.”

“Following this discussion and his personal reflections, he decided to remove several episodes from Spotify,” said he, adding that the podcaster had “issued his apology over the weekend.”

Rogan’s latest controversy-related development was a major turning point in his podcaster career. He has already been subject to strong criticism for misinformation on the Covid-19 vaccination during past episodes.

More information from NBCNews

This was the latest wave of criticism that followed the host of the podcast. Dr. Robert MaloneHe is a virologist and has been acclaimed as an anti-vaccination activist.

Ex-President Donald Trump called on Rogan Monday to stop apologizing and get back at him for previous comments.

Trump released a statement saying that Joe Rogan “is an interesting and well-known guy” but that he must stop apologizing and blaming the Radical Left and Fake News maniacs, and lunatics.

How many different ways could you apologize? Joe said, “Just do your job and don’t be afraid to say sorry.” That’s not who you are and will never be!

Rogan’s staff and Spotify didn’t immediately reply to NBC News’ request for comment.

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