A 51-year-old rapper is facing massive backlash this week after a controversial podcast clip surfaced in which he claimed he’s no longer attracted to women over the age of 35 — and went on to explain why in language many are calling “degrading,” “misogynistic,” and “embarrassingly shallow.”
The remarks came during an episode of the Real Game Talk podcast, hosted by former music execs turned YouTube personalities, where rapper E-Legend — best known for his early 2000s Midwest singles and a short-lived BET series — was asked about his dating preferences now that he’s in his 50s.
Instead of brushing off the question, he leaned in.
“Look, no offense,” E-Legend said, sipping from a glass of dark liquor. “But a woman over 35? That’s past the prime. I need something that still excites me. Something fresh. Not someone trying to relive her ‘It Girl’ days.”
The clip, posted on Instagram Reels and TikTok, has now gone viral with over 3.8 million views and climbing.
E-Legend is 51. Fifty-one. And he just said women over 35 don’t “excite” him anymore. LMAO. Meanwhile, he looks like expired oat milk. Sit DOWN, sir.
— @JaydaKissMyMind (@JaydaKissMyMind) August 5, 2025
When asked to clarify what he meant by “prime,” E-Legend elaborated that he prefers women who are “still figuring things out” because they’re “more fun” and “less jaded.”
“Women over 35 already got their minds made up,” he said. “They got ex-husbands, baggage, rules, standards. I’m not trying to be tested like it’s the SATs. I’m tryna chill.”
His words triggered a swift wave of criticism across social media, with activists and fans accusing him of openly endorsing predatory behavior and promoting ageist double standards that infantilize younger women while discarding older ones.
Veteran journalist Kimberly Hall wrote, “[His comment] isn’t just dumb — it’s dangerous. It romanticizes power imbalance and normalizes grooming language.”
This man is five decades old, and proudly saying he wants women who are ‘less jaded.’ Translation: easier to manipulate. Stop clapping for clowns.
— Dr. Reneé Blake (@ReneeB_Unfiltered) August 5, 2025
E-Legend has since doubled down in a follow-up livestream, saying “the truth hurts” and calling critics “emotionally unstable.”
“I didn’t say women over 35 are ugly. I said they don’t excite me,” he repeated. “There’s a difference. Y’all mad because I said it out loud.”
But the damage may already be done. His former collaborators have begun to distance themselves. One producer said he’s pulling a joint EP from release, citing “values misalignment.” And E-Legend’s upcoming appearance at an indie hip-hop festival in Chicago was quietly removed from the lineup overnight.
Even within the rap community, reactions have been mixed. While a few longtime fans tried to defend the rapper’s right to “have a preference,” others pointed out the glaring hypocrisy.
“This man is nearly 20 years older than the women he’s dismissing,” tweeted one user. “He’s not dating 35-year-olds because they wouldn’t touch him with a 10-foot pole.”
Saying women over 35 have ‘too much baggage’ when you’ve got three baby mamas and a 520 credit score is WILD. E-Legend, please touch grass.
— @AmberSaidWhat (@AmberSaidWhat) August 5, 2025
The debate has reignited broader conversations about ageism, especially toward women, in entertainment and dating culture. A resurfaced 2019 interview with actress Gabrielle Union in which she called out Hollywood’s obsession with youth went viral again, as did a poignant essay in The Atlantic about the myth of the female “expiration date.”
Even celebrities joined the pushback. Actress and activist Niecy Nash-Betts posted a photo of herself at 54 in a shimmering bodysuit, captioned: “Still prime. Ask your granddaddy.”
Meanwhile, dating app Bumble released an unplanned but clearly pointed ad, showing a lineup of powerful 40+ women with the slogan: “Too much woman for the wrong man.”
At 35, I had just started living. If you’re intimidated by confident, grown-ass women, say THAT. E-Legend isn’t rejecting us. He’s disqualified himself.
— @TashaInHerEra (@TashaInHerEra) August 5, 2025
As of Tuesday afternoon, E-Legend had lost over 120,000 followers across TikTok and Instagram. Spotify streams for his top tracks — most of which peaked in 2007 — had dropped 42% according to Chartify.
Still, he remains defiant.
“Don’t cry now that I said it plain,” he wrote in a pinned comment. “Y’all want honesty until it hurts your feelings. I’m just the mirror.”
But for many women watching, his words weren’t a reflection — they were a rejection.
And they’re not staying silent anymore.