Former WWE star Hulk Hogan is facing serious allegations from social media influencer Essence Jenai, who claims she was abruptly fired from her role as a brand ambassador for Hogan’s “Real American Beer” after he discovered she is a Black woman. Jenai shared her experience on TikTok, igniting a wave of reactions online.
Jenai, who has built a significant following on social media, posted multiple videos and images to her TikTok page on Saturday, July 6th, detailing her brief stint with Hogan’s brand.
In one post, she shared a montage of herself creating promotional content for the beer line and posing with the 70-year-old wrestling legend. Her caption read:
“POV: Hulk Hogan paid you to be a brand ambassador and canceled your contract the next day because he realized you were a BLACK brand ambassador.”
According to Jenai, she was originally booked for a week of promotion but was let go after just one day. She posted screenshots of a text exchange with a booking agent, who informed her:
“Essence. You didn’t do anything wrong at all in fact, I’m sure you did great. But this client wants us to cancel the rest of the events this week. I’m really sorry!”
Jenai suggested that this explanation was untrue and shared photos she claimed were taken the following day, showing Hogan continuing his promotional campaign with a group of White women brand ambassadors.
As of now, neither Hulk Hogan nor his representatives have publicly responded to these allegations.
However, the social media backlash was swift, with many users recalling Hogan’s controversial history with racism. In 2015, Hogan faced public outcry after a leaked video captured him making racially charged remarks while discussing his daughter’s romantic relationships.
This incident led to WWE severing ties with Hogan and removing him from their Hall of Fame, although he was reinstated in 2018 after issuing numerous apologies and engaging in community work aimed at addressing his past mistakes.
Essence Jenai’s claims have once again put Hogan’s actions under scrutiny, raising questions about diversity and inclusion within celebrity-endorsed brands.
