Episode 1817: Hotep Jesus (Bryan Sharpe)

Introduction

Episode 1817 of the Joe Rogan Experience featured Bryan Sharpe, known as “Hotep Jesus,” a controversial media personality who leads the Hotep movement. This episode is deeply problematic due to the platforming of dangerous pseudohistorical conspiracy theories, particularly the denial of the Atlantic slave trade, as well as the guest’s documented history of antisemitic rhetoric and alignment with white nationalist movements. By giving uncritical airtime to these harmful narratives, this episode contributes to the spread of misinformation that undermines historical truth and academic scholarship.

The Atlantic Slave Trade Denial

The Claims

During the episode, Hotep Jesus promoted his fringe conspiracy theory that the Atlantic slave trade was a myth. According to documented statements from Sharpe:

He claimed he did not believe that Africans were brought over on slave ships, instead asserting that native Black peoples in the Americas were slowly conquered and gradually wiped out
He argued it was not economically sound to claim that the majority of African Americans were descended from slaves
He asserted that Black people were already natives of America and were not brought over on slave ships
He claimed that Africans from the Malian Empire had migrated to the Americas during the 13th and 14th centuries along ocean currents

The Facts

These claims directly contradict overwhelming scientific, archaeological, and historical evidence:

DNA Evidence: A comprehensive 2020 study published in The American Journal of Human Genetics analyzed genotype data from over 50,000 research participants and found that “the current genetic landscape of the Americas is largely concordant with expectations derived from documentation of slave voyages.” The study confirmed that genetic connections between people in slave trading regions of Africa and disembarkation regions of the Americas mirror the proportion of individuals forcibly moved between those regions. (Source: American Journal of Human Genetics, 2020)

Archaeological Evidence: Archaeological excavations in Valle da Gafaria, Portugal revealed burial places dating from the 15th-17th centuries with signs of violent, unceremonious burials. DNA analysis confirmed these remains belonged to enslaved Africans captured by the Portuguese, providing direct physical evidence of the slave trade. (Source: Nature Scientific Reports, 2015)

Historical Documentation: Extensive historical records document that traders forcibly deported an estimated 12.5 million people from ports along the Atlantic coastline of Africa between the 16th and 19th centuries. These shipping manifests, commercial records, and other primary sources have been validated by genetic studies. (Source: Smithsonian Magazine, 2020)

The Hotep Movement and Academic Critique

Pseudohistory and Misinformation

The Hotep movement, which Sharpe leads, has been extensively criticized by scholars and historians for promoting pseudohistory and conspiracy theories:

Afrocentrist claims promoted by Hoteps about ancient Egypt are not accepted by Egyptologists or mainstream Africanist scholarship
The movement makes inaccurate assumptions that all ancient Egyptians would have physically resembled those who self-identify as Black today
This stands at odds with scholarly understanding that ancient Egypt was a diverse civilization of various skin tones and backgrounds (Source: Wikipedia - Hoteps)

Molefi Kete Asante, a leading scholar of Afrocentrism, argues that Hoteps “lack a grasp of Afrocentric academic theory and philosophy and thus cannot be termed Afrocentric.”

Beyond pseudohistory, the Hotep movement promotes exclusionary and harmful ideologies:

Denounces homosexuality and interracial marriage
Promotes the view that Black women should be subordinate to Black men
Opposes LGBT rights and feminism
Black feminists argue that Hoteps perpetuate patriarchy and rape culture by policing women’s sexuality (Source: SAPIENS Anthropology Magazine)

Anthropologist Miranda Lovett notes that while the movement seeks to elevate Black identity, “it also risks propagating false histories and conventions, and, ironically, disparaging Black women and those who are LGBTQ in the service of elevating Black identity.”

Antisemitism and White Nationalist Alignment

Documented Antisemitic Rhetoric

Hotep Jesus has a well-documented history of antisemitic statements:

While appearing on white nationalist platform Red Ice TV in 2017, Sharpe blamed Jewish people for making “white supremacy a thought” via media, entertainment, and banking industries
Often refers to supposed Jewish conspiracies as the “Jutang clan”
Has blamed Jews for pornography, the deaths of Bill Cosby’s children, and JFK Jr.’s murder
Media Matters documented his antisemitic social media activity prior to his appearances on Fox News (Source: Media Matters for America)

Alignment with Far-Right Extremism

Sharpe’s ideology and associations reveal disturbing alignments with white nationalism:

Appeared on white nationalist radio platform Red Ice TV
Stated “I’d rather align with a racist white than a cry baby black”
Justified the death of Heather Heyer, who was killed by a white supremacist at the Charlottesville “Unite the Right” rally
Has been described as having “so much in common with far-right white nationalism” that the subculture “has been dubbed the ‘ankh right’” by critics (Source: The Daily Beast)

COVID-19 Misinformation

During the pandemic, Hotep influencers, including Sharpe, spread COVID-19 conspiracy theories and skepticism, claiming biological weapon labs, the United Nations, and 5G signals caused the outbreak. This misinformation contributed to vaccine hesitancy and public health risks in Black communities already disproportionately affected by the pandemic.

The Harm of Platforming Pseudohistory

Undermining Historical Truth

Denying the Atlantic slave trade isn’t just factually incorrect—it’s profoundly harmful:

It erases the documented suffering of millions of enslaved Africans
It undermines the historical basis for understanding systemic racism and its ongoing effects
It contradicts the extensive work of historians, geneticists, and archaeologists who have meticulously documented this history
It disrespects the descendants of enslaved people whose ancestry has been scientifically traced to specific African regions

Academic Response

Scholars have warned about the dangers of Hotep pseudohistory. As one academic assessment noted: “Hoteps don’t read primary-sourced, peer-reviewed anything, and if you dispute any of their made-up dogma with actual facts, they can always dismiss it with, ‘That’s what they want you to believe.’” (Source: TheGrio)

This rejection of academic methodology and scientific evidence creates an epistemological crisis where factual rebuttal becomes impossible, similar to other conspiracy theory movements.

Conclusion

Episode 1817 exemplifies the dangers of providing an uncritical platform for conspiracy theories and pseudohistory. By hosting Hotep Jesus without challenging his Atlantic slave trade denial, antisemitic rhetoric history, or alignment with white nationalist movements, Joe Rogan allowed the spread of misinformation that:

Contradicts overwhelming scientific and historical evidence
Undermines academic scholarship and historical truth
Erases the documented suffering of millions of enslaved people
Promotes exclusionary and harmful ideologies including antisemitism, misogyny, and homophobia
Creates confusion about well-established historical facts

The Atlantic slave trade is one of the most thoroughly documented events in human history, supported by genetic evidence, archaeological findings, and extensive historical records. Platforming its denial does real harm by confusing audiences, disrespecting descendants of enslaved people, and providing legitimacy to dangerous conspiracy theories that serve no educational or truth-seeking purpose.