Bruno Mars still has a playful sense of humor about those who continue to circulate gambling-related speculation despite last year’s refuting by MGM.
This time around, the Mars joke comes amid such chatter following his new “Fat Juicy & Wet” track with Sexyy Red, fittingly billed ahead of its release last Friday as a full-fledged “strip club anthem.” Taking to his Instagram Stories, the 15-time Grammy winner urged fans to “keep streaming” in light of a recent Spotify milestone.
“I’ll be out of debt in no time,” he joked.
This aligns with Mars's approach in August in connection with his and Lady Gaga’s “Die With a Smile,” currently in the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart. Gaga, alongside fellow Mars collaborator Rosé, makes an appearance in the video for “Fat Juicy & Wet,” directed by Mars and Daniel Ramos.
Jokes aside, MGM Resorts International flatly denied a specific claim of Mars being $50 million in debt with the company back in March of last year. In a statement shared with Complex at the time, a rep called such talk “completely false,” adding that Mars has “no debt” with MGM.
“We’re proud of our relationship with Bruno Mars, one of the world’s most thrilling and dynamic performers,” MGM told Complex. “From his shows at Dolby Live at Park MGM to the new Pinky Ring lounge at Bellagio, Bruno’s brand of entertainment attracts visitors from around the globe. MGM and Bruno's partnership is longstanding and rooted in mutual respect."
As the rumors have persisted, Mars has continually taken a lighthearted tone with his responses, including when he told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that he had “love” for the building lore positing him as a “lounge singer in debt to the mob.” His Vegas residency, meanwhile, was recently confirmed to have been extended.