Bruno Mars has joked that he is “almost out of debt” after performing his hit song “APT.” with ROSÉ at a recent BLACKPINK tour stop.
The American singer-songwriter made the comment on Instagram following his surprise appearance at BLACKPINK’s July 13 concert at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. Mars thanked his duet partner and wrote: “Almost out of debt BehhhhhBehhhhh!!! Preciate You ROSAAAAYYYYYY!!!!”
The joke references persistent rumors that Mars owed $50 million in gambling-related debt to Las Vegas‘ MGM Grand casino, where he signed a long-term residency contract in 2016.
MGM quickly denied these claims in March 2024, stating: “MGM and Bruno’s partnership is longstanding and rooted in mutual respect. Any speculation otherwise is completely false; he has no debt with MGM.”
ROSÉ responded to Mars’ post with “ya welcome” and shared behind-the-scenes photos of the pair, calling him a “HUNK-O-RAMAA.” The surprise performance delighted fans who witnessed the rare joint rendition of their collaborative hit.
“APT.” was released in October and became a major success, reaching number three on the Billboard Hot 100 and spending 12 weeks at the top of the Billboard Global 200 chart.
This is not the first time Mars has joked about the debt rumors. After becoming the first artist to surpass 150 million monthly Spotify listeners, he previously wrote: “I’ll be out of debt in no time.”
The collaboration is part of Mars’ recent string of high-profile partnerships, including “Die With a Smile” with Lady Gaga and “Fat Juicy & Wet” with Sexyy Red.
