Matthews passed away Monday, surrounded by friends and family, his wife, Melanie Matthews, confirmed in a Facebook post. No cause of death was revealed.
“No more sickness and no more worries. You said you were tired and wanted to rest. Today at 2:25 pm, you transitioned peacefully surrounded by family and friends,” Melanie Matthews wrote.
“Facebook family and friends, we want to thank those of you who have been praying for him and us during these trying times. We ask that you continue to keep us in your prayers as we process our loss. Peace and blessings to all!”
Matthews was best known for his profanity-laced sermons and unapologetic approach to religion and politics.
Several of his videos went viral, including an appearance on Tosh.0, a popular comedy show, and his infamous “I Don’t Give a S— Saturday” clip, which was later sampled on Situations by Freddie Gibbs and Madlib.
The “Cussing Pastor,” as he proudly referred to himself online, also built a significant social media presence, amassing 103,000 followers on Facebook, 78,000 YouTube subscribers, and over 7,000 followers on Instagram.
He even authored a book, The Cussing Pastor: B——t from the Pulpit.
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Beyond his profanity-laden sermons, Matthews was a polarizing figure in Memphis politics and religious circles.
According to Commercial Appeal, the pastor had a run-in with the law after publishing child pornography on his Facebook page. He was sentenced to probation and avoided jail time.
However, despite pleading guilty to tampering with evidence, Matthews insisted he had uploaded the image in an attempt to identify the victim.
His legal troubles didn’t end there. In 2016, he was arrested and charged with harassment. Later that year, he was apprehended again after nude photos of himself surfaced on a blog.
Then, following a twerking competition at his church in 2019, the “cussing pastor” came under fire. He also got into a screaming match with R&B songstress K. Mitchell that same year.
Matthews was arrested yet again in 2022 for harassment after allegedly violating a protection order and breaching Tennessee’s “revenge porn” law.
Despite facing prosecution, then-Shelby County District Attorney Amy Weirich appeared on his radio show.
Matthews notably refrained from using profanity during the interview and later endorsed Weirich’s reelection bid. She ultimately lost to current DA Steve Mulroy.
The pastor frequently waded into politics on his show, which led to further controversy. During the 2019 Memphis City Council elections, he was lambasted by LGBTQ organizations for making homophobic remarks about an openly gay council candidate.
Rest in peace, pastor.
