Stephen A. Smith reacts to Kevin Hart roast joke

Stephen A. Smith is finally speaking up after getting pulled into a viral moment from Kevin Hart's Netflix roast.

While taking aim at host Shane Gillis during the roast the comedian cracked a joke that ended up dragging Smith into the crossfire as well.

The Emmy-nominated comedian said, "My Mount Rushmore of racism when it comes to hating Black people [is] Shane Gillis, Kid Rock, Hulk Hogan, Stephen A. Smith. Those are my four people when it comes to hating Black people."

Smith later responded on his SiriusXM show Straight Shooter with Stephen A., saying the comment landed harder because it came from someone he believed he had a personal relationship with.

"I have no issue with the joke. I have an issue with the fact that it came from him," he remarked about Hart

, who he believed he had a "pretty damn good relationship" with. "Knowing I've spent my life fighting on behalf of my community, that people try to continue this narrative about me that I know is false, [it] hurts to hear out of the mouth of anyone who knows me.”

Moreover, he added, "I've taken a lot of heat because of perceived positions that I may have had," he declared. "And Kevin Hart's roast, joke —whatever it was — was just the latest salvo shot in my direction. Incited, in my opinion, by a party that wants you to kowtow and march to their every whim. I'm not built like that. Keep messing with me."

Despite the reaction, Smith made it clear he does not intend to escalate the situation further with Hart, noting,

“Anybody expected me to go after Kevin Hart, you got the wrong man. I've always had a lot of love for him, I will continue to have a lot of love for him."

RELATED: Kevin Hart breaks silence on George Floyd roast backlash