Scott Weiland’s son Noah Weiland pushed back against critics in a video shared on Instagram. He directly addressed accusations of being a “nepo baby” and defended his music career.
In the video, Noah Weiland spoke candidly about the frustration he feels every time he promotes his music. He described being met with comparisons to his late father and dismissals of his work.
“I’m not gonna lie y’all. I’m pissed off right now. Because why is it that every f*cking time I post something, drop off a song, do any type of shit to promote my music career, it’s always, ‘He is the nepo baby. Do a Scott Weiland cover!'” he said. “Yes I like to rage bait y’all and engage with y’all by saying who my dad is sometimes when I post my music.”
He went on to push back firmly against the nepo baby label. He pointed to years of personal hardship as evidence that he has not relied on his family name.
“But that doesn’t mean I’m f*cking him. All those people who call em nepo baby left and right, that is bullshit,” he continued. “I’ve been literally living either couch surfing, in rehab, f*cking sober living, or in my car since I was like 18 years old.”
Noah also addressed criticism over his use of autotune in his music. He offered a blunt response to detractors.
“And to the people who is b*tching about me using autotune, please just unalive yourselves. It’s 2026, shut the f*ck up,” he added.
The video comes amid ongoing scrutiny of Noah Weiland’s music career. He continues to carve out his own identity in the industry, separate from his father’s legacy.
Noah’s path to music has been anything but straightforward. It has been shaped by years of personal struggle and a determined effort to rebuild his life before returning to the spotlight. He previously battled substance abuse issues, and his return to music followed stints in rehab and sober living. He has spoken openly about those experiences, describing them as formative and crediting them with helping him commit to doing things differently.
Earlier in his career, Noah was part of Suspect208, a band that also featured London Hudson, son of Slash, and Tye Trujillo, son of Metallica bassist Robert Trujillo. The group drew significant attention largely due to its members’ famous last names, which only intensified the nepo baby narrative that has followed Noah ever since.
The nepo baby label has proven particularly difficult to shake. His surname alone generates instant media attention, and every release he makes is filtered through the lens of his father’s towering legacy with Stone Temple Pilots and Velvet Revolver. This makes it nearly impossible for his work to be evaluated on its own terms.
Scott Weiland passed away in December 2015 and remains one of the most iconic figures in 1990s rock. His battles with addiction were well-documented throughout his life. Noah has been candid about navigating a similar path, one that has clearly shaped his perspective on what it means to earn something on your own.
For Noah Weiland, the frustration is not just about internet criticism. It is about the broader challenge of being seen as an individual artist in an industry and a culture that may never fully separate him from his father’s name.
