I liked him at first sight, got really annoyed and disappointed with him as a character as soon as I got to know him, but kept him around because the voice acting is stellar and I needed a thief.

What really made me fall in love with the character was his story arc. One of the best I’ve seen. The character is exceptionally well crafted, and what you go through together (especially when romanced) is something that surprised me in the best way.

So I’m not disagreeing with you. The rapey vibes are real. They’re international. But do give him a chance on one of your playthroughs - even if it’s just out of curiosity about what the writers were thinking.