Former Little Mix star Jesy Nelson has been accused of “blackfishing” in the video for her new track, “Boyz,” a collaboration with rapper Nicki Minaj.
via: AceShowbiz
The English singer addressed the matter in a new interview with Vulture. “The whole time I was in Little Mix I never got any of that. And then I came out of [the band] and people all of a sudden were saying it. I wasn’t on social media around that time, so I let my team [deal with it], because that was when I’d just left,” she first elaborated.
“But I mean, like, I love Black culture. I love Black music. That’s all I know; it’s what I grew up on,” the 30-year-old musician went on explaining. “I’m very aware that I’m a white British woman; I’ve never said that I wasn’t.”
Jesy also weighed in on allegations that she deleted Instagram comments from those accusing her of blackfishing. She claimed, “I don’t know about that. Maybe it was my team.”
Jesy was dragged by Internet users after she dropped a music video of her solo debut single, “Boyz”, which also featured Sean “P. Diddy” Combs cameo. “Jesy Nelson’s new video for Boyz features Nicki Minaj, a black woman. Why is Jesy’s skin DARKER than Nicki’s? Is this blackfishing, and is it acceptable?” one user asked, before someone else insisted, “Jesy Nelson really is the poster girl for blackfishing at this point.”
Another argued, “Not only is Boyz by Jesy Nelson a bad song but the music video does nothing to quell the accusations of blackfishing she’s faced her entire career.” A third questioned, “I’m sorry, but how does #JesyNelson continuously get away with very apparent and unapologetic blackfishing? Y’all can feel bad for her and still hold her accountable, I’m confused.”
Check out some of the social media reaction.
https://twitter.com/iamshakeena/status/1446387867106828295?s=20
I'm not sure Jesy Nelson knows this but you can create R&B and Rap music without blackfishing. I can say I will listen to the song to see how I like it but the video is a no in my book cause I've seen enough pics from it to know what it is.
— Cherrelle (@relleunique) October 8, 2021
jesy nelson profiting off of black culture, when she herself couldn’t even be a good ally to an ex bandmate let alone the black community, whilst black fishing and trying to sing with a blaccent in an attempt to sound hard when she’s from Essex…in british black history month????
— row (@westxallens) October 8, 2021
Jesy Nelson isn't mixed? She's just blackfishing?? My jaw is on the floor
— Beth Ashley (@bethmayashley) October 8, 2021
Jesy Nelson gets accused of blackfishing and appropriating black culture, so makes a music video about how much she loves “hood boyz” whilst continuing to cosplay a black woman? Ok, makes sense
— Tayla? (@Fl0ssB) October 8, 2021
The way jesy nelson is the same skin colour as Niki Minaj in their new song cover,… u can't tell me shes NOT blackfishing ?
— Maria (@stanningsos) October 1, 2021
