Vic Mensa knows doesn’t care that people are upset he called out XXXTentacion in front of the late rapper’s mother at the BET Hip-Hop Awards.
via Page Six:
The performance has been the source of controversy since word of it hit social media via tweets by XXXTentacion collaborator DJ Scheme, who wrote that fans would be “f—king disgusted” by the freestyle.
Despite the immediate backlash, Mensa, 25, made clear in a video posted to Instagram Monday night that he stands by his words.
“Recently I did a freestyle for the BET Awards cypher addressing and condemning rappers who unabashedly abuse women, and those who stand up for them, and even call them legends,” he said. “I stand behind those statements.”
Unbeknownst to Mensa, XXXTentacion’s mother, Cleopatra Bernard, was at the show to accept a posthumous award on her son’s behalf for best new artist. While he expressed his sympathy for her loss, the rapper said his message remains the same.
“It was pre-recorded weeks ago and I had no idea a grieving mother would be in the audience to honor her lost son. I never intended to disrespect her, and I offer my deepest condolences for her loss at the hands of gun violence. However, I vehemently reject the trend in hip-hop of championing abusers, and I will not hold my tongue about it.”
Mensa also stressed that he wasn’t trying to shock with his freestyle, he just wanted to take a stand in the wake of all the praise for the late rapper.
“I don’t give a f—k about getting attention,” he said. “I care about bringing awareness and holding people accountable for their actions.”
Since XXXTentacion was murdered in Broward County, Fla., in June at the age of 20, many high profile members of the rap community have praised the late rapper and the impact he had during his short career. In September, Kanye West expressed regret for not supporting him before his death. XXXTentacion’s vocals are also featured on Lil Wayne’s “Don’t Cry,” a song off his eagerly anticipated new album “Tha Carter V.”
But as Mensa points out, few have criticized his violent past. At the time of his death, he was awaiting trial for domestic violence against a pregnant ex-girlfriend. He was also facing witness harassment and tampering charges.
Vic’s no stranger to dealing with domestic abuse himself. In 2016, he opened up about choking an ex-girlfriend and said it’s something he “had to learn and grow from.”
Check out his response to the XXXTentacion backlash below.
