Cardi B Defends Tyla Amid Backlash Over Identity Debate
Cardi B Defends Tyla Amid Online Backlash Over “Coloured” Identity Debate
Cardi B is speaking out in defense of South African pop star Tyla, who has recently found herself at the center of heated online debates over the way she identifies. Read more about the drama inside.
During a late-night X Spaces stream on Wednesday (August 13), the Am I The Drama? rapper addressed the relentless criticism celebrities face. She specifically shouted out what Tyla has been dealing with, calling it “straight up disrespectful” and questioning why the Internet seems determined to tear her and other celebrities down.
“Look at Tyla,” Cardi said around the one-minute, 10-second mark of the broadcast. “People been dragging the shit out of Tyla and it’s, like, the girl don’t even f*cking address or talk about nothing. I’m starting to feel that people just don’t like celebrities… the only way people like celebrities [is] if you don’t f*cking say nothing at all.”
Cardi admitted she wasn’t entirely sure why Tyla was the latest target of online fury but condemned the intensity of the attacks.
“Every single time I scroll down on my TikTok, there’s a video of her and people are talking shit and it’s like, Goddamn, what do you want her to f*cking do, cut her fucking veins? Like, enough. Enough,” she said.
The backlash stems from a resurfaced 2020 TikTok in which Tyla referred to herself as a “Coloured South African.” In South Africa, “Coloured” is a widely used, culturally specific term describing a multiracial ethnic group. However, outside the region, the word carries a different, often derogatory, connotation.
In June 2024, Tyla declined to directly address the topic during an interview on The Breakfast Club, with her team quickly stepping in.
Hours later, she posted a statement clarifying: “I don’t expect to be identified as Coloured outside of [South Africa] by anyone not comfortable doing so… But to close this conversation, I’m both Coloured in South Africa and a Black woman.”
Speaking to Variety earlier this month, Tyla reflected on the controversy.
“That [controversy] was really confusing for me,” Tyla shared. “When who you are is challenged, especially when it’s all you’ve ever known, it shakes you.”
Despite the online noise, Tyla has kept her focus on her music. She recently released the four-track WWP EP, with her second album expected later this year.
As for Cardi, she’s gearing up for her own release with her highly anticipated sophomore album Am I The Drama? The project is set to drop September 19.
Now, fans believe the two may be collaborating on Cardi’s upcoming album. Tyla commented on Cardi’s album artwork on social media with a few emojis.
Comment your thoughts on the potential collab below.
