Lil Yachty walked headfirst into controversy by branding Black Lives Matter as “a scam” during his appearance on Quenlin Blackwell’s popular YouTube series “Feeding Starving Celebrities,” prompting an immediate reaction from the organization.
The Atlanta-based Hip-Hop star didn’t mince words when the discussion turned to his charitable activities; he stated, “BLM is a scam,” before restating unequivocally, “BLM was literally a scam.”
Yachty referenced past reports alleging that Patrisse Cullors, co-founder of Black Lives Matter, purchased a lavish $6 million Los Angeles mansion in 2020 using funds supposedly earmarked for the group’s activism efforts.
The rapper’s statements quickly circulated online, causing a stir throughout social media.
Responding swiftly and strongly to Fox News’ request for comment, the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation accused Yachty of being exploited by dangerous messaging.
“It’s clear Lil Yachty has been drinking the white supremacist ideology Kool-Aid. His comments are wrong. They are misinformed, unoriginal, and crafted to please the same people who profit from Black suffering,” the organization’s statement read.
The foundation further defended its record by emphasizing the impact of its advocacy efforts, adding, “The real scam isn’t Black Lives Matter. It is watching Black artists with massive platforms recycle the same tired attacks on Black movements while ignoring the actual systems killing us.”
Highlighting its ongoing initiatives, the organization continued: “Black Lives Matter has supported Black families who have lost loved ones to police violence. We have built programs, funded mutual aid, and fought in courtrooms and on the streets to protect our people.”
Yachty, however, isn’t the only Hip-Hop figure to question the organization’s credibility publicly. Kanye West previously labeled BLM “a scam” in a 2022 Instagram Story, echoing similar allegations and stirring comparable controversy at the time.
This verbal clash comes amid a particularly challenging week for Black Lives Matter.
In Washington, D.C., city officials have begun dismantling the Black Lives Matter Plaza near the White House.
The striking yellow-painted slogan, installed in June 2020 at the height of nationwide protests following George Floyd’s death, is being removed due to threats to withhold funding for the nation’s capital.
The iconic mural, a symbolic rallying point for activists, will be replaced with murals celebrating America’s 250th birthday.
