Aimee Walker
Halle Bailey, who plays Ariel in the live-action remake of The Little Mermaid, has faced a ton of racist backlash since being cast in the role – and now her boyfriend is addressing it.
American rapper DDG appeared on the Bootleg Kev Podcast and said that he ‘didn’t know this [racism] was a thing’ still.
He explained: “I didn’t know people was this racist – I didn’t know this was a thing.
Watch this little girl’s heartwarming reaction to Halle Bailey’s casting as Ariel in the clip below…
“I thought this sh*t was gone already, I thought that sh** was gone! I thought Martin Luther King [Jr] cancelled that s*** out! This s*** is crazy, I was like ‘What the f*** is these n****s talking about?’.”
DDG went on to address how Bailey has responded to the hate, adding: “She be laughing it off [but] they be going a little too hard. But I feel like the people is more attacking the character rather than her, personally.”
Despite all the negativity, the musician insisted that Bailey’s film will be a success, commenting: “It’s going number one, regardless! And every single Black person in the world is gonna watch.”
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After hearing the podcast, many people have taken to Twitter and said they couldn’t understand how DDG believed MLK ‘cancelled’ racism.
One asked: “Where has he been living? Inside a coop?”
Another added: “I’m rooting for them but this statement is a [red flag].”
“He can’t be serious,” a third commented.
While a fourth wrote: “Oh baby the youth, the youth, the youth…”
“This would make me not wanna see him for a week,” someone else said.
Following the criticism, DGG took to Instagram and commented on footage from the podcast interview.
He wrote: “I was valedictorian in high school. Obviously, MLK ain’t stop racism… It’s called exaggeration lol. See, this is what’s wrong our people these days. We attack each other all day every day and no one else smh (shaking my head).
“Y’all have a blessed one.”
Many of DDGs fans took to the comments and praised the rapper for his response, with one penning: “@ddg well said.”
“I get it, your statement was supposed to be taken lightly and people took it literally. That’s social media for you,” added another.
While a third replied: “@ddg your voice was meant to inspire.”
Following the release of The Little Mermaid trailer, Bailey herself took to YouTube and said she knows she is ‘worthy’ of the role.
She told viewers: “I dedicated so much time, blood, sweat and tears into this work for this film and in the process, I learned so much about myself.
Explaining that she was ‘way more timid’ at the beginning of filming, Bailey added: “I felt like I grew with Ariel’s character in a way … I think that was the biggest takeaway for me, just to believe in myself and know that I’m worthy.
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“And even still today with all of the commentary and people’s opinions going on, it just reminds me to be number one: grounded, and grateful that I have this opportunity.”
She continued: “And the fact that it’s sparking such a discussion for all of us… I mean, I know what it would’ve meant to me as a little girl to have been able to see a Black Ariel.
“When I was younger, if I would’ve seen that, it would have changed my whole outlook on life so the fact that I’m kind of getting to do that is really cool and unbelievable to me and the little girl inside of me is screaming and freaking out.”
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