Rapper Lil Yachty Blasts Black Lives Matter, Calls It a Con: 'They Had Bought Mansions'

Rapper Lil Yachty recently criticized the Black Lives Matter movement, calling it a "scam" during an appearance on the YouTube cooking show Feeding Starving Celebrities, hosted by Quenlin Blackwell.

During the episode, Blackwell asked Yachty about his charitable contributions over the past two years. The rapper responded vaguely, saying, "Well, that year, yeah, that's a good year. It's just blurry because I be doing so much."

Blackwell then specifically asked if he had donated to Black Lives Matter, stating, "BLM? Since you want to be so Black power?"

Yachty firmly replied, "BLM is a scam."

He elaborated further, saying, "BLM was literally a scam. They had bought mansions, and you probably wouldn't know anything about it because you don't care about Black people and don't follow Black news."

Blackwell, who is African American, defended herself, stating, "I am literally the most pro-Black person in this room."

Yachty's comments echo past criticisms of the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation (BLMGNF). In 2022, reports emerged that the organization had purchased a $6 million mansion in California, which led to accusations of financial mismanagement. According to NBC News, the organization faced scrutiny over its use of donations.

In response to the backlash, BLM released statements on social media calling the financial investigations "inflammatory and speculative," according to the New York Post.

Following Yachty's comments, Black Lives Matter released a statement condemning his remarks, arguing that they played into harmful narratives.

"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 said, per the New York Post.

BLM further defended its work, stating, "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. 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."

Tags

Lil Yachty, Black Lives Matter