In a deleted tweet, New York-based writer K. Austin Collins attacked Blue Ivy Carter for looking like her rapper father Jay Z. Saying he “felt sorry for her” and that “Jay-Z’s genes are really about to hit her”.
What We Know:
- Violet Lucca, a web editor at Harper’s, chimed in saying, “They haven’t already?” Lucca also said, “But she’s lucky — if it happens now she’ll definitely grow out of it, Get the ugly duckling phase done early.”
- The conversation caused an uproar on Twitter. Many users called out both writers for making fun and taking part in a negative conversation about a young girl.
- Actress Jodie Turner-Smith, who is expecting her first child with husband/actor Joshua Jackson responded to those rude remarks by defending Blue Ivy and other black girls. On Thursday, the Queen and Slim star tweeted, “Leave Black Girls Alone In 2020! Black features are beautiful. Black skin is beautiful. Leave Us Alone. Keep your hatred to your damn self in this decade.”
- Both Collins and Lucca’s tweets came after Meg The Stallion shared pictures of herself, Beyonce, and Blue Ivy celebrating New Year’s Eve on Instagram.
- According to Page Six, Lucca also tweeted, “or she’ll just get plastic surgery at 16 a la Kylie Jenner and we’ll all have to pretend that she always looked that way…I can’t allow myself to feel too sorry for the incredibly rich.” The tweet was later deleted.
- After the offensive commentary went viral, Collins backtracked and apologized, “I’m sorry about the Blue Ivy tweet — bad joke, and black girls, in particular, deserve better,” Collins said. One person responded, “A bad joke? That’s a child, and that was irresponsibly in poor taste… an apology doesn’t change your mindset…It’s the soul that needs the surgery.”
- Lucca at first seemed to double down on her comments, “Sorry I was cleaning my apartment while this blew up…children of famous ought to be off-limits, but time and again they haven’t been. So I said something petty and have been called ugly, old, and a racist.”
The next day after seeing the backlash Collins faced, Lucca changed her tone, but she felt it was too late because she was already dubbed evil. “I’m truly sorry to anyone who was reminded of past hurt because of my comments. I truly believe Blue Ivy will go to the grave without knowing who I am, which is neither here nor there, but on the off chance, she sees it—I’m sorry, young lady. You’re gonna go far no matter what.”
