Lil Yachty recently made headlines after labeling Black Lives Matter (BLM) a “scam,” prompting a sharp rebuttal from the civil rights group.
During an appearance on the YouTube cooking show Feeding Starving Celebrities, the Atlanta rapper remarked: “BLM is a scam. BLM was literally a scam. They had bought mansions.” He went on to tell host Quenlin Blackwell: “You probably wouldn’t know anything about it because you don’t care about Black people, and don’t follow Black news.”
In a statement issued to FOX News, the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation wasted no time in responding to Yachty’s comments. They stated, “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 added: “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.”
The statement went on to highlight the work of Black Lives Matter: “BLM 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. BLM was never a scam; selling out your people for clout is.”
In 2022, after BLM faced criticism for purchasing a $6 million property, the organization addressed the controversy, stating on social media: “There have been a lot of questions surrounding recent reports about the purchase of Creator’s House in California. Despite past efforts, BLMGNF recognizes that there is more work to do to increase transparency and ensure transitions in leadership are clear.” They also rejected media speculation about their finances, calling it “inflammatory and speculative.”
Patrisse Cullors, a co-founder of BLM, resigned in 2021 amid scrutiny regarding the management of the organization. The BLM Global Network Foundation also faced investigations into its donation handling, and some chapters distanced themselves due to concerns about transparency.
It’s important to distinguish between the organization Black Lives Matter and the broader social justice movement that gained momentum in 2020 after George Floyd’s tragic death at the hands of police.
Black Lives Matter continues to operate as a non-profit organization.
