Rapper BIA has responded to criticism from social media that she isn’t back following her major livestream with Nicki Minaj last week.
During the livestream, BIA dropped her “WHOLE LOTTA MONEY” remix which features a verse from Minaj. Viewers then flocked to the rapper’s Instagram account and felt that she didn’t look Black enough.
BIA posted the following tweet in response:
“Very aware of my roots guys,” she wrote. “My grandparents were born in PR and migrated to NY. Puerto Rican’s come in many different colors and race is different from ethnicity OF COURSE we have tiano, African, and Latin blood. Very proud to be Afrolatina and Italian.”
BIA has been quiet for some time after a long battle to be released from major label, RCA, and go independent.
“It was definitely therapeutic. It’s something a lot of artists go through and there’s no way that they can get that emotion off. For me, it was ventilation,” she told Revolt last June. “I’m grateful that even in my new journey to have people that supported that still. Me going into a new situation, they said, “No you have a story and that’s important, you should get that off.” It’s important they wanted to be a part of this with me. I love that.”
She’s understandably hesitant about signing with another major in the future.
“It’s crazy because every meeting I went to, they knew I was a worried dog. I’m like, “I don’t know how I feel about this.” I’m big off energy and vibes, and Sylvia is an incredible woman. I want to be around women. I want to be around people who understand me and aren’t trying to change me, but want to help me elevate and be the best me. I have a really close friend who’s actually my A&R, all of those things they play a part. These are people who start to know you for you, not just you as an artist.”
