February 23, 2021
Vanessa Bryant, the widow of NBA star Kobe Bryant, is not happy with rapper Meek Mill's lyric that references the death of her late husband and daughter Gianna.
The 38-year-old Bryant took to her Instagram on Monday night to criticize Mill's leaked verse about the Lower Merion High School basketball star's death, calling the track "extremely insensitive and disrespectful."
In a song titled "Don't Worry (RIP Kobe)" with fellow rapper Lil Baby that leaked online last week, Mill raps the verse "Yeah, and if I ever lack, I’m goin’ out with my chopper, it be another Kobe.”
"Dear Meek Mill, I find this line to be extremely insensitive and disrespectful. Period," Vanessa Bryant wrote. "I am not familiar with any of your music, but I believe you can do better than this. If you are a fan, fine, there's a better way to show your admiration for my husband. This lacks respect and tact."
Vanessa Bryant speaks out on Meek Mill's lyric about Kobe Bryant. pic.twitter.com/PUUvLtuEzf
— Elite Media Group (@TheEliteMedia_) February 23, 2021
Reaction to Vanessa Bryant's rebuke of the North Philly rapper was widespread on social media on Monday and Tuesday, with many backing the mother of three children.
Vanessa Bryant told Meek Mill “I am not a familiar with any of your music, but I believe you can do better than this.” regarding that Kobe lyric and that sentence is so perfectly worded.
— AGD. (@TheLexGabrielle) February 23, 2021
Vanessa Bryant told Meek "I'm not familiar with any of your music" This a terrible two weeks for Meek
— PERC ANGLE (@PrinceMarcus_27) February 23, 2021
vanessa bryant said “I am not familiar with any of your music” to Meek... that’s my sister
— LB (@lnbshr) February 23, 2021
Vanessa Bryant when she catches Meek Mill pic.twitter.com/QX7qQlldXp
— Z 🌟 (@okokalrightZain) February 23, 2021
Vanessa Bryant got Meek Mill together in the most respectful way!
— Jessica Fyre 💫 (@TheJessieWoo) February 23, 2021
I still don’t understand how he thought using Kobe’s death for a metaphoric punch line was ok 😟 pic.twitter.com/EnU1fzIiRq
The 33-year-old Mill took to Twitter on Tuesday morning to respond to Vanessa Bryant's criticism, saying that he apologized to her in private on Monday.
I apologized to her in private earlier today not to the public...Nothing I say on my page directed to a internet viral moment or the family of a grieving woman! If you care about someone grieving change the subject!
— Meek Mill (@MeekMill) February 23, 2021
When the lyric invoking Kobe Bryant's death leaked online last week, Mill drew widespread condemnation on social media for being tone-deaf.
Bryant, his daughter Gianna, and seven other people were killed in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California, on Jan. 26, 2020.
Kobe Bryant was 41 and Gianna Bryant was 13. The other victims in the crash were teammates on Gianna Bryant's basketball team, their parents and the helicopter pilot.
Kobe and Gianna Bryant are survived by Kobe's wife Vanessa and three other daughters; Natalia, Bianka and Capri.
Follow Pat & PhillyVoice on Twitter: @Pat_Ralph | @thePhillyVoice
Like us on Facebook: PhillyVoice
Add Pat's RSS feed to your feed reader
Have a news tip? Let us know.
