Diesel Receives Backlash For Using Nicki Minaj In Anti-Bullying Campaign
Mic reports that on Tuesday, Diesel announced that rappers Nicki Minaj and Gucci Mane and actors Tommy Dorfman, Bella Thorne, and Yoo Ah-in would appear in its new anti-cyberbullying campaign this fall.
But many people are upset and have pointed out that Nicki Minaj shouldn’t be included because she’s been accused of cyberbullying on social media. One person tweeted, “[Nicki Minaj] as an anti-bullying beacon??? Bringing issues to light HOW?? By showing ppl what NOT to do? Lmao this a whole joke.”
The Italian retail clothing company’s “Hate Couture Collection” includes jackets, t-shirts, and other items with “real hate comments” that have been directed at each of these stars, according to the brand’s promotional video. Diesel tweeted, “You don’t make online hate disappear by hiding it.” In a photo of the collection, Minaj is shown wearing a shirt that reads, “The bad guy.”
On Monday, she posted on Instagram to promote the new line and said, “You need people like me. So you can point your finger & say: THAT’S THAT BAD GUY?? Got a surprise for anyone who’s ever been labeled #TheBadGuy.”
Upon hearing the news about the campaign, blogger Wanna Thompson commented on Twitter, “You know how tone deaf you have to be as a brand to enlist Nicki Minaj to front a campaign to bring cyberbullying to light? Who was behind this? Do they live under a rock?”
Thompson critiqued Minaj’s music on June 29 by saying, “You know how dope it would be if Nicki put out mature content? No silly sh*t. Just reflecting on past relationships, being a boss, hardships, etc. She’s touching 40 soon, a new direction is needed.”
Then the rapper sent Thompson a direct message. Part of the message included, “When ya ugly a** was 24 u were pushing 30? I’m 34. I’m touching 40? lol. And what does that have to do with my music? Eat a d**k u hating a** hoe.”
According to BBC News, at first, Thompson didn’t think it was really Minaj.
“I was flabbergasted because I thought the page was fake. I kept on trying to refresh my twitter to see if it was a parody page.”
Minaj has denied harassing Thompson in an interview with Hot 97’s Funkmaster Flex earlier this year.
Diesel has responded to the criticism and explained why they chose Minaj to be in the campaign by saying that, “We’re here to support anyone who’s getting hated on, and Nicki is one of them.”
