It’s been a bittersweet month for Doja Cat.
The rapper, 24, landed her first Billboard No. 1 hit only to be accused days later of participating in allegedly racist internet chat rooms, prompting the Twitter hashtags #DojaCatIsOverParty and #DojaCatIsCanceled.
The viral footage shows Doja — real name Amalaratna Zandile Dlamini — taking part in chat rooms via video chatting platform Tinychat. The “Say So” singer can be heard making sexually suggestive comments to men believed to be members of the alt-right incel (involuntarily celibate) community. The biracial artist is also heard calling someone the N-word — in her own words “with a hard R” — in front of the group.
Doja has since addressed allegations that she participates in “White supremacists chatrooms,” claiming that while racists may enter the chat from time-to-time, they’re usually kicked off. She also denied personally taking part in “any racist conversations.”
“I want to address what’s been happening on Twitter,” she wrote Monday in an apology. “I’ve used public chat rooms to socialize since I was a child. I shouldn’t have been on some of those chat room sites, but I personally have never been involved in any racist conversations. I’m sorry to everyone I offended.
“I’m a black woman. Half of my family is black from South Africa and I’m very proud of where I come from.”
But her mea culpa wasn’t fully accepted by the masses, many of whom took issue with the “Tia Tamera” singer touting her South African heritage after using a racial slur that would undoubtedly offend her own family.
She followed up the apology Tuesday with a more detailed explanation on Instagram Live, denying once again that she participates in racist chatrooms. She also understands why many fans believe she may have an issue with self-hatred as a black woman, admitting that she often feels insecure about her natural hair.
As for her use of a racial slur, she claimed she was intoxicated. “Yes, this is me 100% f–king excusing my dumbass behavior. I’m dumb, but I’m also drunk … in this video, I’m being completely f–king blackout drunk and completely f–king dumb … this is where I’m saying ‘shut the f–k up, you,’ and then I say — with a hard R — the N-word.”
Just before blaming it on the alcohol, the Los Angeles native also addressed leaked song “Dindu Nuffin,” a phrase often used to mock victims of police brutality. Many believe it was a direct reference to Sandra Bland.
“It was in no way tied to anything outside of my own personal experience. It was written in response to people who often used that term to hurt me. I made an attempt to flip its meaning, but recognize that it was a bad decision to use the term in my music.”
Doja is the latest entertainer to be abandoned by much of her fanbase, but we’ve also seen Camila Cabello, Cardi B, Kanye West and several other “canceled” celebs come back stronger than ever thanks to support from the very crowd who once shamed their behavior.