Hip-hop star Trina has conjured up ire from fans and the black community after comparing some Florida protesters and looters to “animals.”
Trina, who co-hosts radio show “T and T Morning Show” with longtime collaborator Trick Daddy, made the comments Wednesday while announcing plans that Miami Mayor Carlos Gimenez had put in place for extending a citywide curfew.
Curfews have been implemented in Miami, Atlanta and dozens of cities across the country after explosive protests over the death of George Floyd. The 46-year-old died in police custody on May 25, and the protests have been a response to his and numerous other killings of black Americans.
During the show, which airs on hip-hop station 99Jamz, the “Pull Over” rapper expresses her frustration with those who had vandalized and damaged stores in the Miami-area during the demonstrations over the last several days.
"Keep everybody off the streets, these animals off the streets that are running around Miami-Dade County acting like they have escaped from a zoo," Trina said about protesters and looters. "Lock them up at 5 p.m., so the streets can be nice and clean. That's how I feel."
Her rant sparked severe backlash on social media from many who are now threatening to “cancel” the rapper, meaning they will stop supporting her music.
Trina, whose real name is Katrina Taylor, said the looting was personal for her, because a close friend’s store was ransacked amid the chaos. She said after her friend’s store already faced the challenge of being closed during quarantine, the looting was too much for her business to bear.
“She has a son and a kid to take care of her family and you and go and demolish her shop for something... I don’t approve of it,” Trina said.
Trick Daddy responds to Trina’s frustrations by saying that many of those acting out had been out of work and emotionally affected by police brutality.
Trina does not back down, and responds “We can’t bring back nobody’s lives whether it’s at the hands of the police or another civilian.”
The heated exchange has been a hot topic on Twitter Wednesday morning, with several people finding issue with Trina calling the protesters animals.
Several people threatened to sign a petition in support of Trina being fired from the radio show due to the comments. That petition has nearly 5,000 signatures as of Wednesday morning. The goal is 5,000.
Others said they would petition against Trina by no longer supporting her music. Trina, whose fame peaked in the early 2000s and paved the way for newer female rap artists, has won accolades from music journalists at Complex and Billboard, which ranked her on the list of the “31 Female Rappers Who Changed Hip Hop.”
About the Author
