Joe Budden‘s fiancée, Cyn Santana, received backlash from fans and critics alike after she denigrated Black women during a recently resurfaced 2016 interview on Angela Yee‘s Lip Service podcast.
During the segment, the Love & Hip Hop star shared that she preferred dating Black men, according to All Hip Hop. When ask to elaborate, she appeared to imply it was because Black men treat Spanish women better than Black women.
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“I just like Black guys and Spanish girls,” she confessed. “Y’all can keep the Puerto Rican men, I’m good. I do Black guys all day, sorry. I did the Spanish thing…doesn’t work out for me. I think they’re too emotional. … Black guys cater to us Spanish girls, especially. Like they…you know what, let me not get into it. Black girls gonna take it personal, they gonna be like ‘uhh uhhh!’ Anyway, I’m done with the papis.”
Once she got hit with a tidal wave of upset and disappointed messages from fans, Santana took to social media to defend herself, by saying she was young, ignorant, and worded herself poorly, but actually loves Black women.
In addition to her comments about her dating preferences, social media users expressed disappointment with her use of the n-word, considering the Dominican reality star has previously made it clear that she doesn’t consider herself Black. She now says her views have evolved on her own blackness as well.
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I have no issue believing or accepting that I’m black… I never really identified as such publicly because I’ve always seen this issue between the Latina/black woman. I just don’t wanna offend anyone. Thank you for sharing this information, it’s imperative!!! https://t.co/BemkWU94UC
— Cyn Santana 🇸🇻🇩🇴 (@Cyn_Santana) January 9, 2019
After going back and forth with several people Santana then issued an official apology for her statements.
“The s*** is heavy and uncomfortable as F** but I ain’t turning my backs on y’all. I think this conversation is important,” she wrote on her Instagram.
“A snippet of a podcast I did in 2016 is going around in which I said some unfavorable things. I didn’t properly articulate myself. I was speaking about my preference in Black men vs the Latino man. I didn’t intend to bash Black women. I NEVER HAVE. NEVER WILL. It’s NOT how I feel or ever felt. The truth is I said some dumb bird sh** and it has offended and hurt MANY, especially Black women, so for that I want to wholeheartedly sincerely apologize. And I will continue to do so. I’m not a racist. I don’t bash women. I don’t bash Black women.”
“I’m team melanin queens ALL DAY,” she continued. “This sh** is DEEPER than me. Psychologically and historically. I was ignorant. I once upon a time lacked depth because while I may be Afro Latina, people may not look at me or treat me as they do other BLACK women. Bitch do u see my nose? My hair? I would NEVER think I’m better than ANYONE. In the 3 years since this interview, the Black women in my life have taught me so much about what society has put them through and how the things I said in that interview could be harmful.”
Santana also explained how much she’s evolved since the interview took place.
“[T years may not seem like a long time but spiritually it has been,” she said.” I didn’t have the POV of a black woman before but thanks to the Black women who surround me, I’ve learned SO much. Thanks to y’all I’ve learned so much. I’ve learned why she fights. And why it’s sensitive. I didn’t put much thought into what I said at the time and I recognize that. For that, I apologize once again. One love.”
You can check out the podcast in question below. Santana’s comments start at the 16:50 mark.
