Rapper Mulatto has always faced pushback for the racially charged implications behind her stage name, but now the 21-year-old rising star is speaking up to clear rumors circulating on the internet that she allegedly denied that colorism was a real issue in the Black community.
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The issues allegedly started Monday after Mulatto joined a conversation on Clubhouse— an audio-based social media app that has become increasingly popular among influencers and celebs. After Mulatto– born Alyssa Michelle Stephens— left the conversation, several listeners claimed they heard the rapper deny the existence of colorism, despite the fact that her name is ironically a clear illusion to its existence.
“Why would mulatto go on clubhouse and say colorism isn’t real??????? ughhh,” Twitter user @kissmeriver wrote following the discussion.
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Tuesday, after the accusations went viral, Mulatto took to social media to voice her side, explaining in a series of tweets, “I would never say no shit like colorism doesn’t exist! Please stop with the false narrative!”
For those unfamiliar with the term, “Mulatto” stems from the Spanish word for mule, which is the offspring of a male donkey and a female horse. The word is often used to used as a derogatory term to describe someone who is mixed-race. After constantly being called out for the moniker, the rapper recently hinted that she may be changing it.
“I can’t say too much because we’re working on something right now, but I would be lying to say it hasn’t crossed my mind before,” Mulatto told HipHopDX at the 2020 BET Hip Hop Awards. “It is a controversy that I hear and see every day as far as my name goes, so I would be lying to say no I never thought of that. But I can’t say too much because right now, because it’s going to be a part of something bigger.”
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