Long before she entered her twenties, Bhad Bhabie became one of the internet’s most polarizing young celebrities. Ever since her viral “catch me outside” moment launched her into public life, the rapper and media personality has faced relentless commentary about everything from her health to her appearance. In recent years, one criticism in particular has followed her across social media platforms. This involves accusations of “Blackfishing,” a term tied to non-Black figures adopting aesthetics associated with Black culture.
Over the weekend, Bhabie responded directly to those claims in a series of Instagram Stories later reposted by The Shade Room. The now-deleted posts arrived after comparison photos of her older and newer appearances began circulating online again. In her response, the 23-year-old argued that much of the conversation ignored ordinary changes tied to age, styling, and cosmetic enhancements. These enhancements are common in entertainment culture.
She pointed to evolving beauty choices as the main reason for her changed appearance. She wrote that she had simply grown older, “sat in the sun,” switched hairstyles, and used lip filler “like who the f**k else didn’t???” Bhabie also claimed that earlier in her career she had little control over how she was presented publicly. Additionally, she alleged that management “forced [her] to wear that red ponytail for 5 years.”
Bhad Bhabie Pushes Back as Blackfishing Criticism Resurfaces
At the center of her frustration was the belief that critics had already settled on a narrative regardless of what she looked like. “It literally does not matter what I do,” she wrote. “I have went as far as having my makeup Artist use a foundation on me that was three shades lighter and wore a blonde wig. And y’all still said I was trying to be Black.”
She added: “I have never a day in my life said I wanted to be any other race but the race that I am which is white. I am Italian and Jewish. My father is Jewish. My mother was Italian. I was raised Catholic Italian. That is what I am.”
The reaction online was divided. Some defended her right to address years of criticism publicly. On the other hand, others argued her response failed to fully engage with the cultural concerns behind the accusations.
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