Grammy-winning rapper Cardi B has come out swinging in defence of South African star Tyla, calling out the relentless online attacks the Push 2 Start singer has faced in recent months.
“People been dragging the s**t out of Tyla and it’s like the girl does not even address or talk about nothing,” Cardi said during a late night X Spaces stream from Los Angeles.
“I’m starting to think people just don’t like celebrities,” she said.
The Am I The Drama? rapper admitted she hasn’t followed every detail of the attacks but is shocked by the persistence.
“I don’t know what the hate is about because I never really got into the details of what is the real hardcore thing. However, I do know every time I scroll down on my TikTok, there’s a video of her and people are talking sh*t,” she said.
“It’s like, goddamn, what do you want her to f**ing do, cut her f**ing veins? Like, enough. Enough. I think that’s what you be wanting,” she said.
Cardi, who is no stranger to “straight up disrespectful” online comments, said the public criticism of Tyla has reached a disturbing level.
Some of the backlash stems from Tyla’s heritage and the language she uses to describe it.
In 2024, during an interview on The Breakfast Club, Tyla described herself as “coloured”, a term that is a slur in the US but in South Africa refers to a distinct mixed-race identity with a complex historical and cultural background.
American audiences accused her of distancing herself from blackness and suggested her chart performance was suffering due to a lack of support from the US black community.
In a June 2024 social media post, the 23-year-old clarified: “I’m mixed with black/Zulu, Irish, Mauritian/Indian and coloured. In Southa [South Africa] I would be classified as a coloured woman and other places I would be classified as a black woman.
“Race is classified differently in different parts of the world. I don’t expect to be identified as coloured outside of Southa by anyone not comfortable doing so but to close this conversation, I’m coloured in South Africa and a black woman,” said Tyla.
She has repeatedly stressed she has “never denied her blackness”.
Cardi defended Tyla in 2024 after the South African star asked Lil Nas X to hold her MTV VMA trophy while giving a speech and she was branded “an entitled African” and “uppity”.
The US singer hit back at the time, explaining the trophy was heavy and said critics were missing cultural nuances.
“Y’all criticise so much that you’re not realising you’re bullying this girl,” she said.
Despite the online noise, Tyla’s career continues to soar. Her latest EP, We Wanna Party, released on July 25 2025, has surpassed 40-million streams globally on Spotify.
After years of anticipation, Cardi B locked in the September 19 2025 release date for her album Am I The Drama?.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.