Selah blasts critics attacking her for 'White Lives Matter' top

‘You cannot bully or manipulate me’: Bob Marley’s granddaughter Selah blasts critics for attacking her for wearing ‘White Lives Matter’ top with Kanye West – and texts rapper saying she wants to ‘continue conversation’ with ‘depth and clarity’

• Selah Marley, 23, modeled the provocative slogan shirts at Kanye’s Paris Fashion Week runway show on Monday
• The model also took to Instagram and slammed people criticizing her as being ‘stuck in a hive mind mentality’ 
• She also shared texts she sent to Kanye, saying she wants to ‘continue the conversation with depth and clarity’
• Selah is the daughter of former Fugees lead singer Lauryn Hill and the granddaughter of the iconic Bob Marley

Bob Marley’s granddaughter has blasted people criticizing her for her controversial decision to wear Kanye West’s ‘White Lives Matter’ shirt – telling them ‘you can’t coax me into silence.’ 

Selah Marley, 23, modeled the provocative slogan shirts at Kanye’s Paris Fashion Week runway show on Monday, but the move has since been branded a ‘stunt,’ rousing intense backlash. 

She texted the rapper, 45, after receiving a slew of abuse online for her actions, saying she wants to ‘continue the conversation with depth and clarity.’ 

The model also took to Instagram and slammed people criticizing her as being ‘stuck in a hive mind mentality.’ 

She rebutted her critics, writing: ‘You can not bully me, manipulate me, or coax me into silence. Nor will you bully me into being who you want me to be.’ 

And she said people who are sending her hate about the White Lives Matter shirt ‘do what the group tells you to do and think what the group tells you to think.’  

In a later post, she said: ‘I’m ready for us to have the conversation. Tell Kanye West to text me when he wakes up so we can continue to move this conversation forward and provide the necessary clarity, depth and health that we are collectively in need of.’

Selah Marley (right) stood with Kanye West (left) at his fashion show in Paris, wearing ‘White Lives Matter’ shirts. Both have come under intense scrutiny following the ‘stunt’ 

She texted the rapper after receiving a slew of abuse online for her actions, saying she wants to ‘continue the conversation with depth and clarity’

Model Selah Marley is seen leaving the Proenza Schouler fashion show during New York Fashion Week on February 11, 2022

In the messages sent to the rapper, Selah writes: ‘I think that what we did has obviously created a lot of conversation and I would like us to continue that conversation.

‘I love taking risks and embracing freedom, but in this case, I think we can continue to discuss the depth behind our decisions to show the purity of our intentions and provide healing to our community.

‘Love you so much. Let’s keep this going – in a healthy way.’ 

Selah is the daughter of former Fugees lead singer Lauryn Hill and the granddaughter of the iconic Bob Marley, a chronicler of black people’s struggle for freedom. 

She was born during Hill’s long-term relationship with Rohan Marley, the son of reggae artist Bob Marley. The couple had five children together when they were together between 1996 and 2009. The pair never married.

The model, who is represented by NEXT Models, was previously the face of Beyonce’s activewear line, Ivy Park SS17. In a 2017, she described West as one of her role models.

Selah said: ‘He’s been through a lot of persecution in the media and by people, but it doesn’t stop him from being who he is.’

She first worked with West in 2017 during New York Fashion Week. Selah fawned over West in an interview with Vogue over what it was like to work with the rapper.

Selah added: ‘He is so passionate about everything, and he has you looking forward to his next move, as he always thinks outside the box.’

The former NYU student described the experience as ‘exciting and inspiring.’

Selah Marley is seen wearing a yellow Alexander McQueen dress outside the Alexander McQueen AW22 show on March 15, 2022

Selah is the daughter of former Fugees lead singer Lauryn Hill and the granddaughter of the iconic Bob Marley (pictured) a chronicler of black people’s struggle for freedom

West and Lauryn Hill have cross paths in the past. The rapper repurposed Hill’s Mystery of Inequity on one of his breakout hits, 2004’s All Falls Down.

For his 2021 album, Donda, West was at it again, sampling Hill’s Doo Wop (That Thing) on his track Believe What I Say. In a 2020 tweet, West referred to Hill as ‘Our Queen.’

In recent years, Kanye has aligned himself with President Donald Trump, regularly sporting a Make America Great Again baseball hat in public.

He also made the controversial statement that ‘slavery was a choice.’ 

Kanye West’s spokesman Jason Lee quit in protest at the provocative Paris show, writing on Instagram that West was ‘gaslighting black people and empowering white supremacy.’

‘Very humble and thankful to Ye for the opportunity to work with him but that part of our relationship has come to an end,’ he later wrote on his Instagram Story.

Gabriella Karefa-Johnson said the t-shirts were ‘deeply offensive, violent and dangerous’.

West reacted with scorn, ridiculing her outfits online and saying she had no understanding of fashion.

The rapper and designer slammed the global cause on Instagram after wearing a provocative ‘White Lives Matter’ sweater at his surprise Yeezy fashion show in Paris on Monday

Provocation: Kanye West sparked outrage on Tuesday after dismissing Black Lives Matter, the social movement created to protest social and racial injustices aimed at his own community

Yet a day later, he insisted Karefa-Johnson was his ‘sister’ and said they had had a two-hour discussion about the issues raised.

Meanwhile, the official Black Lives Matter organization slammed West for trying to kill the movement – and accused his words of harming ‘thousands of families fighting for justice.’ 

A Black Lives Matter spokesman said: ‘The stunt was a clear affront to Black Lives Matter, which has been measured as the largest racial justice movement in history. 

‘Black models walked the runway wearing the same slogan. ‘All Lives Matter’ and ‘White Lives Matter’ have long served as violent retorts to the Black Lives Matter movement, used by white supremacists and hate groups, including the Ku Klux Klan.

‘In a follow-up statement, Kanye was clear that he intended to kill the Black Lives Matter movement.

‘Black Lives Matter Grassroots sees this as a teachable moment. Political education is core to what we do. 

‘While some may see Kanye and Candace’s stunt as a distraction, we recognize that it harms thousands of families fighting for justice for their loved ones killed by states sanctioned violence. 

‘It can spread toxic confusion and be used to legitimize violent assaults on Black people.

‘Battling misinformation while continuing to do the hard that liberation requires is nothing new for us.

‘Kanye West and Candace Owens sent a performative dog whistle to millions. Kanye knows very well that ‘white lives’ have never been targeted for oppression. 

‘Black folks, in contrast, are at the bottom of virtually every economic, social, and political measure because of centuries of individual and institutional racism. 

‘Building a world of Black freedom means upending systems that harm and building new systems of care. Ultimately this benefits everyone. When Black people get free, everybody gets free.’ 

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