Rapper DaniLeigh has gone into hiding from social media after users on the popular platform Twitter dragged her for a song she released that, many say, furthers the colorism movement in the African American community.
DaniLeigh deactivated her Twitter account on Friday after thousands of people criticized her for her song “Yellow Bone,” which celebrates her being “light skinned” as something men prefer. Many reacted with dismay at the song, which not only fetishizes women of lighter skin but it also puts down dark-skinned black women as being undesirable and not beautiful.
Traditionally, being light-skinned is associated with the European standard of beauty that suggests that lighter skin, blonde hair, and blue eyes are the ideal mark of beauty, and anything darker is inferior. However, in recent times, movements like #BlackGirlMagic and the natural hair movement that targets women of African descent embracing and loving their natural beauty have rejected the European standard.
Others though, continue to promote the standard, including women who are light-skinned but still considered black. Twitter users also dragged DaniLeigh, who they say is an imposter- she claims to be black, but her parents are of white Dominican heritage- not black. In spite of this, DaniLeigh has used her claim to black identity to further her rap career- rap and hip hop music being originally created by and for people of African descent.
Her latest song was the straw for many Twitter users who said the lyrics was meant to demean DaBaby’s baby mother, “so DaniLeigh made “yellow bone” to diss DaBaby’s dark skin bm and instead it got her European roots dragged up and down twitter? Play stupid games, win stupid prizes,” one Twitter user said.
In defense, DaniLeigh said, “why can’t I make a song for my light skin baddies? Why y’all think I’m hating on other colors when there are millions of songs speaking on all typees…why y’all so sensitive & take it personal …gahhhh damn,” she said.
However, by the end of the day, it was clear that the social media users had had enough of her. She had previously said nobody can cancel her. “Congratulations y’all gotta another thing to say about me when you hate… it’s all good.. only God can “acel” me bc the people around me are the ones that know my heart and intention and rea life… I’m sorry if I offended you.”
The rapper who has posted her Ancestry tests showed that her genetic makeup is only about 12% African while the remaining is Spanish European. She has insisted though, on many public forums that her ethnicity is black as well as her identity is black.
Dani Leigh lost me with that "Yellow Bone" song. Yall still makin songs that enforce colorism and fetishization of light skinned ppl in 2021? Being Light Skinned is NOT a personality trait, and sad to say, it's honestly all some of yall got, which is tragic. #DoBetter
— Missy was on the LIIIVE JaQuel!!?? (@Uri_Mercury) January 21, 2021
Dani Leigh really being forced on us while Sevyn Streeter, Justin Skye, & Teyana Taylor are overworking to he heard…… pic.twitter.com/jXR0wW11Av
— ?? (@EPierre_Libra93) January 21, 2021
Actual light skin Black girls are about to be getting dragged for the next 3-5 business days because of Dani leigh non singing ass. pic.twitter.com/oN1KUzLbkW
— _Kyanna_ (@Bronxdiva1) January 21, 2021
