Alabama and Travis Barker.Photo: Astrid Stawiarz/Getty
Online hate won’t stopAlabama Barkerfrom becoming a rapper.
AfterTravis Barker’s younger daughter shared a clip of an unreleased rap song to TikTok last week and faced backlash for stepping into the genre, she took to the social media platform once again to defend herself in a since-deleted video.
She showed a photo of herself as a young child posing alongsideNicki Minajduring her dad’s opening slot alongside the “Super Bass” rapper andRick RossduringLil Wayne’s I Am Music II Tour in 2011.
“So, the first thing that I’m going to point out is this tour. This tour was when I was about 5 years old,” recalled Alabama. “[I was] 5 years old watching her set every day. I knew every lyric.”
While showing a photo of Travis and Wayne posing together, she said, “Just more proof to the pudding because I ‘didn’t grow up around rap music.'”
“I went to Rihanna’s music video when she shot the ‘Umbrella’ song, I believe — or one of her songs. So, another song I loved,” continued Alabama, speaking alongside a photo of Travis and Rihanna recording a remix of the 2007 single. (She also met Rihanna at the 2017Grammy Awards.)
Alabama Barker and Rihanna.Lester Cohen/Getty
She then showcased a tour poster for theBlink-182and Lil Wayne Tour, which went down in 2019. “Then, once I got a little bit older this was another tour that I was on. It was Blink and Wayne,” said Alabama. “Every night I would watch the Wayne show when I was like 11 years old.” (She was actually around 13 when the tour happened.)
“This is us at dinner with Asap Ferg and my dad,” she said of the latter photo. “I was also a huge fan of his music, and I knew every lyric to half of his songs.”
Pictures of herself posing withSteve Aoki,Justin BieberandPharrell Williamsfollowed, during which she said, “It wasn’t just rap music.”
Alabama Barker.Michael Simon/Shutterstock
Alabama then responded to criticism about her style, especially the long and colorful nails she’s been sporting as of late. “For everybody telling me, ‘Oh, she wants to wear nails now,’ ‘She thinks she’s this, this and that,’ this was in 2012,” she explained of an old photo of her nails.
Many of her birthday parties have also featured rap performances, as she recalled DRAM, Lil Yachty, Trippie Redd and others appearing at her celebrations over the years.
She continued, “I know I am privileged, and I’m beyond grateful for that and blessed. It’s not OK for people to make fun of or disrespect any culture at all. So, if me being a rapper bugs you, then you can just keep moving and stop commenting.”
Last week, Alabama shared a clip of herself lip-syncing to a snippet of a rap song — and followers were quick to notice that the audio was an original.
“But listen who the f— y’all talking to / I’m Alabama, get to know me, I might sp-z on you,” Alabama rapped in the audio as she mimed the words in real-time for the TikTok video.
Alabama also rapped about Van Cleef and Baccarat perfume, as well as a seemingly casual romantic relationship, in the 40-second clip.
“Treat me like your momma, drip me out in some designer, ice me out like boy, I’m wildin’ / You know the type of energy, don’t treat me like it’s 10 to me / You better not be textin', treat your exes like your enemies.”
The clip continued, “You know you got me / I’m ridin' ‘round in shotty, you right beside me / You feelin’ all up on me.”
source: people.com
