In a new interview with Variety, burgeoning rap superstar Ice Spice addressed a racism scandal involving the 1975 frontman Matty Healy, saying she “didn’t really care” about it, despite an online controversy that had social media users up in arms for days.
The incident she’s referring to took place in spring this year, when Healy appeared on The Adam Friedland Show. Healy mentioned Ice Spice, which prompted the show’s hosts to guess at her ethnicity, all while using derogatory and stereotypical accents for Chinese, Hawaiian, and Inuit people. While Healy himself didn’t participate, he also didn’t push back; in response, fans criticized him heavily on social media (although, to be fair, a lot of that appeared to be driven by protective Taylor Swift fans who just didn’t seem to think he was “good enough” for her).
“When I had heard that little podcast or whatever, I was so confused,” she said. “Because I heard ‘chubby Chinese lady’ or some sh*t like that, and I’m like, ‘Huh? What does that even mean?’ First of all, I’m thick. What do you mean Chinese? What? But then they apologized or whatever. And the whole time, I didn’t really care. But that’s funny because I saw him at the Jean Paul Gaultier party a couple days ago, and he was like, ‘Hey, you OK?’ and I’m like, ‘Of course.’ He apologized to me a bunch of times. We’re good.”
Here’s a prime example of why maybe everyone should consider chilling out a little bit. It’s understandable to be invested in our favorite entertainers to a point, but getting all offended on their behalves when they rarely even notice the stuff we expend so much energy on can’t be healthy. Besides, if Ice Spice is too busy doing deals with Dunkin’, working on her debut album, and collaborating with Healy’s ex Taylor Swift, maybe we could all learn from her example and mind the business that actually keeps us paid.