Janelle Monáe publicly criticized Nelly during a Grammys after-party in Los Angeles on Sunday night, taking aim at him for his performance at former President Donald Trump’s inauguration.
The outspoken singer made the remarks during an impromptu rap session with Anderson .Paak at Andy’s in West Hollywood, a venue co-owned by .Paak.
The two artists had attended the Grammy Awards earlier at the Crypto.com Arena before taking the stage at the after-party. According to witnesses, they performed a medley of songs, including Nelly’s 2002 hit “Hot in Herre,” which prompted Monáe to launch into a freestyle critique of the rapper.
In video footage obtained by TMZ, Monáe altered the song’s lyrics, saying, “I used to like Nelly … but then he performed for Donald Trump. Fk that [N-word.] I don’t give a fk … Nelly, you sold out. I used to think he was cool … F**k you [N-word.] Get a new attitude.”
Monáe’s remarks were met with mixed reactions from the packed crowd. Known for her vocal opposition to Trump and his policies, her fiery comments reflected the ongoing backlash Nelly has faced for performing at Trump’s inauguration ball in 2017.
Last month, Nelly addressed the controversy in an interview with NewsNation, defending his decision to perform. “This is not a campaign trail. This is not anything that I feel like I’m influencing people to sway how they feel, but it’s more about the respect and the honour of being invited for what I like to call the greatest country on the planet,” he said.
The after-party, attended by several celebrities fresh from the Grammys, became an unexpected stage for Monáe to make her stance clear, reigniting conversations about the intersection of politics and entertainment.
Watch the video below…