After Joking About Megan Thee Stallion Getting Shot, Draya Michele Apologizes

On July 22, media personality and actress Draya Michele apologized for her super insensitive comment about the Megan Thee Stallion and Tony Lanez shooting incident that happened last week. “I truly don’t glorify domestic violence... I was trying to say just love me deeply. But while trying to be funny, I offended many, including meg. And I’m sorry,” Draya tweeted.

During the latest podcast episode of Wine and Weed, many felt that Draya brushed off what happened between Megan and Tony as some kind of heated lovers’ quarrel that ended badly, comparing them to Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown (Bobby had allegedly physically abused Whitney while they were married). Many felt that this hugely glamorized domestic violence, and that it was ignorant and crass to make jokes about such a traumatizing experience a real person went through.

“I predict that they had some sort of Bobby and Whitney love that drove them down this...type of road. I’m here for it. I like that. I want you to like my so much you shoot me in the foot, too,” Draya said.

She added, “I want you to like me so much that if I’m trying to get out of the car, and you’re like, ‘No, sit your assin the car,’ and I’m like, ‘No, [redacted], I’m getting out of the car.’ [He goes] ‘No you’re not!’ Bah-bah!” She mimicked the sound of gun shots.

Megan herself responded on Twitter, calling Draya out for joking about getting shot, as well as anyone else who felt it was appropriate to joke about it too. 

Activist and Director of Comms at Ms. Foundation for Women, Raquel Willis tweeted, “What Draya said about the Megan and Tory situation is a reminder of how women can prop up patriarchal violence. Nothing about this situation is a joke. It’s actually another reason why we need a more holistic conversation on violence that goes beyond what happens from the State.”

Another Twitter user wrote, “This is what Megan meant by when she said Black women are unprotected. People using her pain and traumatic experience as a meme.”

All the commotion around Draya’s uncalled for jokes take away from the point Megan, a victim and survivor of abuse, was trying to make. On July 17, she poignantly tweeted, “Black women are so unprotected & we hold so many things in to protect the feelings of others w/o considering our own. It might be funny to y’all on the internet and just another messy topic for you talk about but this is my real life and I’m real life hurt and traumatized.”

It’s unfair and unfortunate that Megan was forced to relive the pain she experienced, but hopefully Draya is able to learn from her mistakes and take the criticism she received to heart. 

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233.