Black women rallied in full force after Megan Thee Stallion took to Instagram Live on Thursday to blast fellow rapper Tory Lanez, who allegedly shot the artist last month. Using #ProtectBlackWomen as a rallying cry, Megan's supporters applauded her for speaking up and condemned hatred against women.
In her Instagram Live video, the 25-year-old rapper said Lanez's publicity team has been lying about the incident.
“Tory shot me," she said. "You shot me and you got your publicist and your people going to these blogs lying. Stop lying. Why lie? I don’t understand.”
Megan's Live Part 1 pic.twitter.com/rR9Za3x54L
— Alex Ocho (@thealexocho) August 21, 2020
The shooting happened after the two rappers and Megan's friend, Kelsey Nicole, left a pool party at Kylie Jenner’s Hollywood Hills home, as Blavity previously reported. Lanez is accused of firing shots while the two women were exiting the car after an argument, striking Megan in the feet twice.
In her latest video, Megan said Lanez's security guard was also in the car and everybody was arguing.
"I get out the car. I'm done arguing," the rapper said as she recalled the incident. "I don't wanna argue no more. I get out. I'm walking away. This n***a from out the back seat of the car starts shooting me. You shot me."
The “Hot Girl Summer” artist addressed several rumors about the incident, starting with speculations about her injury.
"I ain't get cut by no glass," the rapper said, adding that she never hit Lanez — as some people are assuming.
Megan said she didn't provide details to police immediately because she didn't want them to escalate the situation after finding a Black man with a gun.
"You think I’m bout to tell the police that we, n***as, us Black people, got a gun in the car?" she said. "It's a f**king helicopter over us and some more s**t. Why the f**k would I tell the laws somebody got a gun in this car and this n***a shot me? So I can get shot?"
Megan said she also didn't give any details to the staff members who treated her when she got to the hospital.
"I'm thinking the doctors is still the police, so I'm trying not to tell them," she said. "I'm scared. I never been shot before."
Megan's Live Part 2 pic.twitter.com/8xT3EaFE6f
— Alex Ocho (@thealexocho) August 21, 2020
The rapper can now find solace in the scores of women who have flocked to the internet to show their support.
We support @theestallion in this household. #protectblackwomen
#AndMeanIt
https://t.co/Vfs4JEii5h— Stefanie Reeves, FASAE, CAE (@sjreeves) August 21, 2020
Megan's terrifying incident served as another opportunity to shed light on the domestic violence Black women are often subjected to.
Compared to a Black male, a Black female is far more likely to be killed by her spouse, intimate acquaintance or family member than by a stranger. So when we say protect Black women were talking about protect us from you as an individual. #ProtectBlackWomen
— T (@TieraMMack) August 21, 2020
The love for Megan clearly drowned out internet trolls who wanted to disrupt women's efforts to come together.
Black women truly deserve better in this messed up world. They deserve love, respect AND appreciation. Y'all are beautiful, you all matter and you are all LOVED. Stay strong & remember that the real human beings who actually have hearts stand with every single one of you!????????????❤️
— Sammy ???????????? (@CanadianBaby97) August 21, 2020
Many of Megan's fans didn't hold back when they called out men who tried to silence the traumatized rapper.
Soooo…you want our look, but not our skin? Want our ???????????? but we can't talk about? Want to shoot us and we can't tell anyone?
What in the whole hell kinda upside down do these black men think we in?#ProtectBlackWomen period
— Kel Cadet-Lyons (@kelcadet) August 21, 2020
Some people, who were fans of Lanez, decided to distance themselves from the alleged shooter after Megan came out with her story.
Damn Tory I fucked with you hard too but not with the bullshit #ProtectBlackWomen
— Steven Michael (@SMThaGreat) August 21, 2020
The incident also proved to be another testimony to the Black community's frail relationship with law enforcement, which has been further strained by ongoing cases of police brutality.
Protect Megan at all Cost!!Protect BW at ALL COST!!Imagine Being SHOT TWICE and In fear of your life and can’t feel comfortable going to /talking to the police. That is a daily struggle black people go through!#meg
#weloveyoumegan
#ProtectBlackWomen— ????❤️✊???? (@LovesPetty) August 21, 2020
According to the Associated Press, Lanez was arrested after the incident on suspicion of possession of a concealed weapon. But he was released on bail on the same day and has not been charged. The case is still under investigation, police said.
"He not in jail because I didn't tell the laws what happened as soon as it happened and I should have," Megan said on Instagram. "I'm smart. I didn't have to spare that n***a. I don't have to spare nobody, but I did, and I'm done."
Megan was recently nominated for Artist of the Year at the upcoming MTV Video Music Awards, the AP reported. She released her latest work earlier this month, collaborating with Cardi B to produce “WAP,” which was No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 this week.