Ravyn Lenae is standing up for herself and other Black women who are criticized for not fitting the stereotypes associated with them. The artist replied to a hate comment she received, which described her as the “only Black girl in the white friend group.”

Ravyn Lenae called out scrutiny over her Blackness

On Saturday, the singer posted a video on Instagram in which she replied to a comment made about herself.

“Her aesthetic give only Black girl in the white friend group,” the comment read.

Lenae said she had previously seen the post on X but decided to wait before publicly addressing it.

“There’s been a few moments like this where I felt like my Blackness, my identity has been questioned or picked apart, and I really want to understand where it’s coming from,” she said.

Lenae went on to cite her talented Black women before her who inspire her style.

“Because if you really study Black aesthetics, you would know that I’m pulling directly from the women who have come before me — the Chaka Khans, the Minnie Rippertons, the Diana Rosses. That’s who I look to,” she said.

The artist criticized the comment for putting Black women and girls in a box and associating them with stereotypes.

“To me, this shows me that you have a very limited view on what Black girls or Black women can be, and that’s really unfortunate, because I think we can be whatever we want to be,” Lenae added. “And this type of projection is only perpetuating a really sad and small mindset. So, don’t do this to me; don’t project on other Black girls.”

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Fans and celebrities alike came to her defense in the comment section.

“Sometime folks don’t understand CHICAGO Chicago is funk soul blues rock n roll we are and have always been what folks say is ‘alternative’ ALWAYS and the culture we bring has often removed our face ! You represent us well and I see you sisTAH,” Keke Palmer commented.

“It always gave Black excellence idk,” Baby Tate added.

Ravyn Lenae entered the Billboard Hot 100 chart for the first time in 2025

2015 marked Lenae’s biggest year yet as an artist. Her 2024 single “Love Me Not” from her album Bird’s Eye went viral on TikTok. It inspired dances, remixes and was used in countless videos across the app, including a popular mashup with Solange’s “Losing You.”

The track also marked her first time being featured on the charts. In April, “Love Me Not” entered the Billboard Hot 100 chart at number 81. It eventually peaked at No. 5 and has been streamed over 650 million times, according to Forbes.

Lenae told The Los Angeles Times that her goal with “Love Me Not” was to create something timeless or “soulful and Black but that transcends time and race.”

So far, Lenae has collaborated with Childish Gambino and Ty Dolla $ign, and she has opened for SZA and Omar Apollo. Lenae also performed on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel Live and Today. She was recently featured on Forbes’s 30 Under 30 Music list for 2026.

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