Simi breaks silence on backlash over old tweets
Singer Simi Addresses Backlash Over Old Tweets
Nigerian artist Simisola Bolatito Kosoko, widely known as Simi, has confronted recent criticism surrounding her past tweets after they resurfaced online.
The controversy ignited when Simi expressed strong sentiments regarding sexual assault, advocating for severe punishment for rapists amidst the ongoing case involving TikToker Mirabel. Mirabel later retracted her allegations, prompting a divided response from social media users who subsequently unearthed tweets from Simi dating back to 2012.
In several of these older posts, Simi referenced a child’s innocent affection, mentioning a young boy who allegedly attempted to “loc lip,” and joked about the child “trying to put [his] hand inside my shet.”
In response to the backlash, Simi took to her X account to clarify her earlier remarks.
“I haven’t been on Twitter today, but someone brought a few of my old tweets to my attention, and I can’t not address it,” she stated. “Fourteen years ago, I was 23, so I was definitely not a child. I’m not here to make excuses because I don’t have anything to make excuses for. What I can’t let anyone do is twist my story to fit false narratives.”
She elaborated, explaining her life at the time included helping at her mother’s daycare while pursuing her music career. “I tweeted everything that happened in my life, as we all did at the time. Kids can be mischievous. If a child did something I found funny, I tweeted about it. Kids are cute and lovable. I want to hug, kiss, and cuddle them. Nothing I tweeted was from perversion,” she added.
Simi emphasized that she was not well-known when the tweets were posted and acknowledged that public interpretations can be distorted. “I was not famous then, so maybe if I was, I would have understood that anything is open to interpretation, including being used falsely by a faceless mob. I’ve never been depraved in my life,” she said.
she noted that she has deleted some of her old posts for the sake of her family but reiterated her commitment to combating sexual violence: “I have always spoken against rape and sexual assault, even before you knew I existed. It’s not a costume I’m wearing; it’s who I am. I’ve never claimed to be perfect. I’ve never claimed to know everything. I said stop raping women. I stand by it.”
