Kodak Black Cements His Role as Hip-Hop’s Villain

Kodak Black is not known for holding his tongue — and his recent statements about slain rapper Nipsey Hussle's longtime girlfriend, actress Lauren London, are just the most recent efforts in his apparent crusade to become hip-hop’s most antagonistic outlaw.

Hussle was gunned down outside his clothing store in Los Angeles last month. London, Hussle's partner since 2013 and the mother of his child, responded to the news of his death by saying she was “completely lost” after losing her “best friend, sanctuary, and protector.”

As tributes poured in honoring Hussle’s legacy of musical excellence (he was nominated for a Best Rap Album Grammy this year) and community activism (he headed several initiatives to improve safety and educational opportunities for kids in Los Angeles), Kodak Black showed a decidedly different reaction.

In an Instagram Live session last week, Kodak said he would “be the best man” he could be to London.

"I'll give her a whole year [to mourn]," Kodak said. "She might need a whole year to be crying and shit for him."

His comments sparked instant blowback from fans and fellow artists alike, who called his advances toward her “ignorant.”

In response, DJ Justin Credible, a host on L.A.'s popular Power 106, said the radio station would no longer play Kodak’s music.

"We stand with the family of Nipsey Hussle and are appalled by the disrespectful and poor comments made by Kodak Black," Credible tweeted. "With that, Power 106 will not support Kodak Black's music. #LongLiveNip."

The most vocal artist criticizing Kodak for his comments is T.I., who appeared in the 2006 movie ATL as London’s love interest.

We stand with the family of Nipsey Hussle and are appalled by the disrespectful and poor comments made by Kodak Black. With that, Power 106 will not support Kodak Black’s music. #LongLiveNip ????????????

— Justin Credible (@J_Credible) April 7, 2019

"Kodak Black, you outta pocket," T.I. began. "Fix that shit, quickly, expeditiously, n***a. You outta pocket, n***a. If ain't nobody else gonna say it, I'ma say it. If I see you, I'ma say it in your face."

T.I. also went as far as to remove Kodak's contributions to his Trap Museum in Atlanta, which honors the subgenre native to the city.

Kodak’s response to T.I.’s retribution was, expectedly, far from polite.

"Fu*k that pu**y ass museum, bitch. I ain't give y'all permission to put me up there anyway, bitch," he said.

He also insinuated that T.I. was coming to London’s defense only because he wanted her for himself.

"Dude just wants first dibs on her," Kodak continued. "Eat a baby d*ck."

Kodak, in his own way, issued a partial apology to London for his comments. "If I disrespected you Lauren London in any shape or form, I am sorry," he began. "Even though I didn't.”

Kodak Black doesn’t exactly have a stellar track record when it comes to his sentiments toward women. He is set to go on trial for rape this month, and in March, he was criticized for making repeated sexual comments about the openly gay female rapper Young M.A.

It’s not often that rappers face concrete repercussions for harmful words and actions toward women.

But Kodak is already beginning to see real legal and cultural consequences for his behavior, as the music industry and the world at large becomes less tolerant of unfair treatment of women.

The Pompano Beach native has built his reputation on his tendency to break the rules, which has landed him in jail already. We can’t expect artists to always say the right thing or take the appropriate stance, but when it comes to women, Kodak seems committed to consistently doing and saying the worst things possible.

The question becomes: Will his career survive as he increasingly makes headlines for the wrong reasons?