Yung Baby Tate is not here for body shaming. After the 25-year-old “I Am” rapper shared photos of herself on social media onstage wearing a leopard print outfit, she was met with internet hate.
The Grammy-nominated musician Yung Baby Tate brought the house down during her performance at AfroPunk 2021. In fact, her cover of Aaliyah’s “One in a Million” is all over the internet because sis let us know that the mic was on, okay? While her talent should have been the center of attention, social media users began to pick at her body, with one comment in particular prompting Tate to start her own body positivity challenge.
“I’m all for being natural and loving the skin you are in but that’s not just what a natural body looks like that’s a natural body with no discipline, structure and poor eating habits in their lifestyle…Girls that work out don’t look like this,” wrote entrepreneur Ayesha Howard in the comments of one of Tate’s pictures.
“And she’s a performer she should want the best for herself all around,” she added. “[I]t’s not just about looks but in her job presentation is everything and she needs to be healthy enough to do it.”
Yung Baby Tate said she finna ease up off Ayesha for coming at her body chiiile 😩
— Onsite! Tv (@Its_Onsite) September 29, 2021
Afterwards, Yung Baby Tate posted a few more natural selfies and encouraged her followers to do the same. What ensued was a conversation about loving your natural body and not letting anyone get you down about the way you look. Social media users also talked about shifting expectations for women’s bodies, cosmetic surgery and how the internet has played a role in the way women think of themselves.
As Queen Bey once said, ‘wanna see some REAL A$$?! Baby here’s your chance!'” she said quoting Beyoncé’s lyrics during her feature in “Savage” by Megan Thee Stallion. “Shoutout to all my natural bellied bodies. I see you, I am you, I love you. No matter WHAT my body looks like, it is MINE and I love it! Please go project your insecurities onto a piece of paper, burn it, and throw it away. Then go look in the mirror and tell yourself how much you are loved.”
She received widespread support and praise from fans in her comments after being told she should lose weight and called unhealthy.
Her tweet asking her fanbase to showcase pictures of themselves has over 70,000 likes. Meanwhile, 3,000+ people shared photos and Tate has been sure to recirculate some of them in solidarity.
“Shoutout to all my natural bellied bodies. I see you, I am you, I love you,” she shared on Instagram.
The rapper seemed to take the negativity in stride, responding to critics with a sense of humor.
It’s called a GET MONEY GUT and all brokeys should keep their negative opinions to themselves
— babytate (@yungbabytate) September 28, 2021
I really been going off on bitches for 2 days straight. It’s always people with the least going on with the most to say. MY BODY is MY BODY to work on or NOT!
— babytate (@yungbabytate) September 29, 2021
Y’all gone be so mad when I link with Savage X Fenty in this bomb ass body of mine 😍
— babytate (@yungbabytate) September 29, 2021
But she also turned the nastiness into a body love moment that has inspired hundreds. Sharing three photos of herself wearing a bikini and proudly showing off her belly, she challenged followers to share theirs as well.
“Natural bodied babes quote this with ur fav body pics!” She wrote.
natural bodied babes quote this with ur fav body pics! pic.twitter.com/mGoLtOV7GZ
— babytate (@yungbabytate) September 29, 2021
And her fans surely did answer the call.
“Lowkey wanted a bbl (Brazilian butt lift) when I made it, shoutout to the lil booty lil body natural girls,” one commenter admitted.
Lowkey wanted a bbl when I made it 😂 shoutout to the lil booty lil body natural girls pic.twitter.com/pxrrHzhw0c
— Diosa (@Diosasgolden) September 29, 2021
“I am not a face girl okay but the last picture was right before I turned 18 and started BC: I’m 21 now gained like 40/50 pounds and had a hard time feeling good about it. But I’m happier now and finally have a little a** and thighs so,” another person added.
I am not a face girl okay 😂 but the last picture was right before I turned 18 and started BC: I’m 21 now gained like 40/50 pounds and had a hard time feeling good about it. But I’m happier now and finally have a little ass and thighs so 🤪
— holley housewife (@hauntedholley) September 30, 2021
“You are everything and then some,” rapper Princess Nokia said.
“Just a while ago they were bashing you for getting a “ bbl “ which you didn’t. Now they bashing you for having a natural body. The internet is weird,” a fan commented.
“Cheers to not succumbing to the pressures of social media & the world standards!!” Another person added.
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A commenter even shared their experience with body image writing, “I love you so much for who you are! I remember through my journey of life my weight fluctuating and even at my lowest weight my belly was never flat – I always felt like I wished it would be but that changed when I learned to love myself even though it’s a daily journey, seeing someone like you be so beautiful and confident with a belly that doesn’t sit flat makes me feel empowered to continue wearing my crop tops too all the love sis #naturalbellybaddies.”
Moreover, Yung Baby Tate has earned herself a DM of encouragement from Rihanna in the process of proving a point.
The Savage X Fenty founder told YBT a message which she’s yet to publicly reveal but it only amplified her message to fans to highlight their own bodies and shake off beauty standards.
“I’m really crying y’all Rihanna just dmd me,” Tate tweeted. In a follow-up tweet she added, “Y’all gon’ be so mad when I link with Savage X Fenty in this bomb ass body of mine.”
Tate took her message of body positivity from Instagram to Twitter where she began a thread calling for natural body women to show off their favorite body pics. To date, the tweet has been quote tweeted over 6,000 times with over 9,000 retweets and 1,300 replies.
Body shaming women in Hip Hop has become a growing trend in recent months as well as individuals defending those attacked. After Lizzo was “fat shamed” for her sexually charged “Rumors” video with Cardi B, T.I. stuck up for her, calling out haters. Coi Leray has felt pressure online about her slim figure compared to acts like Megan Thee Stallion only for fans to heap praise upon both.
