- JoJo Siwa was called out by some fans for “blackface” in her latest music video.
- The video for her song “Nonstop” featured a young dancer dressed up as a monkey with brown fur and makeup.
- Siwa appeared to respond to the negativity on her Instagram page, saying meanness had no place on her social media.
- She said it’s “not about what you do on social media it’s about what you do in real life.”
- Siwa is the latest YouTuber to be accused of racial insensitivity, following Shane Dawson and Jenna Marbles.
- Visit Insider’s homepage for more stories.
JoJo Siwa is the latest YouTuber to respond to allegations of racism. Some followers thought an 11-year-old actor who dressed up as a monkey in Siwa’s latest music video for her song “Nonstop” was wearing blackface.
The video, which is set in a circus, features dancers dressed up as all sorts of animals, including a young white girl with brown fur and makeup on her face. The comments on the video have been disabled.
Siwa appeared to respond to some of the comments in an Instagram post.
“This is for all the people I blocked today … peace out girl scout,” she wrote with a peace sign emoji. “This is my Instagram and anyone who is going to be mean is NOT going to be allowed on here.”
She said people were bossing her around, telling her who to follow, "what to post, what to like, what to say, what to do, everything."
"It's not about what you do on social media it's about what you do in real life," she said. "I said it best when I was 12: 'Hide behind the screen cause their just so mean. But we don't play it like that, we don't even fight back.'"
She also thanked everyone who was being kind to her, and reassured them she does see their posts too.
"Also side note," she added. "People went to my DOG'S Instagram. My DOG. To hate on me. Iconic!"
http://instagr.am/p/CB395UrHHL1
YouTube appears to be rife with accusations of racial insensitivity right now. Shane Dawson has left social media for a while after accidentally canceling himself with a lengthy statement about the beauty community, which led to people dredging up his past of "edgy" humor and dressing up as Black people.
Jenna Marbles also announced that she's leaving YouTube, perhaps indefinitely, in a tearful apology for her old content that people were asking her to address.
Read more:
YouTuber JoJo Siwa shared a tour of her bedroom, and it's a candy lover's dream
JoJo Siwa fans are shocked after she ditched her famous ponytail and bow to show her natural waves