Ice Spice and Matty Healy reconcile after racist podcast controversy
By Ryan General
September 29, 2023
Rapper Ice Spice and Matty Healy, lead singer of The 1975, appear to have put their differences aside following the latter’s controversial podcast remarks earlier this year.
How it started: In the February episode of “The Adam Friedland Show,” Healy and host Friedland joked about the rapper sounding like an “Inuit Spice Girl” or a “chubby Chinese lady.” While Ice Spice, whose real name is Isis Naija Gaston, is Dominican and Nigerian, Healy and Friedland imitated Chinese and Hawaiian accents during the exchange.
The podcast was pulled from streaming platforms after a backlash, and Healy later publicly apologized during a performance in New Zealand in April, expressing regret for any offense caused.
How they reconciled: In an interview with Variety, Ice Spice expressed her initial confusion about the podcast’s content, saying, “When I had heard that little podcast or whatever, I was so confused.”
She then revealed that she and Healy had reconciled during a Jean Paul Gaultier party. Healy reportedly expressed concern for her well-being and repeatedly apologized.
“He was like, ‘Hey, you OK?’ and I’m like, ‘Of course.’ He apologized to me a bunch of times. We’re good,” Ice Spice was quoted saying.
What’s yet to be addressed: Despite the reconciliation, it’s worth noting that Healy has not publicly addressed his use of ethnic slurs and mock accents during the podcast episode. The controversy surrounding his remarks extends beyond his interactions with Ice Spice. This has led to criticism from other artists, such as Rina Sawayama, who indirectly referenced the podcast during a performance and expressed frustration back in June.
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