Rappers love connecting with their fans, but sometimes those supporters take things a step too far and end up violating an artist’s personal space. Throughout the years, there have been dozens of instances of fans getting too close for comfort, even bum-rushing the stage to be close to their favorite artist. While security has been able to stop these over-zealous hip-hop enthusiasts before they do any harm, unfortunately, a few handsy supporters have succeeded in grabbing or assaulting rappers.
Fans Relentlessly Continue to Grab Rappers
Most recently, Stunna Girl and Skilla Baby were the victims of inappropriate touching by fans. During the weekend of April 27, Stunna Girl was performing at a rowdy show in Syracuse, N.Y. when suddenly a predatory fan in the front row slapped the rapper’s butt. Meanwhile, Skilla Baby had his chest inappropriately fondled while he was performing at a recent show around the same time as well. Both of the grabby fans faced consequences for their actions, Stunna Girl’s assailant got the life knocked out of them by Stunna’s security, and Skilla Baby’s touchy-feely supporter got a stern talking to in front of everybody.
“I don’t go no disrespect toward you, bro. I don’t even go that way,” Skilla tells the man. “I appreciate you, bro. But I don’t do that.”
Skilla’s reaction was relatively tame and empathetic compared to some of the wrath fans have faced in the past for inappropriately grabbing rappers. DaBaby’s security beat down a woman who attempted to punch the rapper while he was performing back in 2019. 21 Savage also shoved a fan who tried to grab his face during a walkout while he was on Drake’s It’s All a Blur tour back in 2023. Similarly, a Drake supporter got hostile during the same tour when they grabbed Drizzy’s throat during one of his own walkouts.
Read More: 21 Moments of Rappers Falling Off Stage Over the Years
Why Do Fans Continue to Grab These Artists Even Though They’re Being Filmed?
One would think seeing other people get beat down by security for touching a rapper without permission would dissuade others from trying similar stunts, but the number of fans feeling bold enough to attack rappers remains concerning. Female artists have spoken out during shocking moments with fans, and even accused fans of sexually assaulting them. Iggy Azalea said she had to stop crowd-surfing at her shows after fans allegedly kept trying to “finger” her.
“I had to stop,” Iggy said in a 2014 interview on Hot 97. “It’s funny because we were talking about how [on] my tour, I’m only doing like 2,000-seaters but I still have to have barriers, even if it’s like 200 people, because people try to finger me.”
It’s mindblowing the number of fans who have been seen on camera sexually assaulting rappers. Sexyy Red had her rear end grabbed by a handsy security guard while exiting a stage in 2023, all of which was caught on video. That same year, Busta Rhymes threw a drink at a woman named Nikita Mathis after she was seen grabbing his butt during a concert. Mathis even ended up releasing a statement with The Shade Room following some backlash. “I admit I shouldn’t have touch him at all but he’s BUSTA,” she said in part.
In this highly recorded digital age, in which everything can be caught on camera, it seems like that would deter assailants from assaulting artists. However, statements from fans like in the Busta Rhymes incident show that some people feel emboldened to make these choices because of an artist’s celebrity status. With fans having more connection to their favorite artists than ever before via social media and other outlets, this constant connection and social status has dehumanized artists in the eyes of some supporters.
DaBaby was most recently sexually assaulted by a fan on video that the rapper himself recorded in April. The fan grabbed the rapper’s genitals while he sat in his vehicle at a gas station after she asked for a photo. Prior to the assault, the fan was also making objectifying remarks right to DaBaby’s face. He shared the clip on his Instagram account.
In this age of constant surveillance, nobody is getting away with antics like these anymore, yet people still try. While it remains to be seen what it will take to keep fans from touching rappers inappropriately, the fact remains that they need to stop as soon as possible.