Dancehall Queen Spice put her foot in her mouth over the weekend while attempting to call out French cosmetics and skincare company, NARS Cosmetics, for what she perceived to be insensitive branding on one of their products.
The Love and Hip Hop: Atlanta reality star was perhaps a little too impulsive when she fired off an Instagram post yesterday expressing upset at NARS for branding one of their darkest shade foundations, “Zambie.” Spice seemingly thought it was a deliberate and distasteful act of prejudice against women of color since the name was similar to ‘Zombie’ — what would be rendered ‘Zambie’ in her native Patois tongue.
Alongside a photo of herself holding the product, and using her ‘I Feel Away’ catchphrase from the time she called out Walmart for profiling, Spice wrote in the IG caption, “@narsissist I FEEL AWAY!! I need this name changed ASAP. Why your darkest foundation name is “Zambie” out of all the names in the world couldn’t you have chosen a better name?”
That did not go over smoothly with followers online, most of whom thought she was being embarrassingly ignorant.
One person responded to Spice explaining, “It’s actually a country in Africa most of their dark toned foundations are named after countries in Africa.” However, the Dancehall singer doubled-down and reiterated her point, “Well Africa has 54 Countries to choose from so how about Ethiopia, Uganda, Nigera, Gambia, Ghana, list is long sis.”
A similar comment got the Tables Turn deejay triggered. It said, “I love you Spice but Zambia is an African country. Zambia in English and Zambie in French,” to which she responded, “Girl Africa has 54 Countries stop with this Nonsense African names was too large to choose from but hey I’m guessing you not dark skinned so this seems normal to you hun?”
By then, some followers pointed out that the caption was later edited to further include, “I know French word for Zambia is Zambie but Africa has 54 Countries.” She added, “Bestie let me know if I’m being petty, or is it little things like these we need to put a stop to #blackandbeautiful #NARS”
As the backlash continued, another person offered, “It’s the name of a country in Africa not the “monster” or “walking duppy.”
One Instagram follower said, “They name it after countries in Africa. Please delete this lol.”
She apparently took the L and did just that after realizing her error.
But then Twitter entered the chat.
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(@httpsjhey) February 28, 2021
“I hope to god she knows Zombie and Zambia are two different things Sis is so triggered,” tweeted one user, while another said, “I love that she doesn’t know the difference between Zombie and Zambia and she would die on the hill.”
A concerned fan wrote, “Aunty Spice… Why you dweet? This is so embarazzzinggg” with some crying emojis. “Spice coulda just deleted the post enuh. But no… She gotta be loud and wrong. Stewwwppssss,” one quipped.
This Twitter user simply thought Spice has a complex about her own skin color, which is why she was blinded by the innocence of NARS’ makeup branding.
“Lmao , Spice is so troubled by her own skin tone that everything bothers her she’s actually her biggest enemy !Imagine not getting your facts straight and jumping off at this woman , I’m tired of miss all purpose season,” she wrote.
Lmao , Spice is so troubled by her own skin tone that everything bothers her she’s actually her biggest enemy !Imagine not getting your facts straight and jumping off at this woman , I’m tired of miss all purpose season. https://t.co/iEvMgncJpz
—
Island ting (@Wintur2) March 1, 2021
Fans of Spice will know she doesn’t take color shaming lightly, as can be seen with her liberating 2018 single, Black Hypocrisy from her Captured mixtape. The song brings light to colorism within the black community and preaches self-love.
“The moments that inspired this song was comments on social media from other dark-skinned women … I believe that they’re always degrading the darker skin girls, and there was a particular girl that went on a popular social media, and she was downplaying me because of the color of my skin. I mean, in Jamaica, I think society makes them feel like you have to have a lighter color to look better, or to get through society better,” she has said on the inspiration behind the song.
As for NARS cosmetics, had Spice done a little backchecking before publicly going off on the makeup company, she would see that they in fact use several African country names to label their darker and earthy color foundations.
It just so happens the “darkest” as Spice puts it is loosely termed to the mythological figure or what many know as the ‘walking dead,’ but is by no means related or meant to signify.
The backlash on Twitter later turned into jokes at Spice’s expense, and they don’t seem to be letting up on the Dancehall star.
“Spice has really been down bad lol. Guess you could call it fall from… Grace,” duane marc wrote.
If Spice is so upset about « Zambie », wait till she finds out that they might name the next one « Niger » pic.twitter.com/fa4gXHTrCc
— Everything but, Jamaican
(@darynelweekly) February 28, 2021
Imagine when Spice sees negro on her son’s black crayons. @Crayola you better count your mf days
— Shamye (@Terrizle) February 28, 2021
Zambie nyam out Spice brain or sum’n?
— The Imp of the Perverse
(@dar_kal_ien) February 28, 2021
Zambie
Spice : pic.twitter.com/1UrIbPXgL0
— Skeng (@TheMorrisonView) February 28, 2021
Spice too has her own cosmetics line, Faces & Laces, and similarly to NARS uses atypical names to label her collection. As a musician Spice uses names that represent her craft, like “Piano Palette” for her eye shadow set, and included are colors she styled, “Hip hop,” “Genie,” “Soca,” “R&B,” “Reggae,” and “Dancehall” to name a few.
Maybe she knows now, no harm was intended.
Amid this rare misstep, the visual treatment for the deejay’s song, Frenz, is currently No. 1 in Jamaica. The song will appear on her debut album which is expected later this year, along with what she recently said is a ‘major and historic’ collab with Sean Paul and Shaggy.
