Selah Marley, daughter of Lauryn Hill and granddaughter of Bob Marley, faced backlash for walking in Kanye West’s YZY SZN 9 presentation in Paris wearing his controversial “White Lives Matter” sweatshirt.

The design has been criticized by activists, entertainers, fashion figures and fans who believe that the slogan is a dismissive retort to the Black Lives Matter movement, which began as a protest against anti-Black violence and police brutality.

In a message on her Instagram stories, she wrote: “The past 24 hours has allowed me to realise that most of yall are stuck in a hive mentality.

Also Read | Selah Marley reacts to Kanye’s ‘White Lives Matter’ sweatshirt backlash

“You do what the group tells you to think. Witnessing someone break free from ‘the agenda’ sends you all into such a panic that you will do whatever it takes to force them back into the box that you feel they should exist in.

“All morale and empathy is eliminated due to the fact that you feel justified by your emotions. The victim becomes the victimiser. You cannot bully me, manipulate me, or coax me into silence,” she said.

Who is Selah Marley?

Selah Louise Marley is an American fashion model and singer. She is the daughter rapper Lauryn Hill and football player Rohan Marley. Her grandfather was reggae musician Bob Marley.

The 23-year-old started modeling in 2011, when she was featured in Teen Vogue. She has appeared in Vogue, CR Fashion Book, Dazed, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, L’Officiel, Love, Vanity Fair, V, and Vogue Arabia among others.

She has walked the runway for Chanel, Calvin Klein, Telfar, Pyer Moss, and Kanye West’s Adidas Yeezy line.

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In 2016, The New York Times named her one of ‘Fashion’s New ‘it’ Kids’. In 2017, she was featured a campaign alongside Rowan Blanchard, for Converse. She has also featured in a campaign for Michael Kors.

In 2018, the teenager fronted the Chanel campaign for their Chance fragrance. She was also featured in a campaign for Telfar, and Beyoncé’s Ivy Park line.

In 2017, she was placed on the Maxim Hot 100 list.