Demi Lovato deactivated her Twitter last night (February 3) after a meme she posted about rapper 21 Savage led some to attack her about her past struggles with drugs.
The singer had just recently returned to social media after completing a three-month in-patient treatment program last autumn; she decided to get help after she was hospitalised for an apparent drug overdose in July.
On Instagram, Lovato used her Stories to explain why she got rid of Twitter. But before diving into that, a little context on why her 21 Savage joke was taken so poorly.
Yesterday, 21 Savage was reported by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution to have been arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Atlanta because he overstayed his visa. ICE said that 21 Savage is originally from the United Kingdom, although he claimed to be from Atlanta, AJC noted.
ICE spokesman Brian Cox told AJC that 21 Savage had come to the US on a visa in July 2005 that expired a year later. Although he had been convicted of felony drug charges in 2014, he was not deported then because ICE was not aware of his immigration status.
Lovato posted a meme seemingly mocking 21 Savage's surprise British citizenship. It was not taken well in light of the news, and some tweeted vicious personal attacks to Lovato.
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As she explained it, "This break couldn't last long enough tbh. So I tweeted that this was funny," she wrote under the meme she shared to give context. "And this is what people say in return?"
Lovato then shared several screenshots of some of the hateful Instagram comments she got and clarified.
"Wasn't laughing at anyone getting deported. I know that's not a joke...not [sic] have I EVER laughed at that. The meme I posted/was talking about was of him...writing with a feathered pen. Sorry if I offended anyone," she continued.
"But it's no excuse to laugh at someone's addiction let alone their OD. Lastly, I wasn't making fun on anything having to do with deportation or even anything against him. I was laughing because who the f**k knew 21 was British? Literally no-one. That's it. It doesn't go deeper than that. I'm sorry if I upset people truly. Yo @wale if you wanna talk, then answer my DMs."
That Wale line was in response to him calling her out for her joke on his Twitter.
"A lot of people were sending you love light, prayers etc." he wrote. "When people were making jokes about u at a rough time. A lot of people. Bless up."
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