Lila Iké Says She’s “Into Women” After Blackmail Threat
“I am Lila Ike I am into women and I’ve been making reggae music,” the Solitude singer wrote in a series of cryptic tweets yesterday, to preempt what she suggested was a threat to “expose” her sexuality.
“So what if I am into women? My music isn’t real?” Lila Iké wrote. “Expose all you want.”
“If pictures are released I said it first,” the 27-year-old declared.
Iké also revealed that she’s been molested and raped. “Men have done nothing but break me. And my mom and my grandmother,” she wrote in another tweet.
“And they tried to kill me and it never worked,” she continued in one tweet. “Now they are trying to stop me on the road.”
The cryptic tweets and an Instagram Live that followed have raised concerns among fans about the artist’s safety. “They have been trying to kill me day 1. Reggae music will never die even if a girl who loves a woman is singing it,” she wrote on Instagram.
Seemingly frustrated and clad in a hoodie, Lila appeared in a video, in which she added, “Fi the whole day, mi a try get somebody fi save mi life. Fi the whole day! Reggae music can never dead. Dem wah expose wah? True mi have a picture with a girl? True me have a picture with a girl?”
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“You not listening to the music; Unuh gone inna the bed,” she added.
So far, there’s been no official statement from Iké’s management, but many fans and some of her fellow entertainers have offered their support including producer ZJ Sparks, who confirmed that the singer was safe.
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“U Covered Inna Real Life…Love U Sis @LilaIkeJa,” tweeted fellow artist Jesse Royal.
Blvk H3ro offered a word of caution tweeting, “nobody doesn’t even know fully wats up so before you speculate and fuel hysteria wait until we get more information in regards to Lila”.
One fan wrote, “With you for life. Always and forever. Nothing can’t dim the light within. Rebuke all badmind energy.”
Another added, “ and the message in your music still stands! The seed has already been planted, they can never take that away from you or your listeners.” Another tweeted, “And we love you and your music same way. Real is real. Love & support always!”
Born Alecia Grey, the Manchester native signed with Protoje’s In.Digg.Nation label in 2017. Her popular songs include Biggest Fan (2017), Second Chance (2018), Where I’m Coming From (2019), Solitude (2020) and I Spy (2020).
Her debut EP The ExPerience was released by In.Digg.Nation in partnership with RCA Records/Six Course in 2020.
In August, Iké released Batty Rider Shorts, which called for the protection of children against sexual predators.
Lila was recently nominated for Best Reggae Act at the Mobo Awards this year.