After recapturing the hearts of female fans fresh off the heels of his Verzuz win, Mario is facing a backlash because of his latest collaboration with a problematic artist.
On Monday, the Baltimore native announced his new upcoming single with Tory Lanez on Twitter.
“#MARIOMONDAY special announcement! This Friday dropping new music! This one called “MAIN ONE”! S/O to my bro @torylanez ! We went crazy tap in,” Mario wrote.
#MARIOMONDAY special announcement!
This Friday dropping new music! This one called “MAIN ONE”! S/O to my bro @torylanez ! We went crazy tap in! pic.twitter.com/ajAK4BlbcW
— Mario (@OHYESMARIO) July 11, 2022
The news did not go over well with his primarily Black female fanbase. Twitter users immediately canceled the 35-year-old crooner for what they felt was a slap in the face to Black women, including rapper Megan Thee Stallion who was allegedly shot by Tory in 2020.
— SupposedFemTweeter (@KirkWrites79) July 11, 2022
One Twitter user wondered where was the energy he had in August 2020 when he told Black men to check their egos.
What happened to this energy??? https://t.co/gJ50n7uLoz
— Tapestry Services. (@tapestryserves) July 11, 2022
The same women who fell back in love with you at Verzuz are also Megan fans and if I gotta choose between you and Tory or her, I’m riding with the Stalli.
— Tina Belcher
(@Mimi_Miercoles3) July 11, 2022
Nobody was gonna listen to this to begin with, but now we definitely not. Good luck ??
— a (@albertoutspoken) July 11, 2022
Mario went from “Black men, we gotta control our ego” to teaming up with “my bro Tory Lanez?” pic.twitter.com/xjX5oTCQCM
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) July 11, 2022
Mario had women swooning 2 weeks ago during and after that Verzuz. And now he’s about to completely undo all of that by putting out a record with Tory Lanez. Are artists’ teams really this stupid?
— Reid (@RVAReid) July 11, 2022
Mario I just—
The utter LAMENESS of it all, aside…
You spent almost 2 hrs on the verzus stage talking down on non singing ass niggas in R&B just to turn around and hit us with a TORY LANEZ feature!?! pic.twitter.com/RHgp50ixsT
— Ash Money Records™️ (@LightsPlease___) July 11, 2022
The “Let Me Love You” singer also posted a video of himself working on the collaboration with Tory to Instagram.
“MAIN ONE” sounding like a summer anthem to me,” he captioned the post. “You got horns on your halo. You can’t fool me ?? @torylanez we bouta have fun wit this one nigga! ??? FRIDAY??!!!!! #summervibes?? lol”
View this post on Instagram
Mario hasn’t commented on the controversy, but the singer, born Mario Dewar Barrett, was raised by his mother and grandmother. Despite his mother’s drug use, the matriarch recognized her son’s talent and supported him, buying him a karaoke machine. Mario’s hard work eventually paid off. He released his debut album with the hit single “Just A Friend” in 2002. He went on to drop four other studio albums– the last one in 2018.
Hopefully, Mario will listen to Black women if he’s still trying to make a comeback.
