Meek Mill responds to backlash over 'disrespectful' lyric referencing Kobe Bryant's helicopter crash

A leaked lyric from Meek Mill about Kobe Bryant led to considerable blowback, and a defiant response from the rapper himself.

The lyrics to Mill's unreleased song, reportedly titled “Don’t Worry (RIP Kobe),” came to light on Wednesday, according to E! Online, with a couple lines appearing to make light of the helicopter crash that killed Bryant, his daughter Gianna and seven others last January:

Bryant was also reportedly referenced by Lil Baby, who appears in the song and says "have a son, so I can name him Kobe/Daughter Gigi."

It's not hard to see why that led to a torrent of criticism against Mill on social media. The Washington Post's Michael Lee was among the critics, writing the lyric was "disrespectful" and that it's still too soon for a song referencing Bryant in such a manner. Mill has spoken of Bryant, a fellow Philadelphia native, in the past, wishing prayers for Bryant's family and publicly supporting a petition to make Bryant the new NBA logo.

Mill, as he often does, soon took to social media to defend himself, accusing his critics of falling for a narrative against him and comparing the backlash to mind control:

It's been an eventful week for Mill, as he is also mired in a feud with fellow rapper 6ix9ine. The two met in a confrontation that nearly turned physical earlier this week, which Mill has also addressed on Twitter.

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