Yo Gotti has responded lightheartedly to the controversy surrounding his girlfriend Angela Simmons’ choice of accessory at the 2024 BET Awards. Simmons faced backlash for wearing a bedazzled gun-shaped purse, which many found insensitive given her personal history with gun violence.
In an Instagram Story post, Gotti wrote “She just practicing” alongside laughing and gun emojis, seemingly making light of the situation. This contrasts sharply with Simmons’ own apology, where she expressed deep regret for her “inappropriate and insensitive” decision to carry the purse.
Simmons acknowledged the pain it caused, especially for those impacted by gun violence, including herself. The 36-year-old businesswoman lost her former fiancé Sutton Tennyson to gun violence in 2018[3][4]. Gotti himself has also been affected, with his brother Anthony “Big Jook” Mims being killed in a shooting in January.
Despite the controversy, Simmons reiterated her lifelong commitment to peace and ending gun violence in America. She clarified that carrying the purse was a mistake that does not define her values or advocacy work[4]. However, Gotti’s lighthearted response has drawn mixed reactions, with some feeling he is “adding fuel to the fire” after Simmons’ apology.