Internet star Trisha Paytas has stirred a debate online after dressing up as rapper Ice Spice for Halloween.
The 35-year-old turned to Instagram on 17 October with a string of photos revealing her creative outfit choice. In the snap, she cosplays as the rapper with a curly red wig and an all-pink outfit almost identical to the one Ice Spice donned in 'Princess Diana' featuring Nicki Minaj.
"I'm thick because I be eating oats," Paytas wrote as the caption, while crediting photographer Isaiah Mays, costume designer Eddy's Online, makeup artist Arianna Garcia and hairdresser Tony.
Fans were quick to flood the post with praise, with some even having to take a second look. "I genuinely thought this WAS ice spice for a sec," one wrote.
"It's Ice Spice putting your TikTok in her stories for meeeee. I'm her own words, YOU ATE," another added.
Meanwhile, others accused the YouTuber of doing blackface, with one asking: "Is this blackface. If we compare the literal colour of their skin it is the same."
A second penned: "White person to white person— Trisha you can’t be doing this…"
The comments fuelled fans to hit back and defend the star.
"Why are people trying to cancel this? she’s just wearing a ginger curly wig and the same outfit. there’s no way y’all are trying to cancel this. y’all need to touch some grass," one wrote on the post.
"This isn’t racist lol she isn’t in blackface she is just dressed as Ice Spice smh. It’s more cosplay tbh," another said.
A third added: "Y’all want this to be 'racist' and 'blackface' so bad…"
Indy100 reached out to Trisha Paytas' representative for comment.
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