Jason Lee is pushing back on the viral narrative that Rihanna “snubbed” Tyla on the Met Gala carpet. A short clip of Tyla approaching Rihanna and then seemingly being waved off lit up timelines, with some viewers casting the moment as proof the superstar had no time for the younger Afro‑pop singer.
In comments highlighted by Complex, Lee says he spoke directly with Rihanna’s camp and was told there was no shade intended, arguing that people projected “mean girl” energy onto a split‑second interaction in a heavily choreographed environment. He insists Rihanna is “not a mean girl” and points out that movement on the steps is often dictated by publicists and producers, not personal beef. Complex’s social post on X links to a fuller breakdown of his comments, which you can see here.
The debate highlights how quickly Black women in the spotlight can be painted as catty based on tiny, context‑free clips. It also shows how much pressure newer artists like Tyla are under when they share space with icons — every glance, pause or missed connection becomes fodder for stan wars and think‑pieces.
@tmz ❌🚫 Tyla is shutting down all that viral Met Gala drama with Rihanna -- insisting the internet completely ran wild with the story that the icon snubbed her.
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On Facebook, Complex expanded on Lee’s remarks, again stressing that there was no deliberate snub and encouraging fans to watch longer angles before drawing conclusions. That post, which links out to the full story, is being used by some fans to push back against the narrative that Rihanna intentionally iced Tyla out, and you can find it here.
