Nicci Gilbert, a member of the R&B group Brownstone, has taken a stand over violence against women by taking down her awards with Tory Lanez.
In protest, Gilbert decided to take down the plaques she earned after Tory sampled Brownstone’s 1994 hit song “If You Love Me” for his 2015 debut single “Say It.”
In a recent wordy Instagram post, Gilbert expressed her respect for the jury’s decision against Tory, who was found guilty of shooting Megan Thee Stallion after a party in the Hollywood hills in July of 2020 during a drunken argument.
While Gilbert expressed sympathy for Tory Lanez’s children and family, she also clarified that she is on Megan’s side and believes her allegations.
She stated, “I’m taking these awards down in protest of violence against women. I will not tolerate it under any circumstances.”
Gilbert said, “It’s a shame that our community is so broken that we relentlessly attack victims, but I get it. Hurt people hurt people.”
Gilbert believes this victory was a win for all victims and hopes it sends a strong message. She said she also prayed for Tory as an advocate for artists and creatives.
Nicci Gilbert acknowledged that Tory, as a young black man who achieved fame quickly, may not have had the necessary emotional intelligence and development to handle such success.
She believes he made a poor decision, but she hopes he will come out of this experience as a better man and artist.
Gilbert also wants the entertainment industry to use this situation to prioritize artist development and overall wellness.
“The artists you see as a windfall are falling hard, and the impact on our community is devastating. Artists have too much access to too many people, who are triggered in one way or another by their successes and failures,” Gilbert remarked.
Gilbert also mentioned that she is still waiting on paperwork from 2015 regarding returning money from the “Say It” single.
Tory is facing up to 22 years in prison when he is sentenced in January of 2023.