Raymonte has started a conversation on social media.
The Black gay influencer is known for his uncensored and hilarious takes on X, formerly known as Twitter. He’s also a star on Ari Fletcher‘s cooking show, which covered his recent trip. For his birthday, Raymonte went on a vacation with other Black influencers. Among the outlets covering the trip was Essence, which pointed out how it’s so important for Black influencers to get some of the same opportunities and pay as their White counterparts.
“Omg essence thank you for the article, but this is kind of hypocritical,” Raymonte posted on X. “You all have invited numerous other influencers to events, never me. [It’s] the same [thing] with BET. I have a large following and my supporters keep me afloat, so I don’t cry over spilled milk. I don’t need a pity party or deep dive into why I’m not ‘marketable.’ Don’t use me as the example when you contribute to the problem.”
Essence responded to Raymonte’s call out on X. The outlet clarified the company’s goal is to champion and amplify “nontraditional” spaces within the Black community. The article’s purpose was to introduce Essence‘s article to Raymonte.
“Super disappointed that this was the response to the angle of uplifting, learning more about you and wanting brands to recognize what you bring to the table,” Essence posted on X. “Everything isn’t for everyone, and we receive that moving forward. Wish you the best. Keep going.”
“Why are you disappointed at my response?” Raymonte posted on X. “You didn’t showcase or highlight any of my content or positive moments, so what’s being introduced? … talking about everything I’m not getting, while also offering me nothing but well wishes and good luck? Girl, f— y’all.”
“I was really respectful, I thought. They’re acting like I did something to them. I’m never getting invited now,” the influencer continued.
Essence has since deleted the post of the story from X as well as their response to Raymonte. The article story is still up on the media outlet’s website.
