Mario reminded fans of his catalog during his Verzuzagainst Omarion where he came out on top. Omarion received flowers for his showmanship but when it boils down to the artistry, many fans concluded that Mario is the superior artist. It may have been a better time than any to capitalize on the performance and unveil new music but his recent song announcement left fans disappointed.
Michael Buckner/Getty Images
After hinting at a special announcement, Mario revealed that his next single will feature Tory Lanez, who’s accused of shooting Megan Thee Stallion. Though cancel culture hasn’t necessarily ended Tory’s career, fans didn’t think it was the right move for Mario. Some pointed out how he captivated women during his Verzuz performance, specifically Black women. Others brought up his comments after news of Tory’s arrest in 2020.
“This @theestallion & @torylanez situation got me in awe. Sad AF? Knowing Tory personally this shit crazy to me. Black men we gotta learn how to control our ego, anger etc. at some point the switch gotta turn off! Protect black women! Heal black men. Love & respect each other,” he wrote on Aug. 21st, 2021.
It seems that Mario later hopped on Instagram Live where he doubled down on his collab with Tory Lanez, praising the Brampton artist for his independence and talent.
Check out some of the reactions to Mario’s announcement below.