The internet is giving Angela Simmons a hard time for rocking a gun-designed clutch purse to the recent BET Awards.
The 36-year-old made a public apology shared to her Instagram Story, expressing regret for carrying the bag, explaining that it wasn’t her intention to appear as though she was trying to promote gun violence.
“When I chose the purse, I believed it was cute and unique and I made a poor decision in using it as an accessory to amplify my beauty,” she said in a lengthy statement.
Some people are outraged because, in addition to pointing the purse at photographers in a joking manner, they felt the purse was tone-deaf considering the ongoing gun violence epidemic, which has hit close to home for the entrepreneur and mother. Simmons’ former fiancée and father of her child, Sutton Tennyson, was shot and killed outside his home in Atlanta in 2018.
“I deeply regret that this item, which symbolizes a gun, was inappropriate and insensitive, especially given my personal and community experiences with gun violence,” she added.
“I understand the pain and hurt this has caused, especially for those who have been directly impacted by gun violence,” she said. “For my entire life, I have always exemplified peace, unification, and the resolution of gun violence in America. I have personally lost my partner, the father of my child, to gun violence, and I have witnessed its devastating impact on my community in Southeast Queens.”
Simmons went on to say she doesn’t promote gun violence and reinforced that her foundation, Angela’s Angels, has programs dedicated to combating the issue and helping those impacted by it.
The entrepreneur’s current partner, rapper Yo Gotti, weighed in on the outrage and defended her in a brief Instagram Story post. He was among those who didn’t think the accessory was a big deal.
“She just practicing,” he wrote alongside two hearts and a green gun (the color of her purse) emoji. He also added “LOL” at the end of the post. The rapper has also been affected by gun violence. Recently, his older brother was shot and killed in Memphis in January.
The couple showed up to the awards show in Los Angeles on Sunday, June 30, hand in hand and have been dating, publicly, since 2023. They have been red carpet mainstays, and it’s not uncommon for Simmons to take a fashion risk at such events. It seems though, this one was more controversial than fashionable.