Pop culture’s latest beef between internet personality Danielle ‘Bhad Bhabie’ Bregoli, and Travis Barker’s daughter, Alabama Barker, has social media in a frenzy. The pair have been fighting by way of diss tracks and heated Instagram lives following Barker’s alleged affair with the father of Bregoli’s child.
Bregoli, who’s grown up under public scrutiny, caught the attention of the masses in 2013 during a viral Dr.Phil episode meant to highlight and hopefully heal her behavioral issues. Instead, she became a viral meme after telling a woman in the audience to “catch her outside.”
Shortly thereafter, Bregoli went on to create music with rappers such as Kodak Black and Tyga and is most famous for her song “Gucci Flip Flops.” Although she never released a full length project, the child-star’s viral music spoke for itself until she decided to take a step out of the limelight following her OnlyFans debut.
In comparison, Alabama Barker lived a seemingly sheltered life with the occasional single release, such as her 2024 single “Vogue.” It wasn’t until Barker was seen in the presence of Black women that she began to gain mainstream traction on social media. Barker’s father is also married to Kourtney Kardashian furthering her claim to fame by association.
Though it is unclear when the pair became acquainted, the beef was the obvious end to their friendship. Bregoli and Barker’s beef was brought to the internet following a post on Bregoli’s Instagram story accusing Barker of engaging in a sexual relationship with the father of her child.
Bregoli made a number of posts pressuring Barker to speak out and deny the allegations. According to Barker, she didn’t know the man she’d been seeing was Bregoli’s partner. Barker also claimed she would never associate with a man allegedly known for being domestically violent.
A number of direct shots by way of Instagram story posts and live broadcast led Bregoli to take her frustrations out in the studio. On Jan. 27, Bregoli released her first diss track against Barker under her known alias Bhad Bhabi entitled “Overcooked” igniting a rap beef. Bregoli taunts Barker over a dark beat solidifying her claims that Barker purposefully engaged in a friendship to steal Bregoli’s partner and accusing her of idolizing her to the point of imitation.
On Feb. 7, Barker fired back with a diss track of her own called “Cry Bhabie” accompanied by a video creatively directed by Barker. The visuals for “Cry Bhabie” feature Barker, an entourage of Black men and exotic dancers foreshadowing concerns of using proximity to Black people as props in their rap beef. Barker’s lyrics, however, were less concerning as they just reiterated her initial claims: she was unaware of the man’s connection to Bregoli but she’s not worried about any confrontation.
Rapper and known lover of Kylie Kardashian, Tyga, also caught the first of many strays to come in Barker’s diss track — opening up a wider range of ammo for Bregoli to use against her. Tyga also made a video claiming he wants no association with this beef.
You really asked that man, “Should I dye my hair like Bama?”
The pills got you higher, turned you to a liar
You must be TMZ, bitch, don’t make me call lil’ Tyga
Bregoli and Barker’s rap beef came to a peak on her latest track “Ms. Whitman.” Bregoli left no stone unturned on her track which samples “Carnival” by Kanye West and features a Travis Barker look-a-like in its music video. In the first verse, Bregoli shades Kourtney Kardashian’s relationship with Travis Barker who has publicly stated interest in her sister, Kim Kardashian.
I see why you ain’t got no friends, you’re Miss I’ll-Fuck-Your-Man (Fuck your man)
Your stepmom burnt out, why she took her sister’s second-hand? (Wow)
I know your route, you’re reaching out, you need my name for clout (Clout)
That stanky [redacted] got you kicked out the Kardashian house (Ahahaha, stanky)
Bregoli also accuses Barker of stealing fellow rapper, Latto’s, flow in addition to having an abortion after getting pregnant by Tyga. Bregoli goes on to expose Barker’s relations with known rappers like Soulja Boy, Jackboy and multiple NFL football players. However, in Bregoli’s efforts to expose Barker, she’s seemingly using famous Black men as a pawn in a beef they’re not a part of.
After its release, “Ms. Whitman” went viral again due to an AI-engineered Kanye West feature surfacing on the internet. Many speculated on the validity of the verse and how it may stir up drama in the Kardashian household. Kanye West cleared up allegations by confirming he did not clear the “Carnival” sample with malicious intent nor did he provide a verse for Bregoli’s diss track, further stating how he’s “not cool with being put in the middle” of their beef.
Unfortunately, West’s statement is a clear indication that the root of this beef isn’t imitation — it’s appropriation. This rap beef is only popular because of its proximity to Black culture and its mentions of the Kardashian family.
Both parties are accusing the other of imitation without realizing they are both imitating Black women while using Black men as pawns in their beef, regardless of any truth behind the allegations.
Though Barker has not yet responded to “Ms.Whitman,” Bregoli already teased a new video snippet of her latest diss track “ OG Crash Out” set to be released. The diss track’s visuals features Bregoli with lemonade braids dancing around an Alabama Barker look-alike. Her braids speak to an age-old issue regarding the appropriation of Black hairstyles being acceptable on everyone except Black women.
From Barker showing off her grills in “Cry Bhabie,” Bregoli’s braids in “OG Crash Out” and the incessant use of African-American Vernacular English (AAVE), it appears that both women have this desire to present this authentic connection to rap culture. However, the only real difference between Danielle Bregoli and Alabama Barker is generational wealth. Although Bregoli’s visibility dates back to 2013, the “clout” both women are arguing about doesn’t belong to either of them. In reality, the clout in question comes from their proximity to Black culture.