Benzino has been in the spotlight for a lot of reasons—he’s a rapper, record producer, and reality TV star. But along with his career, he’s been involved in quite a bit of controversy, from feuds with his daughter to backing some questionable figures. Here’s a breakdown of why people have been coming after him. You definitely don’t want to miss this one!
Now, let’s get into Benzino’s story, particularly his rocky relationship with his daughter, rapper and singer Coi Leray. Coi has shared that things have been rough between them for a long time. In an interview with Vlad TV, she revealed that she was raised mostly by her mom and that things got even harder when Benzino started having financial struggles. Coi even had to drop out of school in the 10th grade to help support the family.
The beef between Benzino and Coi Leray became public in 2021 after Coi threw some shade at her dad in her song “No More Parties” featuring Lil Durk. If you need a refresher, the lyrics went something like this:
“Me, me, me, me, I’m too busy getting this money, counting this cheddar,
My daddy let me down, but I promise you, I won’t let up,
I wanna say that man, but this won’t make me better…”
(Impersonation) Wait, what? Open your mouth! Is that really how she talks, or just how she raps? Because that’s not really rapping. And if that’s supposed to be singing, it’s not that either! Down here in the South, we call that “mealy-mouthed.” You know, like you’re mumbling and not making sense.
As Coi started making a name for herself in the music industry, she accused Benzino of being jealous of her success. To give you some context, Benzino had a brief run in the early 2000s with his song “Rock The Party” featuring Mario Winans. In an interview with Angie Martinez, Coi claimed her dad couldn’t handle her rising fame. Benzino, however, denied being jealous during a July 2023 appearance on the “We In Miami” podcast. He also took to Instagram (in a post that’s now deleted) and said, “How could I be jealous of someone I raised, nurtured, provided for, influenced, and loved so much?”
(Mocking) “Nutured”? Uh, did you mean “nurtured”? Come on, Benzino.
He went on to say that he was tired of Coi spreading what he called a false narrative about him as a father. But Coi wasn’t about to let that slide. She clapped back on Instagram Live, calling him out for airing their family issues in public instead of talking things out with her directly. She also made it clear that she has every right to share her side of the story, no matter how he feels about it.
In April 2024, Benzino stirred up quite the controversy during his appearance on the “We In Miami” podcast when he came to R. Kelly’s defense. He claimed that the disgraced R&B singer deserves a second chance, arguing that he knows plenty of other men who have been involved with underage girls. “I know that Elvis messed with girls who were 14 or 15. I know other guys messing with young girls too,” he said. He acknowledged that while he’s not condoning such behavior, he questioned, “The legal age is 16, so does that make it right? If a man does it, yes or no, does that make it right if it’s legal?”
His answer? “Hell no!”
One guest on the podcast didn’t hold back, calling the situation “gross.” Benzino, however, persisted with his point. “Alright, so, but it’s legal in America. So why the hell is R. Kelly doing all this time? Because they’re 14—two years younger.”
He made it clear he wasn’t condoning R. Kelly’s actions, but he felt that the singer shouldn’t be facing such severe punishment. Benzino even suggested that R. Kelly’s troubles stem from a lack of education. As you can imagine, this line of thinking didn’t sit well with many people, and Benzino faced serious backlash. His own daughter, Coi, expressed her disgust, tweeting (and later deleting), “I want everybody to know I want nothing to do with anything my father has going on,” adding, “Beat it, ashy!”
Things got even more awkward when Benzino later appeared on the “Famous and Wealthy” podcast. He claimed Coi had no right to be offended by his comments, pointing out that she lost her virginity at 14. Talk about a major misstep! Many were outraged, not only for his defense of R. Kelly but also for the way he objectified his own daughter.
Benzino’s comments continued to draw attention when, after the March 2024 raid on Diddy’s home, he voiced his support. He remarked, “They went in that man’s property with tanks and army men and National Guards. They did that for the message. They did that just so they could embarrass a Black man and humiliate a Black man.” It was almost as if he was begging for someone to take his mic away!
On May 9th, 2024, during an interview on the “Danza Project” podcast, Benzino suggested that people of color were turning against Diddy based on rumors and conspiracy theories. But after footage surfaced on May 19th showing Diddy allegedly putting his hands on Cassie in a hotel, the internet erupted. Some social media users were willing to cut Benzino some slack, while others insisted it was time for him to stop defending questionable figures in the entertainment industry.
Benzino found himself in hot water again in July 2019 when he was pulled over by Georgia cops for missing a court date over an unpaid speeding ticket. The encounter went off the rails when he accused the officers of racial profiling, even going so far as to insult one officer by calling him “Jackie Chan.” This ridiculous moment led to his arrest and a public apology where he insisted, “There’s no room for racism in our country. I love all people, all my life.” But did anyone believe him? Not really!
His complicated history doesn’t end there. Benzino has faced significant backlash for his tumultuous relationship with his ex-fiancée, Althea Eaton, whom he met on “Love and Hip Hop: Atlanta.” After getting pregnant, Althea accused him of domestic violence. In a deleted tweet, she stated, “No matter how mad you get, you shouldn’t treat a pregnant woman like that ever, or hit her back.” This left many confused, especially given her implication that hitting back could be acceptable.
Their son was born in November 2015, and by July 2016, Althea was granted a temporary 12-month protective order against Benzino due to various allegations, including stalking and holding her against her will. She even claimed he put a tracker on her cellphone. It’s a mess, to say the least.
2022 was quite a year for Benzino. In March, a video popped up showing him getting escorted out of a Red Roof Inn alongside a guy named Cavario. The hotel management claimed they had overstayed their welcome, but Benzino insisted they’d asked for an extension. When the cops showed up, Cavario was in the shower, and Benzino told the police he felt like they were being discriminated against.
“So, we’re leaving. Is there anything else in this room? Someone else in the shower? You want to go talk to him?” he asked, clearly frustrated.
He added, “If we were a white couple, like John and Bill Summerfield, none of this would be happening.”
For many, the implications were pretty clear. Later, Benzino went on Vlad TV and described Cavario as one of his closest friends, noting that they’d worked together at The Source magazine. He brushed off the idea of sharing a room with another man, saying it was no big deal because he often traveled with several guys. Benzino was adamant that he wasn’t part of the LGBTQ+ community. But just two months later, his ex Althea revealed a text from a guy named Shauna on Benzino’s phone, where he supposedly said, “I’m new to this. I’m just trying to find myself.”
After getting slammed online, Benzino doubled down, denying any connection to the LGBTQ+ community. Instead, he said he was “trans-attracted” during another interview with Vlad TV. It was like he was going in and out of the closet! So what’s the deal, Benzino? Are you in or out? No one really cares; just pick a side!
And, you know what, besties? The list just keeps getting longer. (Whispering) Honestly, I don’t have the time to go through it all right now.
(Soft singing) Shoobie doobie do wop, Benzino, get your hands out of that cookie jar! Shoobie do wop, do wop, shoobie do wop wop wop… Come on, besties, join in! Shoobie do wop… Do you like this song? Shoobie do wop, do wop wop… Hoochie! Shoobie do wop, wop wop wop. Shoobie do wop…