LOS ANGELES — Rapper Pardison "Pardi" Fontaine publicly supported girlfriend Megan Thee Stallion on Thursday amid a Los Angeles jury's deliberations over whether rapper Tory Lanez shot the "Savage" emcee in the foot two years ago.
"To any woman especially ones of color that has suffered an injustice I feel for you," Fontaine wrote Thursday in an Instagram story.
"[W]hen you do find the courage to speak up.. it seems you will be ridiculed.. your credibility will [be] questioned.. your entire past will be held under a magnifying glass.. in an instant you can go from victim to defendant in the eyes of the public," the "Backin' It Up" rapper continued.
"To any one with a daughter sister mother niece or aunt.. I pray for their protection.. I pray for their covering.. I wouldn't wish this on anyone," he wrote.
Fontaine, who has been dating Megan for more than two years, is the latest to speak up on behalf of his "Savage Remix" collaborator. On Wednesday, conservative commentator Candace Owens shocked many when she threw her support behind the three-time Grammy winner by saying that "what is playing out with Megan Thee Stallion in her real life ... is one of the most hideous things I've ever seen."
Megan Thee Stallion, whose real name is Megan Pete, is not the person on trial but occasionally appeared to be leading up to the contentious nine-day proceedings. The "Hot Girl Summer" rapper has undergone a wave criticism from her peers rooted in misogynoir since announcing that she was shot in the Hollywood Hills in July 2020 and later naming Lanez as the alleged shooter.
Scrutiny was renewed when Lanez' assault trial began earlier this month, especially when Megan took the witness stand in a downtown L.A. courtroom last week.
The swaggering performer behind hits such as "WAP" and "Body" was often on the verge of cracking during her emotional four-hour testimony on Dec. 13, talking about suicide, depression and her regrets over coming forward about the shooting, which landed her in a hospital with bullet fragments in her feet.
"I wish he would've just shot and killed me if I knew I was going to have to go through this torture," the 27-year-old testified.
Lanez, 30, a Canadian hip-hop star whose real name is Daystar Peterson, has been charged with assault with a firearm, illegal weapons possession and negligent discharge of a gun. If convicted, he faces more than 22 years in prison.
But his defense team has tried to shift the blame toward Megan's estranged best friend, Kelsey Harris, who was also present the night of the shooting. Lanez' attorney argued that Harris exploded following an alcohol-fueled revelation that both women had been sleeping with Lanez. Harris, who is not on trial, offered jurors conflicting accounts of what allegedly transpired that night in the Hollywood Hills.
Meanwhile, the case has reignited discussions about misogyny in the male-dominated hip-hop industry, in which Megan has ascended with a discography of songs about powerful women, especially powerful Black women. Lanez also released an entire record denying the shooting, and more recently, fellow Canadian rapper Drake hinted that he didn't believe Megan's accusations against Lanez on the track "Circo Loco."
Closing arguments in the case were heard Wednesday, and the jury — consisting of seven women and five men — began deliberations on Thursday. A verdict could be handed down as soon as Friday.
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(Los Angeles Times staff writers James Queally and Jonah Valdez contributed to this report.)
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