Rapper Skepta did not hold back after a video surfaced showing Kim Kardashian and Kanye West’s 13-year-old daughter, North West, being embraced by a man during a Paris Fashion Week event on Friday.
The 43-year-old artist shared the footage on Saturday, capturing North’s interaction with the man at the Vetements Menswear Spring/Summer 2027 presentation. In the clip, she appeared to offer a handshake before the exchange turned into a hug, followed by the pair posing together for a picture.
The London-born musician then fired off a string of posts, arguing that it was troubling to see the teenager interacting with adult strangers in that setting.
‘A blind man could see she wanted a handshake,’ Skepta, whose real name is Joseph Olaitan Adenuga Jr., wrote on X Sunday. He also used the abbreviation KMT — shorthand for ‘kiss my teeth’ — a phrase commonly used to signal irritation or disapproval.
He continued, ‘My fans know I try to stay out of [people’s] business but damn the way grown men, complete strangers, try to use North makes me sick.’
When one X user challenged him by asking, ‘Is hugging a social offense now?’ Skepta responded that North’s body language made it obvious she had not been seeking a hug.
Rapper Skepta criticized a viral clip showing Kim Kardashian and Kanye West’s 13-year-old daughter, North West, being hugged by a young man at a Paris Fashion Week event Friday. North is pictured at the event
Skepta, 43, pictured Tuesday at a Paris Fashion Week event for Louis Vuitton
‘What are you talking about?!’ the rapper said. ‘She is 13 years old and she put her hand out for a handshake, you don’t ignore that.
‘I can’t believe some [of] these replies to my tweet.’
After a commenter noted that the eldest daughter of the A-list celebs ‘basically skipped being a teenager’ due to her fame, Skepta said, ‘WOW!! Protect your kids people. Protect your kids!’
In response to a user who agreed with his sentiments, Skepta said he found ‘sickening’ what appeared to be a disconnect in what is to be considered appropriate behavior.
‘Schools teaching French, German & English when really the language most people need to f***ing learn is “Body Language,”‘ he wrote.
Fans on the r/popculturechat subreddit gave their opinions about the exchange, with many agreeing with the musical artist.
‘When a completely unrelated and uninvolved person has more common sense, care and protective instinct for a child than that child’s parents, there’s something really wrong,’ one user said.
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Another said, ‘Shame on these grown men for crossing very obvious boundaries. That’s a 13-year-old (!), no matter how famous her parents may be.’
The London native rattled off a series of tweets saying it was inappropriate for the 13-year-old to be mingling with adults in the clip
Skepta continued in the same vein in a series of responses to replies to his initial post
Kanye West and Kim Kardashian (pictured in February 2020) have both expressed support for North’s show business aspirations
One user said it was refreshing to hear a voice from within the entertainment industry echoing common sense.
‘Glad to see an industry man calling this out,’ the user said. ‘I’m appalled by what Kim and Kanye are allowing North to be exposed to at 13 without a parent present!’
Another user said Skepta was on point with his observation about North.
‘Honestly that made me so happy,’ the user said. ‘I watched a video the other day where a woman was talking about how being a good guy doesn’t mean simply not being a bad guy, it means sticking up for women when you see them mistreated. It really stuck with me.’
North – whose siblings include brothers Saint, 10, and Psalm, seven, and sister Chicago, eight – was at the fashion industry event as she continues to build upon a career in entertainment.
Last month, she put out her first release, an EP titled N0rth4evr.
More than two years ago, North performed in a pair of May 2024 concerts for The Lion King at the Hollywood Bowl.
