Who is Coi Leray’s Dad? At this point, many people know that it’s culture figure Benzino. “Nepo Baby” is one of the latest Internet terms. It comes from the word “nepotism” which basically means giving family members opportunities over others. So a “Nepo Baby” is someone whose fame can be credited to a family member. Calling Coi Leray a “Nepo Baby” is overall inaccurate. Benzino is not exactly a household name for this generation. But, connections, especially in the music industry, still matter.
Many know Benzino as a co-owner of The Source magazine. This magazine specialized in covering the rap world. There’s no telling how many names Benzino had in his Rolodex because of this. The Source has been active since 1998. They have seen many of the changes that have happened in the rap world. Coi Leray’s music is quite different from what they were covering in 2006. She was still able to secure a feature from one of the biggest figures in the rap world.
Coi Leray’s Relationship with her Dad is Complex
Coi Leray and Benzino do not have a perfect relationship. We can only go off of the things both of them have publicly stated. They have both said negative things about each other. Their relationship dynamics connect to the music but also goes beyond it. We have learned about their dynamic through social media and interviews. Each of them has regularly spoken about the other. Some would say Coi Leray speaking on him is what brought this generation’s attention to him. “That’s why I never mentioned his name coming into this industry cause he can’t get over his past and don’t even realize how much he damaging when he does this stuff.” tweeted Coi.
Around when Coi Leray dropped her debut album Trendsetter, Benzino had something to say. But, it wasn’t positive. “You worried about being called broke on the day of my debut album. You ain’t even text me congratulations, you so bitter and evil. Ima pray for you.” tweeted Coi. This was in reference to the fact Benzino apparently lost The Source when Coi was around nine years old. She stated her family was “broke” once this happened. Benzino had a different perspective.
Benzino Almost Ruined One of Coi Leray’s Biggest Songs to Date
Whenever an up-and-coming artist gets a feature from a seasoned one, it's a big deal. It can connect generations. It can bring new ears to both parties involved. Coi Leray secured a Nicki Minaj feature for their song “Blick Blick”. Benzino almost ruined this. Benzino spoke about Nicki Minaj’s feature before Nicki herself and Coi did. “She got this song with Nicki Minaj that’s gonna be coming out that’s gonna be crazy.” he said in a room on the app Clubhouse.
Initially, Nicki denied she had a verse. Then, later, it was revealed she wanted to pull the verse from the song. “I just felt bad that she was robbed of telling the world in her own way @ her own time. But that’s water under the bridge now. Good vibes all 2022” said Nicki during a Q&A on Twitter. This is perhaps the biggest example of Benzino impacting Coi Leray’s music. He shared information that she did not want to be revealed yet. Fortunately, he did genuinely apologize for his mistake.
Coi Leray Has Sometimes Defended Benzino
Coi Leray and her Dad Benzino have multiple layers to their relationship. While it is not perfect they are still family. Coi knows his behavior not only affects her but others too. This is mainly other people in the music industry. Coi knows he can be difficult and wants people to understand that. In an interview with Vladtv from August 2020 she said “He’s crazy but he’s smart…he’s a business man…everybody’s not perfect.”
Being aware of how someone’s behavior affects others is a part of being in a relationship with them. Sometimes, a person’s behavior in the public eye is people’s only frame of reference for it. We don’t know what happens behind closed doors. “My dad is a great man,” “And I love him regardless of our differences, he’s still my father and I gotta respect him, right?” she said in an interview with The Breakfast Club. The public has mostly seen negative interactions between them but, of course, these are not the only interactions they have.
Coi Leray and Benzino Appear to Have Mended their Relationship
Coi Leray and Benzino are working on their relationship. Since 2022, we have not heard anything about it. This could mean things are being handled away from social media. For the time being, her Dad’s name is not in headlines with hers. Ironically, they were able to work on their relationship because of the situation with the Nicki Minaj feature.
Coi shared that Nicki’s advice helped her strengthen her perspective. “...You have to respect your father…‘Regardless of what you’re going through bro, that’s your dad.” Nicki told Coi. It appears she fully understood this and took it to heart. Growth is important and can truly be beneficial for multiple reasons. Moving forward, people hope Coi and Benzino continue to work on and have a healthy relationship.
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