Coi Leray (real name Brittany Collins) is an American rapper famous for her critically acclaimed 2020 EP Now or Never. Leray’s made a splash with her debut single G.A.N in December 2017. She followed it up with another successful single titled Pac Girl. Leray’s debut EP EverythingcoZ dropped three months after her debut.
Leray’s rapid rise earned her a deal with Republic Records in early 2019. In August 2020, Leray released her most celebrated project Now or Never. The EP featured A-list artists such as Gunna, Fetty Wap, and Sevyn Streeter. Coi described the EP as having ‘twerking music, pain music, some R&B, and some trap.’
This piece will look at Coi’s parents and the beef she has with her father Benzino.
In the song No More Parties Coi accused her father Benzino of being unsupportive
Coi Leray was born on 11th May 1997 in the United States. She was raised by her father Benzino, and her unnamed mother. After Coi burst onto the scene, she had nothing but praise for her father Benzino.
Benzino is known for being the founder of hip-hop magazine The Source and appearing in Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta since 2012. He has put out plenty of music, including a mix-tape titled Benzino Presents: Die Another Day: Flawless Victory, which was a diss project aimed at rapper Eminem.
In a September 2020 appearance on the No Jumper podcast, Coi described Benzino as one of her biggest inspirations. “What I did take from him [Benzino] was just the ability to really fucking go hard and hustle,” Coi said. Leray described Benzino as a man who loved his music, even when it didn’t get the airplay it deserved.
“He’d be like, ‘I don’t give a fuck if I am on the radio, if nobody fucking listens to my shit – I like to make music and that is just what I do, and I am never going to stop,’” Coi added. In early January 2021, everything seemed fine between Benzino and Coi as Benzino berated rapper Royce Da 5’9 for dragging Leray into their beef.
Things took a turn for the worst after Coi accused Benzino of being an unsupportive father in the remix of No More Parties. “My daddy let me down, but I promise you, I won’t let up,” Coi rapped. ‘I wanna say fuck that man but the shit won’t make me better.”
Benzino accused Coi’s mom of fueling the feud between him and Leray
Coi’s lyrics sparked a barrage of back and forth insults between Benzino and Leray. Benzino responded via an impassioned Instagram message, accusing Coi of tarnishing his name and calling Leray out for lying in her song. “You know I was there every step of the way and when shit got rough, I was still there,” Benzino wrote. “I am always there when shit get thick I’m just 7 numbers away.”
“Tell your mother enough is enough.” Leray swiftly responded via an Instagram Stories rant in which she accused Benzino of being lame and ‘burning all his bridges.’ In another Instagram Live rant, she slated Benzino for failing to appreciate her music and attacking her online. Leray saved her most damning insults and accusations for Twitter.
“Just like a month ago he called me,” Coi tweeted. “We spoke. Told him I needed him. I needed my father in this cold world. He said I should have been a boy.” In another tweet, Coi wrote: “I’M EMBARRASED TO BE YOUR DAUGHTER.” Benzino didn’t take Coi’s accusations lying down, as he replied via Instagram Live. Again, he accused Coi’s mother of fueling the feud between him and Leray:
“Coi had everything she wanted… Her mother poisoned that. A lot of mothers do that to guys. That’s a regular thing in the hood. The mothers get mad ‘cause you ain’t with ‘em no more, then they start poisoning the kids’ minds. I met Coi’s mother in the projects… I took care of her two sons that wasn’t mine. She tell you that, too? Get out of here. Y’all are stupid.”
Benzino’s post marked what seems like the end of his beef with Coi. The pair deleted all the vile they’d posted about each other via Twitter and Instagram. In a series of Twitter posts, Coi acknowledged that she went too far. She wrote:
“Forgive me for stepping out of character. I thought I prepared myself for this moment but I’m still not ready. I’m still angry. Don’t hold grudges. Let people be miserable and just love from a distance.”
In a follow-up tweet, Coi expressed regret at responding to Benzino but referred to the episode as a valuable learning experience. “That was a test and I feel like I failed by responding,” she wrote. “Not everything needs a response. It’s cool, I’m learning.”