Key Takeaways
- Shamika Boyd filed a police report and plans to sue Southern soul singer Sky Whatley, alleging he struck her from the stage and left her with two black eyes.
- Video from the Atlanta-area show appears to capture the hit after Boyd danced near the stage, placed one leg on it, and ignored an attempt to move her away.
- Boyd says Whatley insulted her and continued performing, but she has urged supporters not to respond with online hate as police investigate.
An alleged slap from the stage has put Southern soul singer Sky Whatley at the center of a police investigation—and a looming lawsuit. Shamika Boyd says Whatley struck her during a performance outside Atlanta, leaving her with two black eyes. She has since filed a police report and retained the Render Law Firm, whose attorneys say they intend to pursue the incident in civil court.
According to Atlanta Black Star, the confrontation happened at the Legendary Awards Show at the Londzell Performing Arts Theatre in Tucker, Georgia, where Boyd had come to support her daughter, DJ Jada Boyd.
Video from the event appears to show Whatley reaching toward Boyd from the stage before hitting her across the head. “When he hit me, I was devastated because I’m thinking, ‘Why? Why did he hit me?’” Boyd said. “He had no reason to hit me.”
Boyd said she initially thought Whatley was reaching down to give her a high-five or invite her onto the stage. She instead felt a blow to her face, followed by a string of insults from the performer. “I did nothing to him. He was in no harm, no threat or anything,” she said.
According to Boyd, Whatley flipped her off and told her, “F*ck you, b*tch. This is for the real men,” before asking for the music to be restarted and continuing his set.
The incident exploded online once the first clip circulated, but longer footage later revealed more of what happened before the alleged strike.
Boyd could be seen dancing near the stage as Whatley performed “Waffle House at 2 AM.” During “Auntie Love,” she placed one leg on the stage and continued dancing while recording him.
A person who appeared to be affiliated with the venue or performer waved a towel at her, told her to get down, and tried to move her away.
For her part, Jada said she did not realize her mother had been struck until after the incident. “I wouldn’t let anybody’s mom go through something like that, especially when they’re just supporting their kid,” she said.
Boyd, however, has asked supporters not to turn their outrage into online abuse. “It hurts my heart to see all the bashing, the hate,” she wrote on Facebook. “It was not ok what happened…at all.”
Whatley is a Georgia-based independent singer, songwriter, and producer whose sound blends Southern soul and blues. He cites Prince, Sly Stone, and Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler among his influences and has previously contributed to Goodie Mob projects.
