Ice Spice is the subject of a new conspiracy theory following her appearance alongside Taylor Swift at Super Bowl LVIII on Sunday.
The rapper is being called a demon, after a number of right-wing X accounts took issue with her wearing an upside-down cross and “throwing up demonic signs.”
The gesture—called the sign of the horns—is frequently used in heavy metal and has been popularized by prominent bands including Black Sabbath.
“Nothing to see here, just Taylor Swifts guest Ice Spice throwing up demonic signs while wearing a upside down cross making sure the world sees it on the big screen. DEMONS,” wrote one account on X.
Replied one user: “Omg why are demons everywhere.”
The popular right-wing X account End Wokeness bought into the conspiracy as well, adding that Ice Spice was sporting Balenciaga.
“Demonic hand gestures on the big screen, upside down cross, Balenciaga sleeve. Not even hiding it,” the account posted.
The luxury brand had come under fire in 2022 for an ad that featured children holding teddy bears outfitted with sexually suggestive bondage gear. The ad prompted #cancelBalenciaga to trend on social media, and conspiracists to amplify violent and satanic images posted by stylist Lotta Volkova (though Volkova had not worked with the brand since 2017).
Balenciaga apologized for the ad, admitting to “a series of grievous errors” and condemning child abuse, writing on Instagram “it was never our intent to include it in our narrative.”
Multiple celebrities including Kim Kardashian publicly distanced themselves from Balenciaga due to the ad—though Kardashian has since been spotted sporting its designs once again.
“Pretend it’s all innocent with the cross and hand gestures. Why would anyone wear Balenciaga after they sexually exploited kids in a set of ads?” wrote conservative poster Robby Starbuck.
Ice Spice was featured on screen multiple times, attending the game with Swift to root for the Kansas City Chiefs and Swift’s boyfriend, Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.
Both Swift and Kelce have been frequent targets of conservatives due to their vocal opposition to former President Donald Trump and endorsement of Pfizer’s COVID-19-19 vaccine respectively.
Prior to the Chiefs’ Super Bowl win, some right-wingers had suggested the game would be fixed to boost a possible presidential endorsement from Kelce and Swift.
The video clip of Ice Spice was quickly linked to Swift as well by right-wing critics.
“Taylor Swift enjoying herself at the Super Bowl pounding beers with Satanists,” wrote one X user.
“Taylor Swift worships satan. Been trying to tell y’all this for like a year,” posted someone else.
“Taylor Swift made a statement tonight she worship satanic friends and rather be a role model by drinking in front of young girls then being a responsible role model and not being a frat party girl at 30,” criticized another person.
