Friendship ≠ Free Promo

If your product is mid, it’s mid. And I’m not posting it just because we took pictures together in 2022.

I love you. For real. But that doesn’t mean I’m buying your Comic Sans hoodie or retweeting your overpriced shea butter that smells like vibes.

Some of you aren’t launching brands. You’re dropping half baked ideas and calling it legacy. And me? I’m tired of faking applause for things that need honest feedback.

Friendship is not a marketing contract. I don’t owe you engagement. I don’t owe you a pity purchase. And I definitely don’t owe you a fire emoji when your “vision” is giving unedited Canva template.

There’s this guilt trap people don’t talk about. Where silence equals shade, and not reposting is mistaken for envy. But here’s the truth:

Sometimes I’m quiet because I respect you more than the internet does.

We throw “support your people” around like scripture. But if we’re being honest, a lot of you don’t want support, you want applause. You want loyalty that overrides quality. Even when the work is unserious.

I’ve seen friends repackage Aliexpress bags with slow shipping and call it “luxury.” I’ve heard mixtapes with YouTube beats and no mixing. I’ve been added to 17 WhatsApp broadcasts selling courses that feel like Wikipedia recaps.

And every time I don’t post, I get hit with:

“Wow, so you can’t even share small?”

Like one story post equals love. Like I’m fake because I won’t gas up something I wouldn’t co-sign in real life.

And sometimes? Yeah. I do feel bad. I wonder if I’m being too cold.

Then I remember the shirt I bought from a friend that arrived late, wrinkled, and came with the DM:

“Sorry for the holes, the tailor messed up.”

I still wore it. In silence. That was the last time.

Because here’s what I’ve learned:

Honesty is support.

Silence is care.

And not hyping you blindly is love with teeth.

I want my people to win. But what kind of “win” is it if everyone’s clapping from pressure? If no one tells you your logo looks like a meme? That your “brand” sounds like a cash grab? That your podcast is just you and your cousin breathing into a mic and manifesting on vibes?

Real support is saying:

“Don’t drop this yet. It’s not giving.”

That’s love. That’s friendship. That’s risk.

Not reposting mid just so it flops in public.

And no, I’ve not always gotten it right either. I’ve smiled through launches I didn’t believe in. I’ve shared links I knew weren’t ready. But I’m done with that now.

I don’t want to be a yes man in your downfall. I want to be the friend that tells you the truth before the internet drags you for it.

So if you want blind hype? Find a fan.

If you want the real? I’m right here.

But don’t confuse my silence for envy.

Sometimes, it’s just me loving you loud enough not to lie.