Mel B’s daughter Phoenix Brown: “Nepo babies have never faced so much hate”

nme.com:

Mel B‘s daughter Phoenix Brown has weighed in on the nepotism debate and has shared that “Nepo babies have never faced so much hate”.As defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary, a nepo baby – or nepotism baby – is a person who gains success or opportunities through familial connections especially a child of a famous parent (such as an actor, musician, entrepreneur, or politician).In a feature for Radio Times, Brown opened up about the term, sharing that “the term has increasingly toxic connotations” and took the time to question why. “Even when nepo babies are great at their job – and many are – they face a backlash fuelled by misunderstanding, jealousy or resentment,” she explained.Brown acknowledged the leverage she has with her mother being one of the Spice Girls, admitting that “having Mel B as my mum has opened a few doors” within the path for her own career in entertainment as an aspiring DJ and presenter.She discussed the rise in anger towards nepo babies in recent years and claimed that it was “almost to the point of obsession” on social media.

Brown also questioned if “nepo babies [were] taking the flak for wider inequality in society?”Back in October 2024, Brown presented a documentary titled Born In The Limelight Nepo Babies: UNTOLD.

In the documentary, Brown shared: “Nepo babies must acknowledge that we’re handed opportunities faster than most people.”She continued: “As my mum says in the documentary, she came from a working-class background and had no one to open doors for her.

I wouldn’t have the life that I have if it wasn’t for the hard work that she put into her own career. To not respect that would be silly.”Brown is not the first to comment on the “nepo baby” title.