What happened to Love Island USA's Yulissa Escobar? Islander speaks out on 'racism' controversy

Love Island USA was rocked only two episodes into its seventh season when one of the islanders sensationally quit after resurfaced podcast clips of her using racist slurs appeared online - and now she's speaking out about the controversy.

At around the 18 minute mark of the second episode on Wednesday 4 June, Yulissa Escobar was removed from the villa with next to no context about why she'd suddenly disappeared from the show.

“Yulissa has left the villa", narrator Iain Stirling can be heard saying as the villa wakes up for the morning, suggesting she was given a backdoor exit.

  Peacock

It comes after TMZ obtained clips of the 27-year-old Floridian on a podcast, repeatedly using the N-word while discussing a previous relationship.

On June 1, a fan account (@celebsnapz) posted two videos of Escobar using the racist language.

While she's not yet released a statement on what went down, social media had a big reaction.

Some say the exit was so subtle that they failed to notice she'd disappeared.

Others questioned how producers would've got her out the villa in the middle of the night without anyone else noticing.

Days later, she apologised on Instagram, writing: "First, I want to apologize for using a word I had no right in using.

"Podcast clips from years ago have recently resurfaced, and I want to address it directly.

"In those clips, I used a word I never should’ve used, a racial slur. I used it ignorantly, not fully understanding the weight, history, or pain behind it. I wasn’t trying to be offensive or harmful, but I recognize now that intention doesn’t excuse impact. And the impact of that word is real. It’s tied to generations of trauma, and it is not mine to use."

But now, in a new series of Instagram Stories shared by TMZ, she's hitting out against cancel culture, noting that she'd since received "death threats" and "abuse".

“People swear cancel culture is about accountability… But now it’s just viral hate. Packaged for likes. Twisted into clickbait. A trend for clout.", she said.

“Now people are spreading lies saying it’s from 2024. It’s not. I know the truth.” The social media personality added, “That video doesn’t define me. But how the internet treats people? That says everything.”

She concluded: “For the ones who are scared to speak — I got you. And for myself — because I’m done staying quiet. My name is Yulissa Escobar, and this is NOT where my story ends.”

Indy100 reached out to Yulissa Escobar for comment, and she responded: "The video being circulated is from 2021, not recent. Since then, I’ve received death threats, lies have spread, and I’ve been stripped down online."

"This movement isn’t just about me — it’s about what cancel culture has become."

Love Island USA continues nightly on Peacock.

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