'Folded' Vanishes From TikTok Library After Kehlani Yells F*** ICE at the Grammys

The celebration of a career-defining milestone has swiftly transformed into a digital mystery for R&B superstar Kehlani. Just hours after securing their first-ever Grammy wins, fans across the globe began reporting a strange phenomenon: the award-winning single 'Folded' has abruptly disappeared from the TikTok library.

Creators trying to use the music for their videos are getting nothing but silence, and older posts using the track have been muted with zero explanation. The timing has fans talking. It appears to be a direct reaction to the artist's blunt criticism of US immigration policy during the ceremony.

Silence After the Viral Moment

The platform has not released an official statement on why the track is gone, but the link to Kehlani's acceptance speech is hard to miss. When the singer went up to accept the award for Best R&B Performance, they did not waste a second. They immediately used that spotlight to call out systemic injustice.

'What I wanna make sure that I say is that everybody is so powerful in this room and in this room later', Kehlani stated, commanding the attention of the industry's elite. The room fell silent as they continued, urging their peers to mobilise. 'And together we're stronger in numbers to speak against all the injustice going on in the world right now'.

The artist did not mince words, calling for a collective awakening amongst the creative community. 'So instead of letting it be just a couple of you here and there, I hope everybody is inspired to join together as a community of artists and speak out against what's going on. And I'm going to leave this and say, f*** ICE'.

From Billboard Success to Digital Limbo

The controversy casts a shadow over what should be a moment of pure triumph. In addition to the trophy for Best R&B Performance, Kehlani also took home the award for Best R&B Song for 'Folded'. The track dropped in June 2025 and clicked with listeners right away, quickly becoming a favourite. By November, the single had worked its way up the charts to hit No 6 on the Billboard Hot 100, marking the singer's first-ever top 10 hit.

Prior to the ceremony, the trajectory of the song seemed unstoppable. During a promotional appearance on 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' just months ago, Kehlani expressed deep appreciation for the song's reception, telling fans their 'gratitude is endless'. Now, one of the world's most influential music discovery platforms has rendered that same song inaccessible, leaving millions of fans confused and frustrated.

Not Backing Down

Kehlani's clash with authority is not exactly a shock. The artist's dislike of ICE lines up perfectly with their history of political activism. Back in May 2024, the 30-year-old made similar headlines for their firm support of Palestine.

'It's f*** Israel, and it's f*** Zionism, and it's also f*** a lot of y'all, too', they declared at the time, refusing to dilute their message for mass appeal. Those comments came with tangible professional consequences. The following May, the office of then-New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced that Kehlani's headlining concert at Central Park SummerStage was cancelled due to security concerns directly tied to their support for Palestine.

Kehlani has previously discussed attempts to silence them. During a December 2025 interview on 'The Breakfast Club', they addressed how their outspoken views have affected their career. They explained that, though there have been retaliatory efforts to put them in their place, they 'can't really be taken out in that way' when their work remains undeniable. Even as platforms like TikTok seemingly react to their defiance, the artist's message continues to resonate.