Former Florida Love Island star Nicolas Vansteenberghe is facing backlash after sharing an AI-generated image depicting himself with darker skin and wearing grillz.
Nicolas (Nic) Vansteenberghe, who is from Jacksonville, Florida, rose to prominence as an original Islander on Season 7 of Love Island USA. During the season, he formed several connections before ultimately coupling up with Olandria Carthen. The pair became fan favorites and advanced to the show’s finale, where they finished as runners-up behind the winning couple. His time on the series significantly boosted his public profile, leading to a large social media following and numerous media appearances after the show.
While Nicolas Vansteenberghe continues to make headlines following his appearance on Love Island USA, he recently found himself at the center of another controversy. Fans circulated what they claimed was an image he had shared on his Snapchat account. The AI-generated image depicted the reality TV star with darker skin and wearing grillz. Many fans accused him of trying to portray himself with a darker complexion, something that has long been a source of controversy online. The image also featured a neck tattoo reading, “Flawda Boy.”
Some fans argued that the AI-generated image was controversial because it combined several elements they associate with black culture. This led them to accuse Nic of cultural appropriation. Critics pointed to the noticeably darker skin tone, the use of grillz, which are widely associated with black American hip-hop culture, and the “Flawda Boy” neck tattoo. They also noted that the stylized spelling “Flawda” is often linked to African American Vernacular English (AAVE) and black Florida culture.
While none of these elements is exclusively associated with black people on its own, some viewers felt that presenting them together in a single image reinforced stereotypes linked to black identity. This prompted debate online over whether the post crossed the line into cultural appropriation. Some fans also pointed to the fact that Nic previously dated Olandria, who is black. They argued that it added another layer to the discussion.
Fans Attack Florida Reality TV Star
After seeing the AI-generated image, fans were quick to criticize former Florida Love Island star Nic. Many believed the image crossed the line into cultural appropriation. “I remain unaware of who this nobody is, but this is specifically awful,” one person wrote. Another commenter argued that Nic only became famous because of his relationship with Olandria. “Some random from love island who got popular from grifting off a PR relationship with a successful black woman for the last year and saying ‘mommy? Mamacita?’,” they wrote.
More fans continued criticizing Nic over the AI-generated image. “He is absolutely trash,” one person wrote. Another commenter asked in disbelief, “Now why [expletive] would he do that?.” Someone else added, “He was awful on Love Island. I really don’t understand why so many people support him. He was disgusting.”
The AI-generated image has continued to gain attention online, with many fans describing Nic as problematic over the controversy. As of now, the star has not publicly addressed the image or responded to the criticism.
