When a Grammy-winning pop star tells you to give away your money, you can either ignore it or start an internet fight. Elon Musk chose option two.

The Social Media Spat

The Tesla (TSLA) CEO took aim at singer Billie Eilish after a fan account called Billie Eilish Tours posted screenshots of her Instagram story on X. Musk's response? Eilish was "not the sharpest tool in the shed."

What sparked the exchange? Eilish had shared a post criticizing Musk's recently approved trillion-dollar CEO compensation award, pointing out the money could theoretically "end world hunger," "rebuild Gaza," or "save endangered species." She also allegedly posted a more colorful take, calling Musk a "F**king pathetic p***y b***h coward" on Instagram.

Billionaires Should Give It Away, Says Billionaire Critic

This isn't just about one Instagram story. Eilish has been vocal about wealth inequality lately. In a recent appearance, she laid out her philosophy pretty clearly: "If you're a billionaire — why are you a billionaire? No hate, but yeah, give your money away, shorties."

To back up her words, the singer announced she's donating over $11.5 million toward food equity, climate justice, and reducing carbon pollution. She's also been urging other wealthy individuals to step up their charitable giving as the world faces various crises.

That Compensation Package Everyone's Talking About

So what exactly is this pay package that's causing all the fuss? Musk's compensation deal, approved by investors at Tesla's annual shareholder meeting earlier this month, includes 12 tranches that pay out when the company hits specific milestones.

Here's the interesting part: Musk could still pocket billions even if Tesla doesn't achieve all the targets. That's part of why the package has drawn fire from multiple corners. Proxy advisors like Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) and Glass Lewis both criticized it. Musk's response to them? He called them "corporate terrorists."

Major institutional investors weren't thrilled either. Norway's Sovereign Wealth Fund NBIM and the California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS) both voiced concerns about the compensation structure.

The Market Reaction

While the Twitter drama unfolded, Tesla stock closed down 0.72% at $398.38 in regular trading, according to market data. The shares had been down as much as 1.88% to $401.25 earlier in the session.

Whatever you think about billionaires giving away their money, this particular debate isn't likely to resolve itself anytime soon. When you mix massive executive compensation, celebrity activism, and social media, you get exactly the kind of public spectacle we're witnessing now.