After Beyonce surprised the world on Sunday (February 11) with the announcement of a Country-tinged album titled ‘Act II,’ she could barely blink before the project’s first two songs – ‘16 Carriages‘ and ‘Texas Hold ‘Em‘ – were found holding the top spots on real-time sales charts.
And while many-a-critic and loyal fan (also known as the #Beyhive) are singing the chart-topping diva’s praises, there’s one who isn’t exactly sold on the musical transition: rapper Azealia Banks.
No stranger to dodging stings for her criticism of the ‘Renaissance‘ singer in the past, Banks took to Instagram on Monday (February 12) to give the #Beyhive yet another reason to make her enemy #1.
Blasting Bey with a lengthy post lifted to her Instagram stories, Azealia suggested the Country endeavors found aboard ‘Act II’ are inauthentic.
“Nothing Country about it,” she told her 277,000 followers on the platform. “You’re setting yourself up to be ridiculed again. There’s a theatrical element to Country music! Them critics are not just going to accept an ugly blonde wig and bullying from JAY-Z!”
The latter sentence was a reference to JAY calling out the GRAMMYs for not awarding Beyonce the coveted Album of the Year trophy despite her many nominations in the category.
“You’re just really not hitting the button,” the rapstress continued before suggesting K. Michelle – who is readying her transition into Country – is. “It’s no shade but K. Michelle truly understand the assignment.”
Read the full rant above in which Banks refers to Beyonce’s new music as “gay-baiting,” “overtly narcissistic,” and more.
At the time of this report Bey nor K. Michelle have responded to Azealia’s statement.
Right on point
I have to say that, while I figured this would be her next route, I’m not feeling her spin on country. I feel like it needs to be a little more understated and pulled back. She needs to connect with some country singers and producers AND let them tell HER how to sing a song…whats expected in terms of appropriate emoting etc. 16 carriages is ok but IDK. The jury is still put with me on this one.
Lol. You know you can’t tell that girl nothing. She thinks she is the one who died on the cross.
Never thought I’d see the day when I would agree with something Azealia Banks said.
A BROKEN CLOCK IS RIGHT TWICE A DAY. Az told no lies. Beyonce does come across an inauthentic. And unlike the hip hop/rnb industry, those country folks gatekeep HEAVILY. They don’t give a f*** if ur Beyonce.
B is coming for Taylor’s crown. While everyone can experiment with different sounds, B’s soulful voice doesn’t suit the country-style production. The result is inauthentic and drab. Without the dramatic production, dancey-styles, I can’t imagine interesting visuals which have become part of B’s discography as much as the music. The lyrics are dull, the message is dull, I can’t see it doing as well as Act I
As a Nashvillian, I have to say this might be right. Something is a bit off. But she is a master salesman so we will see how this turns out. It’s only day one…
I Agree with her dont know what she is trying to achive with this just annoying …
Girl, just trying to take everybody’s everything and make it so whatever category of music is brought up that she will be in it. Beyonce is annoying as hell.
Beyoncé has always created her art; then, let y’all play catch up whether y’all like it or not. Jay Z explains like life, create your best work in piece and show up at the Grammy’s as often as you can. I’ve always enjoyed awesome music, country included. I love 16 Carriages and Texas Hold ‘em❤️❤️.
Ugly angry flop. She’s mad her k Michelle and Taylor will never be able to cross genres and see big success. ABs an unstable flop hating as usual anyway.
Taylor doesn’t need to crossover. Her bland mayonnaise sandwich music already outsold Kneeyonce 20x over 😭😭😭😭😭😭
Gurl!!! Beyoncé don’t have to gay bait. We been with her since destiny’s child.
Agree now all the dumb a s s gays gonna love country and dress like cowboys to fit in and do it for social media
Yup, and the dumbass black straight crowd too, they’re all over social media talking about how much they love country music all of a sudden. Fkn pathetic.
Naw the gays will be annoying and extra and don’t probably even like country so fake people just wages be part of a moment to tweet and post on social media
Very pathetic
Where’s Cardi?
I hope and pray the country music audience humbles her ass and doesn’t fall for her bullsh*t like the gullible black audience has.
She knows they will pay her dust. Backlash = publicity and eventually more sympathy and think pieces for her $h!tty “music”
Madonna done it…then Gaga but now Bey.
How original… 😆
She tries to please all the Grammy panels for an album of the year…Got chaaaaa!
Where were yall when Renaissance tried to steal AB whole essence. We got decades of Yemaya Ocean and y’all just come through with a few lemonade squeezes and think it’s gonna be that simple. This is YALL FAULT. Yes yall these late h*** in the comments. Drag Beyonce to where she needs to be and sit in hell with her career before yall ever try to switch sides without accountability. Bye!!!
Justice for Azealia, Farrah and Tanner Adell, Tracy Chapman, Glitter (Mariah Carey), and Dame Keri Hilson forever! Can’t tell me nothing! Jay Z cursed us out for this!? The whole industry is rigged I wouldn’t be surprised if this blog wasn’t rigged too! Now I knowwww Latoya Luckett is like wtf? Unless this is the flop before DC3 come and hype back the game with intentional fever like Apple do with their lack luster, but long awaited products ZERO STARS FOR BEYONCE this round sorry.
You can always count on a broke fcking stranger to tell you how to live your life. When in reality they have no talent, and not only haven’t achieved your amount of success, but don’t even have the brain capacity to think it into existence. Beyoncé is gonna do whatever the fck she wants 😂 all these comments ain’t stopping or hurting sht
You stay defending someone who doesn’t know you exist. Thats pathetic. Where’s your identity and self respect?
Stop the idolization of folks who don’t know or care about you.
If you don’t like it here, there’s the door 😊
LOL it’s just comical to me, but whatever helps you sleep at night bookie 😘
She’s not wrong. In fact, she rarely is. Her delivery and personality suck, but she does speak the truth.
Beyoncé panders to whatever she thinks is socially hot. Formation for the blacks, renaissance for the alphabet mafia, and now country.
There’s not much to get hyped over since lemonade. Also that platinum hair is cultural appropriation.
It’s ok for our white counterpart to Dibble and dabble in hip hop, R&b and no one complains. Taylor’s swift a perfect example. Taylor was country music & now is pop. Christina Aguilera.was pop & went R&b. *NSYNC. As well because they last album they dibble and dabble in our music. African Americans.creatures music all genres
Exactly. People just hate Beyonce, and now they’re mad becuz she’s getting her “white woman” on and about to snatch that AOTY award from Miss Mayo 💋
Country music is black music. Her brand of it sucks. She’s trying to do white country and not well. What’s funny is she has a very southern country unpolished voice…but her ear for music is something very unique. I mean this in the worst way possible. Her songs are always something to get through vs enjoy. Both songs are 🔥🗑🦨👎🏽
Gurl shut the hell up 😂
If anyone knows anything about country music, it’s the girl from Houston Texas who’s been singing and dancing since she was 8 years old, and not the crackhead from Harlem who hasn’t spent a lick of time in this genre to date and got herself blackballed. There’s no credibility in her words. Just another flawed opinion.