Beyonce (R) performs with Emily Robison and Natalie Maines of Dixie Chicks on stage at the 50th Annual CMA Awards at Bridgestone Arena on November 2, 2016 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Rick Diamond/Getty ImagesBeyonce was the victim of racist comments from a fan at the 2016 Country Music Awards, according to a new CNN documentary.
The network is about to be revealed Call Me Country: Beyoncé & Nashville’s Renaissance On Friday, April 26, and in the film, a fan recalled an ugly audience reaction when Beyoncé, 42, debuted her “Daddy Lessons” remix with the Chicks.
“An audience member in front of me then says, ‘Get that black bitch off the stage right now,'” the participant said Tanner Davenport is claimed in the documentation.
Davenport, the co-director of Black Opry, a website that raises awareness of black country artists, called it a “punch in the gut” to see that, in the eyes of some, Beyoncé was not welcome at the CMAs.
Beyoncé is a stunning artist and has raised three children – she’s simply “irreplaceable” – and was crowned Us Weekly’s newest wife. Beyoncé, who got her start in ’90s girl group Destiny’s Child, has dominated the charts for nearly four decades. She headlined the Super Bowl not once, but twice […]
“I remember being immediately brought back to reality at that moment,” he added. “Recognizing that for some reason there is a danger that black people are represented in this genre.”
Beyonce performs with Martie Maguire of Dixie Chicks on stage at the 50th Annual CMA Awards at Bridgestone Arena on November 2, 2016 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Rick Diamond/Getty ImagesThose who weren’t at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville that night also got a glimpse of the ugly side of country fandom, as social media was soon flooded with negative messages directed at Beyoncé, ranging from criticism of her politics to obviously racist statements were enough.
The CMAs themselves even came under fire. Although an event representative called Beyoncé’s performance “a highlight of the evening” at the time, the CMAs soon deleted any mention of it from their social media accounts. They claimed it was because the footage used was not approved, but critics saw it as an action by the CMAs bowing to pressure from a vocal, racist minority.
While outsiders may argue about the significance of the CMAs’ response, Beyoncé herself has made it clear that she won’t back down. She hinted that the incident was a major inspiration for her new country album. Cowboy Carter.
It’s Beyoncé’s Rodeo and everyone is invited! Beyoncé, 42, dropped Cowboy Carter on Friday, March 29, the second installment in the trilogy that began with 2022’s “Renaissance.” The country-tinged album brought together stars from across the music world, making it one of the year’s biggest pop albums. From Dolly Parton to […]
“This album has been over five years in the making,” she wrote via Instagram in March. “It grew out of an experience I had years ago where I felt unwelcome… and it was very clear that I wasn’t.”
“The criticism I faced when I first got into this genre forced me to overcome the limitations placed on me,” she continued. “[Cowboy Carter] is the result of challenging myself and taking the time to mix and mingle genres to create this work.”
Beyoncé was the first Black artist to top the Top Country Albums chart Cowboy Carter debuted in March. It also landed at number 1 on the billboard 200.
Call Me Country: Beyoncé & Nashville’s Renaissance will be available to stream on Max on Friday, April 26th.