Beyonce's Publicist Stands by Her Amid Erykah Badu's 'Cowboy Carter' Album Cover Critique

Beyonce Publicist Comes to her Defense After Erykah Badu Criticism

Beyoncé Kevin Mazur/WireImage for Parkwood

Yvette Schure, Beyoncé's representative, showed her support for the singer in response to criticisms from Erykah Badu.

In an Instagram video posted on Wednesday, March 20, Schure captioned it with, "She slays. She slays. Now. Then. Always. act ii COWBOY CARTER 3.29 #criticswithoutcredentials."

The video clip showed Beyoncé, aged 42, with different braided hairstyles from different points in her career. Towards the end of the video, the vinyl album cover for her upcoming record, Cowboy Carter, was revealed. The cover, unveiled on Wednesday, depicts Beyoncé naked, wearing a red, white, and blue sash with the words "act ii beyincé." She is shown holding what looks like a lit cigar, with her hair styled in long braids.

It seems that Schure's video was a response to recent social media posts by Badu. Badu, aged 53, shared Beyoncé's album cover on Wednesday with a caption that simply said, "Hmmm." Following this, she posted several shady clips, including one featuring a dog wearing cowboy boots.

Badu faced a lot of online hate after she seemed to criticize Beyoncé, which led her to post a message to Jay-Z, asking him to speak up.

"Say somethin Jay," she wrote on Wednesday. "You gonna let this woman and her fans treat me like this?".

Badu has criticized Beyoncé publicly before. In August 2023, she hinted that Beyoncé was copying her style when the "Texas Hold 'Em" singer wore an oversized silver hat on tour. Badu jokingly posted on Instagram, saying, "I guess I’m everybody's stylist," as she has been wearing a similar hat for years.

Beyonce Publicist Comes to her Defense After Erykah Badu Criticism 2

Beyoncé has been receiving a lot of feedback since she announced Cowboy Carter last month with the release of “Texas Hold ‘Em” and “16 Carriages” during Super Bowl LVIII. Erykah Badu Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images for Burberry.

Today, she shared on Instagram that there are only 10 days left until Act II is released. She expressed her gratitude to all the fans who supported her songs "Texas Hold 'Em" and "16 Carriages". She also mentioned how honored she feels to be the first Black woman to have a number one single on the Hot Country Songs chart.

She emphasized that this achievement would not have been possible without the overwhelming support from her fans. Her hope is that in the future, an artist's race will not be a factor when it comes to releasing different genres of music.

Beyoncé revealed that her latest album took more than five years to create and was inspired by a personal experience she had.

In her own words, she shared that she felt unwelcome in a certain music genre, which she hinted at in her song "Daddy Lessons" from the Lemonade album. This experience led her to explore the history of Country music more deeply and appreciate its musical heritage.

Editor's P/S:

The article highlights the ongoing discourse surrounding Beyoncé's upcoming album, "Cowboy Carter," and the criticism she has faced from Erykah Badu. Badu's subtle and not-so-subtle jabs at Beyoncé have sparked a debate about artistic inspiration, cultural appropriation, and the complexities of navigating different musical genres as a Black woman. Beyoncé's response, through her representative Yvette Schure, showcases her confidence and resilience in the face of criticism.

Furthermore, Beyoncé's comments on the significance of her achievement as the first Black woman to top the Hot Country Songs chart underscore the ongoing challenges faced by marginalized artists in breaking into and succeeding in different musical spaces. Her aspiration for a future where race is not a limiting factor in artistic expression reflects a broader hope for inclusivity and equality in the music industry and beyond.