Beyonce

Of Course, Azealia Banks Has Thoughts About Beyoncé’s ‘Cowboy Carter’ Cover: ‘Literal Pick-Me Stuff’

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Sigh. Here we go again. After Beyoncé shared the cover of her upcoming album Cowboy Carter, fans were rightfully fascinated by its symbolism and the events that apparently inspired it. But, of course, there was one commenter who had further thoughts — and didn’t hold back on sharing them.

Azealia Banks, who previously called Beyoncé’s new singles “16 Carriages” and “Texas Hold ‘Em” a “big-time musical grift” (lol, girl, knock it off), went all the way in on the Cowboy Carter cover, deriding it for a lack of creativity. The covers features a beauty-queen Beyoncé sitting side-saddle on a white stallion, clad in a red, white, and blue Nudie suit with a sash bearing the album’s title holding an American flag. Here it is:

Beyonce Cowboy Carter album cover artwork
Parkwood Entertainment/Columbia Records

Banks declares herself “ashamed at how u switch from baobab trees and black parade to this literal pick-me stuff.” She doesn’t exactly explain what any of that means across no fewer than four Instagram Story slides. Side note: Just those four clock in at a full 900 words — if sis could pitch to an outlet, she could be getting paid to be a hater instead of just doing it for free (however unlikely it’d be that any editor would want to put up with her shenanigans).

There’s a lot to parse here, but it seemingly boils down to Banks’ view that Beyoncé, with all her culture-shifting power, could have yanked the visual aspects of country music closer to an aesthetic like that of her diaspora-dabbling Black Is King imagery. To be clear, Banks called that aesthetic hypocritical at the time, as well. She also picks on Beyoncé (inaccurately) for deigning to collaborate or share her platform with exclusively white artists — which… just, no. No. If you’re going to lie, do it convincingly. You can read the rant in full below.

I’ll take a shot at extracting some meaning from the bloviating above… Azealia Banks is still looking for someone to blame that she tanked her own career with all that mean-girl energy, and enjoys the attention she gets from flaming other artists who are more successful than her. Well, here you go, Azealia. Take it to the bank.

Why Does Beyoncé’s Alternate ‘Cowboy Carter’ Cover Say ‘Beyincé?’

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Beyoncé is less than ten days away from releasing her new country-inspired album titled Cowboy Carter. After revealing the cover art of it yesterday, she has now released an alternate version. Unlike the original where she rocks a sash reading the album’s name, the one in this new photo says “act ii / Beyincé” on it.

Although it might be a blink-and-you-miss-it detail, internet users have been wondering why she changed it to an “i” instead of the “o” in her name.

Here’s why it says that.

Why Does Beyoncé’s Alternate Cowboy Carter Cover Say ‘Beyincé?’

For those who might not have known, Beyoncé was named after her mother Tina Knowles-Lawson‘s real last name.

“A lot of people don’t know that Beyoncé is my last name. It’s my maiden name,” Tina previously told People Magazine. “My name was Celestine Beyoncé, which at that time was not a cool thing to have that weird name. I wanted my name to be Linda Smith because those were the cool names.”

However, Tina’s mother and siblings spelled their last name with an “i” to make it Beyincé because there was an error with the birth certificates. When Beyoncé’s grandmother (aka Tina’s mom) tried to correct Tina’s, she was told she should just be lucky because Black people didn’t previously receive certificates.

“It’s interesting — and it shows you the times — because we asked my mother when I was grown. I was like, ‘Why is my brother’s name spelled B-E-Y-I-N-C-E? You know, it’s all these different spellings,’” Tina added. “And my mom’s reply to me was like, ‘That’s what they put on your birth certificate.’ ”

Check out Beyoncé’s alternate Cowboy Carter cover referencing this below.

Is Travis Scott Featured On Beyoncé’s ‘Cowboy Carter?’

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We are just days away from Beyoncé‘s highly anticipated eighth album, Cowboy Carter. The album is said to have much country influence, and as we can see, she has been fully embracing her Texas roots this era. In the days leading up to the album, the Beyhive is abuzz, theorizing about the album’s collaborations and sound. Earlier this week, Bey teased some collaborations via Instagram, and even shared what seems to be a snippet from the album via her story. Following this clip, fans believe she may have collaborated with another fellow Texan.

Is Travis Scott Featured On Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter?

Though the sound she teased sounds more hip-hop-influenced, as opposed to country, it accompanied a pre-order link for Cowboy Carter. So it’s likely the song appears on the album.

Fans recognized what sounded like vocals and hums from Travis Scott, with whom, Bey previously collaborated on the Utopia track, “Delresto.” Though, it hasn’t been officially confirmed if Scott will have a full verse on the song, or simply contributing to the song’s background vocals and production.

After all, Bey is known not to stick to one genre. In her Instagram post revealing the cover, she did, in fact, say “This ain’t a Country album. This is a ‘Beyoncé’ album.”

Cowboy Carter is out 3/29 via Parkwood. Find more information here.

“COWBOY CARTER” Cover: Beyonce’s American Flag Usage Has Music Lovers Debating

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Many members of the Hive still listen to Beyonce’s RENAISSANCE as if it only dropped yesterday. We’ve long known that the mother of three planned to expand her Grammy Award-winning LP into a three-project venture, and since she showed up to this year’s ceremony to support her husband in country garb, it didn’t take long for people to realize that she’ll be diving into the traditionally Southern genre on Act II. Earlier this week, Bey confirmed that this month’s release will be titled COWBOY CARTER and that it’s been in the works for over five years now.

On the cover, the Houston native sits upon a galloping white horse, her platinum blonde hair blowing in the wind. In many of the RENAISSANCE visuals we saw Bey serving body, but for this photo, she was nearly covered from head to toe in a red, white, and blue Western ensemble while holding the American flag in one hand. The patriotism in particular is a sign of contention for some, while others feel that the “Telephone” singer is using it to make a statement.

Read More: Dolly Parton Suggests Beyonce Recorded A “Jolene” Cover For “ACT II” Country Album

COWBOY CARTER is Already Stirring Up Controversy

 
 
 
 
 
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“I feel like everyone is taking the messaging of the imagery wrong because [of] the flag” one Twitter/X user expressed. “The letter that accompanied the photo was basically about reclaiming spaces where you ‘did not feel welcomed.’ Connect the dots.” Another wrote, “The symbolism here holds a double entendre. Reclaim space as an American, and in doing so, propping Americana up while we all witness US-backed genocides. It’s a miss. This cover would have been more appropriate when Obama was President, like in 2012, before Trump’s campaign tbh.”

One person who obviously doesn’t have Beyonce’s back as she attempts to make her mark on the country music industry is Azealia Banks. Earlier this week the New Yorker penned yet another of her scathing social media rants aimed at the Houston native and her husband, Jay-Z, suggesting that Bey’s “White woman cosplay” isn’t as endearing as she might think. Read everything Banks had to say at the link below and check back later for more music/pop culture news updates.

Read More: Jay-Z & Beyonce Under Fire For “COWBOY CARTER” Rollout, Azealia Banks Shares Lengthy Rant

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Jay-Z & Beyonce Under Fire For “COWBOY CARTER” Rollout, Azealia Banks Shares Lengthy Rant

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It’s no secret that power couple Jay-Z and Beyonce aren’t one of Azealia Banks’ favourite duos. Now that the latter is gearing up to unveil Act II of her RENAISSANCE album series, the “212” hitmaker is making it known that she’s not supporting Bey exploring genres outside her usual repertoire. “Wow, we didn’t even try to put even a little effort into a more artistic title?” Banks asked on her Instagram Story. “Sis, I live for Whiteyonce Donatella Bianca Bardot DOWN, but I’m kind of ashamed at how [you] switch from Baobab trees and Black Parade to this literal pick me stuff.”

The New Yorker then called the “Halo” artist out for previously supporting the embattled Dixie Chicks, “who would never do the same for [her].” According to Banks, Bey too often shares her “platform with White women who are so jealous of [her] but have such a long history of sabotaging other Black women’s careers.” In particular, the infamous social media troll is taking issue with the “White woman cosplay” we’ve seen the Houston native in lately, such as her platinum blonde hair and themed outfits.

Read More: Azealia Banks Blames Jay-Z For Nicki Minaj & Megan Thee Stallion Beef

Azealia Banks Shares Her Thoughts on Act II

As for Beyonce’s husband, Banks had a message for him too. “Ugh, I’m so saddened by Jay-Z and his over strategizing everything [Bey does] to the point where it’s clearly his influence and not the real Bianca Bardot… Someone tell Jay-Z his strategies are corny and Beyonce has better ideas… We would like to see her outside without him and his pound puppy dreadlocks breathing all over herrrrrrr.”

If you’re still curious to know more about Beyonce’s COWBOY CARTER, even after Azealia Banks’ loud hate train, the mother of three gave us a few interesting details via IG earlier this week. She didn’t unveil her list of collaborators yet, but Bey did promise that she has upcoming songs with fellow artists who have earned her deepest respects. Read all about that at the link below, and check back later for more hip-hop/pop culture news updates.

Read More: “COWBOY CARTER”: Beyonce Confirms “Surprises” And “Brilliant” Guest Features On Her Next LP

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Cardi B Begs Fans To Stop Making Her Sing The New Beyonce Country Song

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TikTok Live has become an increasingly common platform for rappers to interact with their fans. After the NPC drama surrounding people making money on the platform broke last year, it inspired a ton of interest in livestreaming on the platform. NLE Choppa became one of the first rappers to stream on TikTok when he tried his hand at an NPC stream. Now Cardi B regularly hops on live to talk to her fans and funny moments almost always emerge.

One of the features of TikTok Live that makes the platform unique is its filters. While almost every streaming platform can alter your appearance, TikTok Live allowed fans to pay for certain filters to be put on a streamer. That was the case when fans repeatedly paid for a cowboy hat and mustache filter over Cardi during one of her recent livestreams. When the filter came on, Cardi couldn’t help but sing the recently released Beyonce hit “TEXAS HOLD EM’” which has a distinct country twang to it. The funny part came when she kept singing it every single time the filter was paid for. Eventually when it started to get ridiculous she had to demand her fans stop paying for it. Check out the hilarious full clip below.

Read More: Offset’s Gifts To Cardi B Blasted By PETA

Cardi B’s Hilarious TikTok Livestream

Cardi B just dropped her second song in three weeks and her second new song of 2024. She dropped the “Like What (Freestyle)” last month. Despite quite a bit of hype for her return the song was met with mixed reviews and has already fallen to number 84 on the Hot 100. Over the weekend she followed it up with “Enough (Miami). “ The song immediately became a fan favorite with Cardi delivering more hard-hitting and hilarious bars.

She also released a scintillating music video for “Enough” that has racked up more than 5 million views on YouTube. What do you think of Cardi B hilariously singing Beyonce’s new song over and over on her TikTok Live? Do you regularly tune into TikTok livestreams? Let us know in the comment section below.

Read More: Cardi B & Offset Reunite For Christmas

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Did The 2016 CMA Awards Inspire Beyoncé’s ‘Cowboy Carter?’

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Beyonce 2024
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We’re now less than two weeks away from Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter. While fans wait for the project to drop, they have a new question to ponder:

Did The 2016 CMA Awards Inspire Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter?

When Beyoncé revealed the Cowboy Carter album cover art on March 19, it was accompanied by a lengthy post telling some of the story behind the project. She wrote that the album was “born out of an experience that I had years ago where I did not feel welcomed,” an experience that prompted her to educate herself more about the history of country music. A common fan theory is that Beyoncé is referring to the 2016 CMA Awards, where she and the Dixie Chicks (now The Chicks) performed “Daddy Lessons” together.

Read Beyoncé’s message in full below.

“Today marks the 10-day countdown until the release of act ii. Thank you from the bottom of my heart to all of the supporters of TEXAS HOLD ‘EM and 16 CARRIAGES. I feel honored to be the first Black woman with the number one single on the Hot Country Songs chart. That would not have happened without the outpouring of support from each and every one of you. My hope is that years from now, the mention of an artist’s race, as it relates to releasing genres of music, will be irrelevant.

This album has been over five years in the making. It was born out of an experience that I had years ago where I did not feel welcomed…and it was very clear that I wasn’t. But, because of that experience, I did a deeper dive into the history of Country music and studied our rich musical archive. It feels good to see how music can unite so many people around the world, while also amplifying the voices of some of the people who have dedicated so much of their lives educating on our musical history.

The criticisms I faced when I first entered this genre forced me to propel past the limitations that were put on me. act ii is a result of challenging myself, and taking my time to bend and blend genres together to create this body of work.

I have a few surprises on the album, and have collaborated with some brilliant artists who I deeply respect. I hope that you can hear my heart and soul, and all the love and passion that I poured into every detail and every sound.

I focused on this album as a continuation of RENAISSANCE…I hope this music is an experience, creating another journey where you can close your eyes, start from the beginning and never stop.

This ain’t a Country album. This is a ‘Beyoncé’ album. This is act ii COWBOY CARTER, and I am proud to share it with y’all!”

Check out some tweets about Beyoncé and the CMAs below.

Cowboy Carter is out 3/29 via Parkwood Entertainment/Columbia Records. Find more information here.

Beyoncé’s Majestic ‘Cowboy Carter’ Album Cover Art Brings The Rodeo To ‘Renaissance’

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Beyonce Grammys 2024
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Beyoncé’s anticipated new album Cowboy Carter is coming right up, with a release set for March 29. Beyoncé has amped up the hype even more by sharing the glorious album cover art today (March 19).

The image sees Beyoncé sitting sideways atop a white horse. Beyoncé faces the camera, decked out in a red, white, and blue outfit, complete with a “Cowboy Carter” sash, a white cowboy hat, and flowing white hair that matches the horse’s mane. Bey is also holding the reigns in one hand and an American flag in the other, completing the patriotic, Western look.

On Instagram, Beyoncé also shared a lengthy caption alongside the image. The post addresses “Texas Hold ‘Em” going No. 1 on the country chart, Beyoncé’s self-education about country music, criticisms she has faced, and even teased some “surprises.” It reads in full:

“Today marks the 10-day countdown until the release of act ii. Thank you from the bottom of my heart to all of the supporters of TEXAS HOLD ‘EM and 16 CARRIAGES. I feel honored to be the first Black woman with the number one single on the Hot Country Songs chart. That would not have happened without the outpouring of support from each and every one of you. My hope is that years from now, the mention of an artist’s race, as it relates to releasing genres of music, will be irrelevant.

This album has been over five years in the making. It was born out of an experience that I had years ago where I did not feel welcomed…and it was very clear that I wasn’t. But, because of that experience, I did a deeper dive into the history of Country music and studied our rich musical archive. It feels good to see how music can unite so many people around the world, while also amplifying the voices of some of the people who have dedicated so much of their lives educating on our musical history.

The criticisms I faced when I first entered this genre forced me to propel past the limitations that were put on me. act ii is a result of challenging myself, and taking my time to bend and blend genres together to create this body of work.

I have a few surprises on the album, and have collaborated with some brilliant artists who I deeply respect. I hope that you can hear my heart and soul, and all the love and passion that I poured into every detail and every sound.

I focused on this album as a continuation of RENAISSANCE…I hope this music is an experience, creating another journey where you can close your eyes, start from the beginning and never stop.

This ain’t a Country album. This is a ‘Beyoncé’ album. This is act ii COWBOY CARTER, and I am proud to share it with y’all!”

Find the post below.

Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter Album Cover Artwork

Beyonce Cowboy Carter album cover artwork
Parkwood Entertainment/Columbia Records

Cowboy Carter is out 3/29 via Parkwood Entertainment/Columbia Records. Find more information here.

“COWBOY CARTER”: Beyonce Confirms “Surprises” And “Brilliant” Guest Features On Her Next LP

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COWBOY CARTER is coming – are you ready? On Tuesday (March 19), Beyonce took to Instagram to share an update on her highly anticipated Act II album. “Today marks the 10-day countdown until the release of act ii. Thank you from the bottom of my heart to all of the supporters of ‘TEXAS HOLD ‘EM’ and ’16 CARRIAGES,’” her message began. “I feel honoured to be the first Black woman with the number one single on the Hot Country Songs chart. That would not have happened without the outpouring of support from each and every one of you. My hope is that years from now, the mention of an artist’s race, as it relates to releasing genres of music, will be irrelevant.”

Queen B has spent over five years making COWBOY CARTER. “It was born out of an experience that I had years ago where I did not feel welcomed…and it was very clear that I wasn’t,” she noted, seemingly referencing past racism she’s experienced within the industry. “But, because of that experience, I did a deeper dive into the history of Country music and studied our rich musical archive. It feels good to see how music can unite so many people around the world, while also amplifying the voices of some of the people who have dedicated so much of their lives educating on our musical history.”

Read More: Beyonce “Act II: Cowboy Carter”: 5 Things We Want

Beyonce Addresses Racism in Country Music, Updates Fans on Act II

 
 
 
 
 
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“The criticisms I faced when I first entered this genre forced me to propel past the limitations that were put on me. act ii is a result of challenging myself, and taking my time to bend and blend genres together to create this body of work,” Beyonce shared. She has “a few surprises” in store for us, as well as collaborations with “brilliant artists” who have earned her deepest respects. “I hope that you can hear my heart and soul, and all the love and passion that I poured into every detail and every sound,” the mother of three later expressed. Her upcoming release is a “continuation of ‘RENASISSANCE’” that she hopes creates a journey for listeners in their mind while listening.

“This ain’t a Country album. This is a “Beyonce” album,” her post ended. If you’re curious about what Beyonce’s COWBOY CARTER LP might sound like, be sure to check out some of her past country works at the link below. Who do you think she’ll end up collaborating with? Let us know in the comments, and check back later for more hip-hop/pop culture.

Read More: 7 Times Beyonce Put Her Texas, Country Roots Into Her Music

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Tierra Whack Thanks Meek Mill For Calling Jay-Z & Fixing Her Beyonce Collab

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Tierra Whack recently stopped by Hot 97 to speak on her new album WORLD WIDE WHACK, and during that conversation, she revealed a wild story behind her collaborative track with Beyoncé. “It was somebody we knew that was really on her team,” she began. “They’re like, ‘Yeah, she wants you on [“MY POWER”].’ I was like, ‘Alright, send the song.’ ‘Oh it comes out in two days, too,’ and it’s like… Whoo! So, we played the song, and I was like, ‘Alright, this beat’s cr*zy.’ I wrote the verse in, like, 20 minutes. We were looking at each other like, ‘Is it good?’ It came so easy. We didn’t want a rush a song with Beyonce. We don’t want to rush any song, but a song with Beyonce? You gotta be careful.

“So my verse, it was an open slot for the last verse,” Tierra Whack continued. “We sent it over, and it’s like, ‘Yo, she likes it so much, she’s gonna put it as the opening.’ I was like, ‘Oh s**t, right, that’s cr*zy, yo, n***a, we made it!’ Yeah. I never told anybody this, but I’ma tell y’all this. We sent our rough, and then we were like, ‘Yo, before it comes out, we need to hear what the engineers are doing on that side, ’cause we wanna make sure and just be comfortable,’ right? We don’t want to hear no effects and stuff. So they sent it back last-minute, Somebody on that side sent it back and… my verse was off. Like, off-beat. It made me sound like I didn’t know how to rap.

Read More: Tierra Whack Net Worth 2024: Updated Wealth Of The Rapper

Tierra Whack Reveals How Meek Mill Saved Her & Beyonce’s Track “MY POWER”: Watch

 
 
 
 
 
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“I was so hurt, and I was like, ‘Yo, I don’t want to seem ungrateful, I don’t wanna like…’ You know what I’m saying? I know how to rap,” Tierra Whack went on. “Yeah, I said something. It took me a few hours, ’cause I wanted to just make sure I said it right. So, I didn’t get that right contact to her. I think Hov switched his number, he had a new number. By the time I texted him, it went green. But I have his number today, so yeah, I got it. I’m good, I’m still in, I’m still cool! Um… so, I had to communicate, right? So, what I did was I reached out to Meek. You know, Meek, that’s like my cousin. No, like, real cousins.

“So I reached out to Meek, I’m like, ‘Yo, this happened. And I need you to say it for me,’” she concluded. “So he hit Hov, and I guess Hov tapped B, like, ‘Yo, Whack saying this verse is not right.’ And then she made a few phone calls, and it was over with. It was good, it was all figured out. Then Hov hit me and he’s like, ‘I’m glad you spoke up, because your s**t gotta be right.’ But the whole world at this moment, y’all know I can rap. But, I was like, I gotta be [right]. No, I was like, ‘Does this engineer have ears?’ It was so bad, like, it was so off. I change flows like three times, so it all has to match.” For more on Tierra Whack, Beyonce, Jay-Z, and Meek Mill, come back to HNHH.

Read More: Tierra Whack’s Albums & Projects, Ranked

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