Neo-soul singer and artist Erykah Badu has recently come out again to criticise Beyoncé, insisting that the pop star is copying her style and mimicking her album artwork as she pivots towards country.
Beyoncé (real name Beyoncé Knowles) recently shared the alternate cover for her upcoming country album, act ii: Cowboy Carter, and the post saw Erykah Badu take to Twitter/X and address the artwork.
Addressing the cover, Badu wrote, “To JAY-Z. Say somethin Jay. You gone let this woman and these bees do this to me??” Following the preview of the limited edition artwork, Badu shared it with her fans on an Instagram story, writing the caption, “Hmmm.”
The limited edition album artwork sees Beyoncé sash that reads “act ii BEYINCÉ”. However, the Houston native also has her hair braided with beads added to her fringe. Badu has had a similar hairstyle for a long time.
Badu has taken issue with the beaded hairstyle, which has been one of her signature looks since the 2010s. This recent frustration with Beyoncé follows an annoyance the Mama’s Gun vocalist had Bey while she was on her Renaissance tour last year.
One of Knowles’ signature looks for the tour was a metallic, wide-brimmed hat, similar to one that Badu has been rocking for years. However, Pharrell Williams made the hat style extremely popular before either singer wore one.
The two singers are also Texans, and Badu is a Dallas native. Therefore, it is unsurprising that Western fashion has influenced the pair over the years. Last year, while on tour, Beyoncé called out slyly Erykah Badu.
While in Massachusetts, during a performance of ‘Break My Soul (The Queens Remix)’, Knowles flipped the regular lyrics that hear her sing “Badu, Lizzo, Kelly Rowl” and rammed home her point by adding extra Badu’s screaming, “Badu, Badu, Badu, Badu!”
You can see the various posts by the vocalists below.