Noname Gets Backlash From Beyonce Fans Over Her ‘Black Is King’ Comments

The Beyhive is once again upset with Noname after she offered her assessment of Beyonce’s visual album Black Is King on Friday. The notoriously protective Beyonce fans flooded Twitter with derogatory comments for the Chicago rapper, who they feel was disrespectful in pointing out her opinion that the film — a visual accompaniment to Beyonce’s Lion King tie-in album The Gift, aired exclusively on Disney+ — celebrated capitalism as much as Blackness or Africa.

On Friday, after the release of Black Is King, Noname tweeted, “We love an African aesthetic draped in capitalism. Hope we remember the Black folks on the continent whose daily lives are impacted by US imperialism. If we can uplift the imagery, I hope we can uplift those who will never be able to access it. Black liberation is a global struggle.”

https://twitter.com/noname/status/1289210082626920454

Some interpreted this as an attack on Beyonce and sour grapes on Noname’s part, prompting many fans to criticize the outspoken activist/rapper. For some, Noname’s comments characterized her as a “hater” who just looked for the negative in other artists’ work. A few commenters recalled the previous tiff between Noname and fans of J. Cole, noting that Noname has been attached to multiple contentious Twitter debates.

https://twitter.com/kingnalodarling/status/1289915489913671680

https://twitter.com/dom_dotty/status/1289223424028491776

https://twitter.com/localblackicon/status/1289235635522306053

https://twitter.com/_ManiacMcGee/status/1289269868823375872

However, others came to Noname’s defense. While many did view Noname’s comments as “overstepping,” they pointed out how the anger against her seemed misdirected and misogynistic, while others admitted she might have a point about the film.

https://twitter.com/Abalisah/status/1289646775729618945

https://twitter.com/AsiaChloeBrown/status/1290128661601857537

Meanwhile, Noname herself retweeted a few articles further explaining her position, choosing to stay above the fray. Beyonce has yet to respond to the controversy, once again leaving the din of social media to focus on the business that pays her.

https://twitter.com/noname/status/1289992010468737026

https://twitter.com/noname/status/1289927011331215360

Check out the responses to Noname’s original tweet above.