The Treatment Of Beyonce By The CMAs Is Shameful
In America, it should be a known fact that if you don’t like Beyonce you are in the minority. The icon, known for delivering powerful music layered with social-political commentary, performed at the Country Music Awards on November 2. This performance was important for numerous reasons, but two in particular. The first being was that it reminded the white-dominated genre of its black origins. Secondly, the performance also featured the Dixie Chicks, a band who was ostracized for their advocation for women's right to abortion. Of course, the bulk of the hate wasn't directed towards them, though.
The CMAs were quickly met by out lash from country fans who not only insisted that Beyonce didn't belong there but were quick to expose their own racism and bias through slurs and threats.
How did the CMAs decide to handle this? Well by deleting all pictures and mention from their site and social media about the reason for their most watched episode.
This happened quickly and the award show was called out soon after numerous times-- including by Nathalie Maines of the Dixie Chicks.
On Thursday afternoon, however, they denied their actions and posted a video of the performance. As this was only met with side eye and general indifference you can gather how people felt about their backtracking.
White America has a long history of claiming that genres of music that they consume didn't originate from black pioneers. From rock to country, black people have been exiled from spaces they helped create. ‘Daddy Lessons’ is not the first country record to be written by a black person. Black Americans still make country music, although they find it much harder to break into the mainstream. To label almost any genre as 'white music' is to alienate the black, and non-black people of color, musicians and consumers that continue to enjoy them (not to mention to erase a part of our own history).
Overall if anything was learned from this event it's that pretending like black people are barred from country music spaces is without reward. Also, that Beyonce stans don't play.
You can watch the preview or entirety of the Daddy Lessons video here.