Skip to Search Skip to Live Player Skip to Content Skip to Footer

WiLD Music News

WiLD Music News

WiLD Music News

Erykah Badu Suggests Beyoncé Copied Her Look For Album Cover

Author Autumn Hawkins

Erykah Badu got slammed on the internet Wednesday (March 20) when she insinuated that Beyoncé copied her. The soul artist reposted the limited edition cover for the Houston artist’s upcoming album Cowboy Carter. On the cover, Beyoncé is wearing a sash that reads “act ii BEYINCÉ,” referencing her mother’s maiden name and the root of her first name. In the image, she also has her hair braided with beaded bangs, which is what Badu is referring to when she claims she copied her.

Badu shared the cover on her Instagram Stories along with the caption “Hmmm.” Following some backlash from the BeyHive, Badu called out to Jay-Z for help on X (formerly known as Twitter).

“To JAY-Z. Say somethin Jay. You gone let this woman and these bees do this to me??”

Fans React To Erykah Badu’s Comments

Fans came to Beyoncé’s defense

“Erykah swear everybody copy her meanwhile Beyonce was referencing this queen,” a fan wrote, referring to the 2000 film Miss Congeniality.

“Erykah Badu is a prime example of how people hate Beyoncé simply for existing. It’s only a problem when Beyoncé does it…Badu didn’t address Brandy, SZA, or Solange. So d— backwards. @fatbellybella you’re embarrassing yourself,” a fan wrote.

Beyoncé’s publicist, Yvette Noelle-Schure, also came to the singer’s defense on Instagram, posting a montage of different braided looks (with some containing beads) over the years.

“She slays. She slays. Now. Then. Always. act ii COWBOY CARTER 3.29 #criticswithoutcredentials,” she captioned the post soundtracked by Beyoncé’s “Formation.”

Where Beyoncé Most Likely Got Inspiration From Bead Braided Hairstyle

With all due respect to Badu, she did not create the hairstyle. The beaded braid hairstyle was popularized in the 1970s and worn by artists such as Rick James, Donna Summer, and more. While Badu still rocks the hairstyle today, the use of the hairstyle has been used several times over in the Black community.

This is also not the first time Beyoncé has worn this hairstyle in her art. The hairstyle is seen throughout her Black Is King visuals in 2020.

However, this is also not the first time that Badu has accused Beyoncé of copying off of her. During the entertainer’s Renaissance World Tour, Badu commented on the large silver hat Beyoncé wore during one of her performances.

The “Call Tyrone” singer shared a side-by-side photo of the two in similar hats back in August. “Hmm. I guess I’m everyone’s stylist. My favorite chrome mirror hat,” Badu wrote alongside the photo per Page Six.

Beyoncé: What We Know About New Album 'Cowboy Carter'

  • When Will 'Cowboy Carter' Be Released?

    Beyoncé revealed on Instagram shortly after her Verizon ad aired during the Super Bowl that Cowboy Carter will arrive on March 29. In the teaser above, her song “Texas Hold ‘Em” soundtracks the video as a taxi cab pulls off into the desert. The taxi cab also contains the license plate “Texas Hold ‘Em.” While the taxi makes it way around the town, the teaser ends revealing the release date.

  • What Songs Are On 'Cowboy Carter'?

    At the time of this writing, only “Texas Hold ‘Em” and “16 Carriages” have been released. Both singles were released on Feb. 11 following the new album announcement. “Texas Hold ‘Em” debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard’s Country charts making her the first Black woman to debut at the top spot on the chart. The song debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and the next week it climbed to No. 1 marking the singer’s ninth solo No. 1 hit. “16 Carriages” debuted at No. 9 on the Country chart and No. 38 on the Billboard Hot 100.

  • Dolly Parton's Thoughts On 'Cowboy Carter'

    No tracklist pertaining any confirmed features has been announced at this time, but there has been some speculation. Country legend Dolly Parton believes that Beyoncé has created a cover to her 1973 hit “Jolene.” “Well, I think she has! I think she’s recorded ‘Jolene’ and I think it’s probably gonna be on her country album, which I’m very excited about that,” Parton said in an interview, per People.

    Prior to Parton’s speculation, she congratulated Beyoncé on making a country album. “I’m a big fan of Beyoncé and very excited that she’s done a country album,” she wrote in a statement via Instagram. “So congratulations on your Billboard Hot Country number one single.”

  • Will Taylor Swift Be On 'Cowboy Carter'?

    Parton’s “Jolene” cover news is the second speculation that has been heard about the upcoming album. In February, Killah B, who wrote and produced “Texas Hold ‘Em,” spoke to TMZ of the possibility of a Taylor Swift collaboration for Renaissance: Act II.

    “You gonna have to wait and see,” he said, adding, “Let’s just say she is on the approach of shocking the world. I’ll let your imagination decide what that means.”

    However, a source told Entertainment Weekly that Swift will not be on the new Beyoncé record. We’ll just have to wait to see on release day.

  • What Is The Limited Edition Merch For 'Cowboy Carter'?

    With the announcement of the official name for the album Cowboy Carter, Beyoncé released some limited edition merch on her official website. Let’s walk through it below:

    Vinyls
    There are four vinyls to choose from for Cowboy Country. The first one is the black vinyl with the cover that shows Beyoncé with braided bangs and colorful beads. The second is a white vinyl that shows the singer with a snake-like sunglasses. The third is a blue vinyl, that shows her wearing a black cowboy hat and dangling silver earrings. The fourth is a red vinyl, that shows her wearing her light blonde hair with red lipstick.

    CD Sets
    Similar to her first drop for act one of Renaissance, there are some limited edition CD sets with t-shirts for purchase. The first CD set features a t-shirt with the artwork for “16 Carriages.” It also includes a CD with the same cover as the black vinyl. For the second CD set, there is a red ringer shirt that reads the name of the album and includes a CD cover that matches the red vinyl.

    All of the merch is available for pre-order and will ship on 3/29 — the day of the album release.

  • Will Beyoncé Go On Tour?

    For act one of Renaissance, Beyoncé went on a 52-tour stop around the world last summer as she performed for fans in France, Germany, Canada, her hometown of Houston, and her birthday show in Los Angeles. With this upcoming album, fans are wondering if she will do the same or possibly do a Las Vegas residency. The Las Vegas Sphere has the world’s highest resolution LED screen (16K) that wraps around the arena. Beyoncé being such a visual artist, it would be impeccable to have her perform at this entertainment venue. Fans believe that she left a possible easter egg in her Verizon commercial when she was seen on top of the Las Vegas Sphere. Unfortunately at this time, a tour has not been confirmed by her team.

  • Beyoncé Releases Official Album Cover and Limited Edition Cover

    Beyoncé released the official album cover for Cowboy Carter on March 19, featuring her sitting on a white horse and holding the American Flag. In her caption, she revealed how the project was inspired by 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.” She seems to be referring to the backlash she experienced when performing with the Dixie Chicks in 2016 at the Country Music Awards. The following day, she released a limited edition album cover where she is wearing just a sash that reads the project’s title.

Autumn Hawkins is the National Hip-Hop and R&B writer for Beasley Media, currently residing in New Jersey. Prior to working at Beasley Media, she was in broadcast news as an entertainment producer. When she's not impatiently waiting for Beyoncé to drop new music, she is reading, shopping, or planning a vacation.

Sign me up for the WiLD 94.1 email newsletter!

As a WiLD 94.1 VIP member you get access to tons of perks. Get exclusive pre-sale codes for the hottest concerts, contests, and hip-hop and local news.

*
*
By clicking "Subscribe" I agree to the website's terms of Service and Privacy Policy. I understand I can unsubscribe at any time.
Author Autumn Hawkins
Category:
Tags:

More Music

Load More