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Anita Baker has had it. After going on a tweet spree over the past few days decrying the harassment she said she’s been receiving from Babyface’s fans, the “Caught Up in the Rapture” singer announced on Tuesday morning (June 13) that she’s had it.
“After Silently, Enduring Cyber Bulling/Verbal Abuse & Threats of Violence from the Fan Base, of Our Special Guest/Support Act. In the Interest of Personal Safety. I will continue, The Songstress Tour, alone. Appropriate refunds will be made. Blessings,” Baker wrote alongside a new tour poster that doesn’t feature her former opener’s name on it.
The tour celebrating Baker’s four decades in the music business that kicked off in Florida in February — and is slated to run through a Dec. 23 show at Oakland Arena — had featured opening support sets from singer/songwriter/producer Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds. But after Edmonds was unexpectedly cut from a May 10 show at the Prudential Center in New Jersey due to reported technical issues that pushed that night’s start time by two hours, she said his fans have been relentlessly harassing and trolling her.
“I am truly sorry to my fans who have been waiting for us to hit the stage this evening at the Prudential Center,” Babyface wrote at the time. “I was asked not to perform in order to give Ms. Baker her space and time to perform her show in its entirety. My band an I are extremely saddened we didn’t get to perform for y’all tonight.”
In the series of tweets last weekend that stretched into the weekend and then Monday, Baker made it crystal clear that Edmonds was always the opening act and that she is fed up with the alleged taunting from his fans. Dubbing his followers “Kenny’s Crazies,” on Monday Baker made a direct plea to Babyface to stop the madness.
“Dearest one. You are Not, privy to *The Contracts*. Yes, Babyface is Special Guest/Support Act, on My Tour,” she tweeted. “This False Narrative, of A Co-headliner is creating Unrealistic Expectations & Aggression, from his fans towards me. He should tell you guys, the Truth.”
At press time it did not appear that Babyface had reacted to Baker’s tweets and a spokesperson for the singer had not returned a request for comment.
Baker’s tour is a celebration of 40 years in music and the anniversary of her debut album, 1983’s The Songstress. The dates also mark the first time the Ohio native is performing her classics live since winning back the right of her masters in 2021 with the help of Chance the Rapper. The next scheduled date on the tour is June 30 at the United Center in Chicago.
See Baker’s tweet below.
#AnitaBaker After Silently, Enduring Cyber Bulling/Verbal Abuse & Threats of Violence from the Fan Base, of Our Special Guest❤️/Support Act. In the Interest of Personal Safety. I will continue, The Songstress Tour, alone. Appropriate refunds will be made.Blessings🎁ABXO🎼 pic.twitter.com/P7OzVdiEPm— Anita Baker (@IAMANITABAKER) June 13, 2023
Anita Baker was excited to tour with the “Legendary” Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds on her The Songstress outing. That’s how she tagged the Grammy-winning singer/songwriter/producer in the tour poster for the 15-date run that began in February.
But after Baby was unexpectedly cut from a May 10 show at the Prudential Center in New Jersey after reported technical issues pushed that night’s start time by two hours — resulting in Edmonds getting yanked from the bill — she said Babyface’s fans have been relentlessly harassing and trolling her.
“I am truly sorry to my fans who have been waiting for us to hit the stage this evening at the Prudential Center,” Babyface wrote at the time. “I was asked not to perform in order to give Ms. Baker her space and time to perform her show in its entirety. My band an I are extremely saddened we didn’t get to perform for y’all tonight.”
The badgering has clearly gotten under Baker’s skin, as evidence by a dayslong tweet spree from the 65-year-old “Sweet Love” singer, who has made two things clear: Babyface was the opening act on her tour and she’s had it with the nonsense. “When A friend, is being attacked, by Your friends?… because, of Mis-information/fake news And, You have an Opportunity, to Say Something/Correct it? … It’s A Nice, thing. … It’s the Right thing to do. Reputation, Peace & Safety Matters,” Baker tweeted on June 9th along with a GIF of cartoon mouse Jerry (of Tom & Jerry fame) shaking a baby bird’s hands.
Things got heated over the weekend when Baker upped the ante, tweeting, “Out of Kindness & Community, you Gift them $200k worth of Production/that YOU Pay for… And, Still, they Complain & hold up, the show Annnd, Slander & *Villanize, Your name to social media blogs & press #Massa&Plantation.”
She doubled-down a bit later on Sunday, adding, “It was 9:30pm. *Contractually?… It was WAAAY Past time 4 the Headline Performer, to be On Stage/Anita Baker Support Act did Not Perform. I have No Contract with Support Act Not my Call I Did what i was *Contracted 2 do & Love, as Headline Performer, of my Sold Out Concert.”
The dust-up appeared to stem from Babyface fans who assumed the singer was co-headlining the tour — Baker’s first in nearly 28 years — and that she had made the decision to scotch his set, though the dates were clearly labelled as a celebration of her four decades in music.
Baker’s gloves really came off on Monday, when she seemed to lose patience with the trolling from the fans she dubbed “Kenny’s Crazies” and asked the singer to step in and call them off. “Dearest one. You are Not, privy to *The Contracts*. Yes, Babyface is Special Guest/Support Act, on My Tour,” she tweeted. “This False Narrative, of A Co-headliner is creating Unrealistic Expectations & Aggression, from his fans towards me. He should tell you guys, the Truth.”
She continued to troll the trollers for wanting to “fight a 65 yr. old Woman,” and then seemed to take the fight to another level, writing, “#And, here is what its All about… P.R. for One Person, whi [sic] needs it. And one person who does not,” before adding, “YES… Cyber Bullies, will not Silence me. I will continue to speak.”
Baker appeared to run out of patience around midday Monday, when she again asked Edmonds to tell his fans to stop while suggesting that someone behind the scenes was ginning Baby’s fans up, writing, “There is A White man, behind these Grown Black Men… harassing Me & Gaslighting, My Fans. Because he Cant take over, this Tour… sO? He wants to Destroy it. Kenny’s Crazy Narcissist call off, your Boys.”
At press time it did not appear that Babyface had reacted to Baker’s tweets and a spokesperson for the singer had not returned a request for comment.
Baker’s tour commemorates 40 years in the music game and the anniversary of her debut album, 1983’s The Songstress. The tour dates also mark the first time the Ohio native is performing her classics live since winning back the right of her masters in 2021 with the help of Chance the Rapper. The next scheduled date on the tour is June 30 at the United Center in Chicago
See Baker’s tweets below.
When A friend, is being attacked, by Your friends?… because, of Mis-information/fake news And, You have an Opportunity, to Say Something/Correct it?… It’s A Nice, thing.… It’s the Right🎁 thing to do.Reputation, Peace & Safety Matters🙏🏾abxo🎼 pic.twitter.com/nzE4Mk9PmQ— Anita Baker (@IAMANITABAKER) June 9, 2023
Out of Kindness & Community, you Gift🎁 them $200k worth of Production/that YOU Pay for… And, Still, they Complain & hold up, the show⏰ Annnd, Slander & *Villanize, Your name to social media blogs & press#Massa&Plantation pic.twitter.com/yO1UXvBKte— Anita Baker (@IAMANITABAKER) June 11, 2023
It was 9:30pm.*Contractually?…It was WAAAY Past time 4 the Headline Performer, to be On Stage/Anita BakerSupport Act ❤️did Not Perform. I have No Contract with Support Act❤️Not my CallI Did what i was *Contracted 2 do & Love, as Headline Performer, of my Sold Out Concert pic.twitter.com/es6PJGNOmz— Anita Baker (@IAMANITABAKER) June 11, 2023
Dearest one. You are Not, privy to *The Contracts*. Yes, Babyface is Special Guest❤️/Support Act, on My Tour. This False Narrative, of A Co-headliner is creating Unrealistic Expectations & Aggression, from his fans towards me. He should tell you guys, the Truth https://t.co/avBuMPO60b pic.twitter.com/oOeSVfg7DZ— Anita Baker (@IAMANITABAKER) June 12, 2023
This is What Haapens, When Grown Men/from @babyface Fan Base Threaten, You/A 65 yr old Woman & You ask him, to help Stop, the harrassment.#AnitaBaker … being Harrased/Threatened, Is *The Real Headline*… But, Massa’s Blogs, won’t print that. https://t.co/NdNEBmqmNi— Anita Baker (@IAMANITABAKER) June 12, 2023
There is A White man, behind these Grown Black Men… harrassing Me & Gaslighting, My Fans. Because he Cant take over, this Tour… sO? He wants to Destroy it.Kenny’s Crazy Narcissist@Babyface call off, your Boys https://t.co/z8M3JH3yUO— Anita Baker (@IAMANITABAKER) June 12, 2023
Cardi B is fresh off the release of putting her spin on a remix of Latto‘s “Put It On Da Floor,” and now she’s shaking what her mama gave her to celebrate. The “Bodak Yellow” rapper took to Twitter on Monday (June 12) to share a brief video in which her bottom is seen on […]
Drake was being a Certified Lover Boy on Thursday (June 8) when he took to his Instagram Stories to wish Lilah Pi a happy birthday. “More life to the gyal that’s impossible to duplicate,” he wrote alongside a stunning photo of Lilah. “My inspo, my confidant, my best mate, my heart @lilahpi happy birthday.” The […]
Moneybagg Yo is ready to hit the road this summer for his upcoming tour, Larger Than Life. Announced Friday (June 9), the “Wockesha” rapper will go on a multi-city trek beginning in Orlando on Aug. 3, and continuing throughout various cities including Atlanta, New York and Los Angeles. Then, he will conclude his 23-city trek […]
At less than 2 years old, Wave Set is rolling in the dough — figuratively and literally. Offset shared Instagram snaps of his and Cardi B‘s son looking like a baby baller while playing with piles of cash on Thursday (June 8). In the photos, Wave — wearing a diaper and diamond earrings — carries […]
Today (June 9), Janelle Monae swims back into the limelight with Age of Pleasure, her first album in five years.
The predecessor to her 2018 acclaimed effort Dirty Computers is 14 tracks deep and includes features from Grace Jones, CKay, Amaarae, Doechii, and more. Her single, “Lipstick Lover,” remains a sticky summer jam that sparked conversation since its release last month.
“That song, ‘Lipstick Lover,’ I’m like, ‘Why didn’t I write this song years ago?’ Because if you know me … Today, I don’t have on any red lipstick, but I’m always in red lipstick. And there have been so many instances where I’ve made out with somebody at a party, and it’s dark,” she said in her interview with Zane Lowe following the song’s release. “Nobody notices it. But when the lights come on, whoever I’ve made out with, lipstick all over their face. And then I’ve also been on the receiving end of a human … who’s so attractive. … Or I’ll get home, and I’m like, ‘Oh my God. I have lipstick all over my face.’ And I’ve also been the ‘Lipstick Lover’ where … you know exactly who I kissed.”
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Monae also explained to Lowe how the songs from her new album came from honesty.
“All the songs were written from such an honest space,” she began. “And what I’m super excited about with The Age of Pleasure. The Age of Pleasure is that … Listen, I’ve had my age of depression. I’ve had my age of anxiety. I’ve had my age of struggle. And again, it’s not like life is pleasurable every single day, but I think I have actively just sought out … How do I create a space for myself? How do I redirect my mind on how I’m thinking about things? How do I realize that right now, in this present moment, moments that we’ll never get back, this is where you need to find your pleasure? This is your moment. Don’t let it get confused that five minutes later, we’re going to try to go into doing something different. And again, this is just my experience where I’m at; even though, despite what I may be going through, there’s going to be a moment where this bad moment, I won’t even be around to even discuss it. I won’t.”
Stream Age of Pleasure below.
Killer Mike stopped by Billboard News to talk about creating Michael — his most personal album yet — the start of his career, Atlanta rappers such as Latto and Lil Baby, his thoughts on Georgia politics and more!
Killer Mike:Run the Jewels is the X-Men, right? It’s us as a group — me, El-P, Trackstar. We have this world that’s the uncanny X-Men. Well in my character, you get the superhero of Killer Mike. But there’s still this story that this 9-year-old kid is just a regular human kid.
Hey, what’s up? This is Killer Mike, and this is Billboard News.
Tetris Kelly:It’s Tetris with Billboard News, hanging out with Grammy-winning rapper Killer Mike. Man, what’s up?
Killer Mike:Man, trying to get back to more Grammys, man.
Tetris Kelly:Hey, I like to hear that. I actually think this is the first time I’ve had another Georgia brother on the couch, man.
Killer Mike:Red Clay brothers, man. Good to be here.
Tetris Kelly:There we go. I’m happy to have you. We’re gonna get back to Georgia. But let’s jump into this music, right now.
Killer Mike:Let’s do it, let’s do it!
Tetris Kelly:So Michael, the album, obviously naming the album that, you know, it’s got to be really personal for you. So why did you decide to name it Michael?
Killer Mike:It really is. If you look at the cover, it’s a bucktoothed little kid with a halo and some horns popping out. And that really is the spirit of that record. At 9 years old, when I did that school picture, I decided I was going to be a rapper. And there’s something about a kid’s imagination, once he says you can do it, it’s not impossible. But this record is about a 9-year-old Black boy, essentially, grows up in an all-Black enclave in Atlanta, Ga., which is a Black city, in the Deep South. And he blossoms and he and the city and this music all grew up together. And it’s that journey.
So there’s deeply personal records on there like “Shed Tears” that talks about, you know, as a man, you’re going to endure some hardships and pains. And the women who love you — whether it’s your mother, your wife, your lover, your daughters — people cheer for you and sometimes you just got to go in the bathroom and shake yourself up. Let a few tears flow and then go out and conquer the world.
I just wanted people to understand that the superhero Killer Mike created an image of his 9-year-old boy, it was really started by this 9-year-old boy named Michael.Watch the video above to see what else Killer Mike shares about his new album, the rise of Atlana rappers and more.
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