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.”
we love an african aesthetic draped in capitalism. hope we remember the blk folks on the continent whose daily lives are impacted by u.s 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
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(@noname) July 31, 2020
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.
Nobody:
Noname: pic.twitter.com/o0jXhfefVd
— Daenerys Shoulda Burnt Dat Bih Sansa Alive (@FKAJohnLove) August 1, 2020
Black American’s entitlement to speak for Africa also needs its own conversation. Noname needed this perspective & I’m glad they came. pic.twitter.com/PNMX2gEjdE
— papa. (@kingnalodarling) August 2, 2020
Noname wakes up every morning and the first thing on her mind is Beyoncé. Sounds like a fan if you ask me pic.twitter.com/Q5xty8KWrx
— Big B (@ungodIybey) August 3, 2020
I think Noname just doesn’t like Beyoncé in general. Because why she ain’t say anything when Fenty Skin launched?
— BLAQUE IS KANG (@dom_dotty) July 31, 2020
Beyoncé: love yourself. You’re black & you’re beautiful
NoName: This statement is draped in capitalism. Hope u can use this same energy to end world hunger and reshape an Institution built by white people to serve themselves.
— Kelly Rowland News (@localblackicon) July 31, 2020
Lmfaooooo now everyone who was dragging J Cole because of NoName, is now Dragging NoName because of Beyoncé & The Obama’s. Lmao pic.twitter.com/U0HxDlSAc5
— bison back beetch (@_ManiacMcGee) July 31, 2020
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.
This noname stuff is weird to me cuz like she reallly don’t be off base too often and every single time she slips up even on a small level some of y’all are lil too excited to jump down her throat and I don’t think I need to give a ted talk on misogynoir and colourism again
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(@Abalisah) August 1, 2020
I don’t like the way y’all be talking about/to Noname.
— Yung (@YungYinkv) August 2, 2020
Im sick of y’all grasping at straws to criticize Noname’s hot takes. The way yall dogpile on her for any little tiff y’all dont readily agree with is very ugly. Its not lost on me that the spirit of mysogynoir is what even makes y’all feel comfortable doing it.
— Jean Deaux (@jeandeauxmusic) August 1, 2020
The hilarious thing about folks acting like this over Noname is that they then express admiration towards STAUNCH anti-capitalists like Martin Luther King Jr. and the Black Panthers.
— Asia (@AsiaChloeBrown) August 3, 2020
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.
appropriation & aesthetic pic.twitter.com/c9Y8wL55LQ
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Check out the responses to Noname’s original tweet above.