Matthew Knowles is speaking about his daughter Beyonce‘s exclusion from the Country Music Awards. On Monday, the Country Music Association revealed its nominees for the 58th award ceremony. However, despite releasing one of the best-selling country albums of the year, Queen B’s name was nowhere on the list. Her father believes her skin color had something to do with the major snub.
Mr Knowles said he isn’t surprised his daughter received zero nominations, considering her history with the award show. The concerned father recalled the hostility Beyonce received when she performed with the Dixie Chicks at the 2016 CMA Awards. He believes the dark past and lack of inclusion of people of color are responsible for the disrespectful snub. “There’s more white people in America, and unfortunately, they don’t vote based on ability and achievements,” Matthew told TMZ. “It’s still sometimes a white and black thing.” Although the former Destiny’s Child manager didn’t directly call the CMAs racist, he believes Beyonce’s rejection “speaks for itself.”
Matthew Knowles added that the negative approach the CMA organizers took with Cowboy Carter was somewhat expected given the country’s current state. “In America, there’s no accountability for people not being accepting of other cultures,” he concluded.
Was Beyonce’s Cowboy Carter Inspired By Her 2016 CMA Awards’ Backlash?
Beyonce’s Cowboy Carter album was released on March 29, featuring collaborations with Dolly Parton, Post Malone, Shaboozey, and more. The album reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200, making Beyonce the first Black woman to ever top the Hot Country Albums chart. However, days before its release, she alluded to the harsh reception at the 2016 CMA Awards as the inspiration for the project.
“This album has been over five years in the making. It was born out of an experience that I had years ago where I did not feel welcomed…and it was very clear that I wasn’t.”
She added, “The criticisms I faced when I first entered this genre forced me to propel past the limitations that were put on me. act ii is a result of challenging myself.” Although Bey didn’t mention the award show, she didn’t hesitate to throw a little shade. “This ain’t a Country album. This is a “Beyoncé” album,” she concluded her announcement write-up.
