Justice

The Terrible Reason Country Music Fans Are Furious With Beyoncé

November 2nd 2016

Beyoncé is performing at the Country Music Association Awards on Wednesday night, and some country music fans are furious. However, their anger isn't really about the music.

After the news broke that the singer would give a performance at the CMA's, some country music fans tweeted strong negative reactions. Beyoncé has one country song on the album "Lemonade" titled "Daddy Lessons," and that is presumably the basis for her invitation to perform. Beyonce is not generally considered a country artist, so criticism focused on that fact could be valid.

However, much of the social media outrage aimed at Beyoncé's scheduled performance focuses on two things: her sexy performances, and her criticism of police brutality.

Beyoncé's 2016 Super Bowl performance of "Formation," and the following release of "Lemonade" caused controversy, due to its pro-Black Lives Matter imagery and lyrics.

The criticism continued on Facebook.

Comments about Beyoncé at the CMAs. Facebook/CMA Country Music Association - facebook.com

Comments about Beyoncé performing at the CMAs.Facebook/CMA Country Music Association - facebook.com

This criticism of Beyoncé ignores two important points about country music: the genre has sexy female singers and a history of lyrics about running from the law.

Country icon Johnny Cash sang songs about breaking the law.

In 1968's "Cocaine Blues" he sings about doing drugs, shooting a woman with a .44 pistol, and attempting to flee the law in Mexico. Here are some of the lyrics:

Early one mornin' while makin' the rounds
I took a shot of cocaine and I shot my woman down
I went right home and I went to bed
I stuck that lovin' .44 beneath my head

Got up next mornin' and I grabbed that gun
Took a shot of cocaine and away I run
Made a good run but I run too slow
They overtook me down in Juarez, Mexico

Also Shania Twain, one of the best selling female artists in the history of country music, was known for her sexy outfits and empowering lyrics for women.

Black people on Twitter had their own reactions to Beyoncé's planned performance.

All six of Beyoncé's solo studio albums have passed 1 million copies sold, and all of them debuted at number 1 on the Billboard chart. That doesn't even count records sold as a member of the hit group Destiny's Child.

RELATED: Beyoncé Drops New Single "Formation", and It's Powerful

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