Hardy is speaking his mind. The artist is calling out Beyoncé and her new venture in country music, shading the singer for not being authentic.
After playing the Houston Rodeo, Hardy said there was one person he didn't see. Taking to Instagram, he captioned his post, "Didn't see Beyoncé at the rodeo." Hardy's comment garnered a mixed reception online with some agreeing with him and others defending Beyoncé.
One person commented, ""Paint him red and black & call him jumper cables cause hes startin s—t"
Another wrote, "I will never understand any person, especially artists and creative minds having to tear down other people being creative and making their own art to promote themself. It is just such an odd concept to me. Like bro go out. Make your music. Kill it. And let it speak for itself. Don't like it, don't like them. Rise above and do your thing."
Still, another wrote, "Beyoncé THINKS she can take over country just because she's from Texas... WRONG."
Hardy's comment comes after Beyoncé called out the CMAs in a subtle jab. In her announcement for her upcoming album Cowboy Carter, Beyoncé said she developed the idea for the album after she faced persecution. The artist hinted that the 2016 CMAs played a role in the album's genesis.
Beyoncé Calls Out CMAS
Beyoncé wrote on Instagram, "I feel honored to be the first Black woman with the number one single on the Hot Country Songs chart. That would not have happened without the outpouring of support from each and every one of you. My hope is that years from now, the mention of an artist's race, as it relates to releasing genres of music, will be irrelevant."
She continued, "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. But, because of that experience, I did a deeper dive into the history of Country music and studied our rich musical archive. It feels good to see how music can unite so many people around the world, while also amplifying the voices of some of the people who have dedicated so much of their lives educating on our musical history...."
Beyoncé also declared the final word on anyone who doesn't like her music. She wrote, "This ain't a Country album. This is a 'Beyoncé' album. This is act ii COWBOY CARTER, and I am proud to share it with y'all!"
