Beyoncé's upcoming album, Cowboy Carter, has been generating buzz ahead of its release date. The album cover art has sparked some controversy, with singer Erykah Badu criticizing the artwork. In response, Beyoncé's publicist, Yvette Schure, defended the singer by highlighting Beyoncé's iconic braided hairstyles throughout her career.
Badu had questioned the album cover for Act II: Cowboy Carter, which features Beyoncé posing naked with a sash across her chest and hips. The sash reads “Act II Beyincé” on a white fabric with blue and red hems. Beyoncé's braided hairstyle with red and white beads at the ends of her bangs drew attention, as did her pose holding a lit marijuana cigarette.
Following Badu's social media posts, she reached out to JAY-Z on Twitter for support. Meanwhile, Beyoncé shared a countdown to the album release, revealing that the project was inspired by a past experience where she felt unwelcome. This led her to explore the history of country music and break through genre limitations.
Beyoncé expressed her hope that in the future, an artist's race would be irrelevant when it comes to releasing music in different genres. Cowboy Carter is scheduled for release on March 29, promising to bring a fresh perspective to the music industry.