Quiet storm legend Anita Baker has been touring with her fellow R&B icon Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, and now they’re feuding — or rather, Babyface’s fans are feuding with Baker. As TMZ explains, last month Babyface’s opening set at the pair’s show in Newark was cut short after starting nearly two hours late, and now she says his recent sets have been going too long, pressing well into the timeframe when the headliner is supposed to be onstage. According to Baker, her complaints about this trend have led to a wave of online harassment from Babyface fans who won’t concede that he’s booked as a special guest on her Songstress Tour, not a co-headliner.
In a series of expressive tweets over the past two days, Baker has argued that Babyface is breaching his contract and needs to make way for the headliner in a timely fashion. She also has called on Babyface to tell “Kenny’s Crazies” to stand down. “Out of Kindness & Community, you Gift? them $200k worth of Production/that YOU Pay for…” Baker wrote in the first of these tweets Sunday afternoon, which also invoked the history of American slavery. “And, Still, they Complain & hold up, the show⏰ Annnd, Slander & *Villanize, Your name to social media blogs & press.” Today Baker asserted, “There is A White man, behind these Grown Black Men… harrassing Me & Gaslighting, My Fans. Because he Cant take over, this Tour… sO? He wants to Destroy it.” Plus, she alleged that Babyface hates Beyoncé.
It’s all a lot to take in, but you’ll get the gist by perusing Baker’s tweets below.
Kenny's Crazies are online Bullies. @Babyface Please call off, your fans. I have been Only Kind and Supportive, of You, as the Special Guest/Support, on My Tour
ABXO🎼 https://t.co/1nxnrcqL5j— Anita Baker (@IAMANITABAKER) June 12, 2023