The recent passing of Tina Turner has ignited a wave of backlash aimed at Beyoncé and Jay-Z over a contentious lyric featured in their song “Drunk in Love.”
Many individuals have expressed their disappointment and condemnation, deeming the line as “vile,” “inappropriate,” and “tacky.”
One disgruntled listener wrote, “I’ll never forgive Jay-Z for that particular line in ‘Drunk in Love.’ So tacky. Vile. Inappropriate.”
The sentiment was echoed by another, who expressed disappointment in Beyoncé’s decision to approve the inclusion of the lyric on her album. They commented, “Even more disappointing that Beyoncé gave it the green light and allowed it on her album :/”
The connection between Beyoncé and Tina Turner, with the latter serving as a blueprint and one of Beyoncé’s greatest influences, only exacerbated the discomfort caused by the controversial line.
A third individual remarked, “Knowing that Tina Turner was Beyoncé’s blueprint and one of her biggest influences makes that line in ‘Drunk in Love’ even more jarring.”
Critics took issue with Jay-Z’s apparent disrespect towards Tina Turner and his casual approach to addressing her history of abuse in the song.
One commentator expressed their disappointment, stating, “This makes it even more disappointing that Jay-Z disrespected Tina Turner and made light of her abuse on ‘Drunk in Love.’ They both should’ve known better than that.”
Another commenter reflected on the lack of sensitivity displayed by the couple, noting, “I keep thinking about how disrespectful it was for Jay-Z and Beyoncé to have that ‘Drunk in Love’ lyric making fun of Tina Turner’s abuse from Ike…”
The controversial lyrics in question are as follows: “I’m Ike, Turner, turn up / Baby no, I don’t play / Now eat the cake, Anna Mae / I said eat the cake, Anna Mae.” This particular line alludes to a scene from the critically acclaimed Tina Turner biopic, “What’s Love Got to Do with It.” In the film, Turner’s abusive husband, Ike, subjects her to a public humiliation by forcing her to eat cake as a form of punishment for garnering too much attention.
The inclusion of this reference in the song has stirred controversy and drawn criticism due to its insensitivity toward Turner’s experience of domestic violence. You can watch the disturbing scenes here:
As discussions surrounding the inappropriate lyric gain traction, Beyoncé and Jay-Z find themselves facing a barrage of disapproval.
The couple’s decision to include such a reference, which trivializes the suffering Turner endured, has struck a nerve among fans and critics alike.
It remains to be seen how they will respond to the mounting backlash and whether any action will be taken to address the concerns raised by those who find the lyric deeply problematic.
