This week has been a lot to digest in the Anita Baker vs. Babyface saga, and quite frankly, it’s giving Twitter users the blues. On Monday (June 12), the soulful songstress sent out a series of tweets asking the “Nobody Knows It But Me” musician to call off crazy fans.
Their issues dates back to a May 10 tweet Babyface posted in response to not performing as her guest for a scheduled show. “I am truly sorry to my fans who have been waiting for us to hit the stage this evening at [the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey]. I was asked not to perform in order to give Ms. Baker her space and time to perform her show in its entirety. My band and I are extremely saddened we didn’t get to perform for y’all tonight,” he wrote. His supporters accused the “Sweet Love” hitmaker of diva-like behavior and apparently harassed her on social media for weeks.
On Monday, Baker added fuel to the fire in a post calling the distinguished singer, songwriter and producer her “special guest/support act” and insinuated that she did him a favor by “[exposing] him [to] my arena-size fan base.” Her tweet directed to his fans continued, “It helps him… Bye, to Kenny’s Creepy Crazies.” Although the “I Care About You” hitmaker never publicly entertained the drama, she fired back, “Babyface, call off your boys.” Amidst the chaos were also fans’ accusations of him hating Beyoncé. Yesterday (June 13), the “Caught Up in the Rapture” vocalist announced she was taking him off the tour.
Fans didn’t know how to react. “I’m just gonna stay out of those rich folks’ business and keep listening to both of them,” one user tweeted. “I’ve decided to stay in a child’s place,” another wrote. While some were quick to make jokes, replacing Babyface’s picture on the original flyer with a photoshopped image of rapper Babyface Ray, others offered messages of support. “Keep your head up, Ken. God knows your heart,” a response read. Another shared a video of the show before the abrupt change: “Well, I got to see Babyface while he was still on tour with Anita Baker. It’s Black Music Month; we can’t have the family feuding like this.”
See Anita Baker and Babyface’s statements as well as fan reactions below.