Anita Baker is going it alone. The soul and R&B singer announced Tuesday that Babyface will no longer be a special guest on her Songstress tour after some of his fans bullied, verbally abused, and threatened violence against her online.
The “Sweet Love” singer, 65, said in a statement posted to Twitter that she dropped Babyface, 64, from the lineup “In the Interest of Personal Safety” and will continue the tour solo. “Appropriate refunds will be made,” she noted. “Blessings ABXO.”
Babyface said in a statement provided to EW that he was “saddened by the news that Anita Baker has decided to remove me from ‘The Songstress Tour.'” He added, “It’s unfortunate and disheartening to see how things have played out via social media. While I was looking forward to the rest of the dates, I have nothing but love & respect for Anita and I wish her the best for the remainder of her tour.”
Representatives for Baker didn’t immediately respond to requests for further comment.
Baker’s decision to remove Babyface from the tour comes less than a day after she publicly asked him to “call off” fans of his who have been critical of her designating him a special guest and supporting act on the tour, rather than a co-headliner.
Responding to one such fan on social media, Baker tweeted, “My Companies, have No contract for Co-headling concerts.” In another tweet, she said that Babyface, born Kenneth Edmonds, “is Special Guest/Support Act, on My Tour,” and added, “This False Narrative, of A Co-headliner, is creating Unrealistic Expectations & Aggression, from his fans towards me. He should tell you guys, the Truth.”
She also tweeted, “I’m being attacked, [harassed] & threatened.”
Baker embarked on the Songstress tour, which commemorates the 40th anniversary of her first solo album, in February. But problems between her and Babyface seemed to be brewing after he didn’t perform at the tour’s May 10 concert at the Prudential Center in Newark.
“I am truly sorry to my fans who have been waiting for us to hit the stage this evening at @PruCenter,” Babyface wrote at the time. “I was asked not to perform 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.”
Baker said she’s received hate from Babyface’s fan base ever since then and appeared to call out his lack of a response in a June 9 tweet. “When A friend, is being attacked, by Your friends?… because, of Misinformation/fake news And, You have an Opportunity, to Say Something/Correct it? … It’s A Nice, thing,” she wrote. “It’s the Right thing to do. Reputation, Peace & Safety Matters.”
Baker will continue on her Songstress tour throughout the year, with her next scheduled performance being on June 30 in Chicago.
In other news – Eminem’s daughter Alaina Scott gets married
Congratulations are in order for Eminem’s daughter Alaina Marie Scott! Scott, 30, tied the knot with her husband Matt Moeller in a ceremony that involved her sister Hailie Jade, who served as her maid of honor.
She documented her wedding day, June 9, on Instagram, calling it “simply one of the best days of my life.”Read More
