Anita Baker is standing up for herself in an online spat over Babyface’s slashed opening set during a May showing of her “Songstress Tour.” The Grammy award-winner has gone so far as publicly asking Babyface to tame his fanbase, claiming that his supporters have been bullying and threatening her online.
For some context, Babyface is featured as a surprise guest on Baker’s 15-city tour that kicked off earlier this February. He was slated to open her New Jersey concert on May 10 but took to social media after he did not appear at the Prudential Center, explaining to fans that his set was tossed so that headliner Baker could perform since the show had a late start.
“I am truly sorry to my fans who have been waiting for us to hit the stage this evening at @PruCenter. I was asked not to perform in order to give Ms. Baker her space and time to perform her show in its entirety,” Babyface wrote on Twitter that night. “My band and I are extremely saddened we didn’t get to perform for y’all tonight.”
According to a long series of Baker’s tweets, she’s been dealing with hate from his fanbase ever since, and on June 9, she posted a tweet about Babyface’s silence in the matter.
“When A friend, is being attacked, by Your friends?…because, of Mis-information/fake news And, You have an Opportunity, to Say Something/Correct it? … It’s the Right thing to do,” she wrote, ending with “Reputation, Peace & Safety Matters.”
On Monday, Baker more pointedly addressed a tweet to Babyface (on Twitter this means slapping on an “@”) and his followers — whom she’s dubbed “Kenny’s Crazies” — with the suggestion that he “call off” his boys. Responding to several fans, Baker attempted to clarify Babyface was a supporting act on her tour.
“Yes, Babyface is Special Guest/Support Act, on My Tour. This False Narrative, of A Co-headliner is creating Unrealistic Expectations & Aggression, from his fans towards me,” she wrote. “He should tell you guys, the Truth.”
Many spectators assumed Babyface was co-headlining the tour and assumed his absence was a result of a decision that landed in the hands of the Detroit diva. Several took to social media to air their grievances at Ticketmaster and Baker, though the tour which runs through December, is hers in observance of the 40th anniversary of her debut solo album.
Variety has reached out to Babyface’s reps for comment.