Beyonce surprised everybody with the release of her two new country-influenced singles, “Texas Hold ‘Em” and “16 Carriages,” sparking the normal discourse we’ve seen around the Houston native and others who have made the jump to the country charts.
But while she will appear on the Country Airplay chart, according to Rolling Stone, some criticism has seemingly crossed the line. According to TMZ, Dukes of Hazzard alum John Schneider took time away from defending the General Lee’s Confederate flag to criticize Beyonce and others “trying to claim” country music as their own.
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During his appearance on the right-wing One American News, Schneider aimed at the former Destiny’s Child member and somehow dragged it out as yet another issue hampered by politics. “They’ve got to make their mark, just like a dog in a dog walk park,” Schneider told the OAN host after they asked about “lefties” invading country music. “You know, every dog has to mark every tree, right? So that’s what’s going on here.”
Schneider insists he knows “a little something about country music,” citing his albums and success within the industry back in the ’80s. But his take on Beyonce and others trying on country music for their new music ignores a whole lot of history and facts that folks on Twitter were quick to point out.
One responded to the clip from OAN by noting that black folks had a hand in creating country music from the start. Another calls Schneider’s comments “a racist dog whistle” turned “foghorn.” Even former tennis star Andy Roddick chimed in to note that Beyonce is from Texas. Can the same be said about Schneider?
