Country Singer Bashes Beyoncé’s ‘Cowboy Carter’ Album: ‘That S— Ain’t Country’

Gavin Adcock has an issue with Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter topping the country charts.

The country singer, 26, complained about the Grammy-winning album beating out his album Own Worst Enemy on Apple Music’s country chart during a recent concert.

“One of them’s Beyoncé … you can tell her we’re coming for her f—ing ass,” he said during a rant about the chart in footage shared on social media Monday. “That s— ain’t country music, it ain’t ever been country music and it ain’t gonna be country music.”

Despite the backlash from his original statement, Adcock doubled down on X (formerly Twitter) Monday. I’mma go ahead and clear this up,” he said. “When I was a little kid, my mama was blasting some Beyoncé in the car. I’ve heard a ton of Beyoncé songs. Actually remember her Super Bowl halftime show being pretty kick-ass back in the day.”

“But I really don’t believe that her album should be labeled as country music,” the “A Cigarette” singer continued. “It doesn’t sound country, it doesn’t feel country, and I don’t think that people who have dedicated their whole lives to this genre and lifestyle should have to compete or watch that album just stay at the top because she’s Beyoncé.”

Cowboy Carter took home the Grammys for Best Country Album and Album of the Year in February after becoming the first album by a Black woman to top the Billboard country albums chart.

The Houston-born singer has long been open about the influence of her southern roots, telling Harper’s Bazaar in 2021 that her Ivy Park clothing line was influenced by “the overlooked history of the American Black cowboy.”

“Many of them were originally called cowhands, who experienced great discrimination and were often forced to work with the worst, most temperamental horses,” she explained. “They took their talents and formed the Soul Circuit. Through time, these Black rodeos showcased incredible performers and helped us reclaim our place in western history and culture.”

She added of her own upbringing, “I grew up going to the Houston rodeo every year. It was this amazing diverse and multicultural experience where there was something for every member of the family, including great performances, Houston-style fried Snickers, and fried turkey legs.”