Tina Knowles Clarifies Alleged Janet Jackson Shade: ‘I Would Never Criticize Another Artist’
No need to ring the alarm — all is well in the House of Deréon, at least according to Ms. Tina Knowles. The businesswoman, fashion designer and mother to Beyoncé took to her official Instagram page on Tuesday night (Jan. 23) to address rumors that she shaded Janet Jackson by liking a post criticizing the star’s ticket prices for her upcoming tour.
“I just received a phone call that I’m trending for liking a post about ticket prices and an artist overcharging. First of all, being on the other side of that, I know better than anyone what a great production costs, and that it’s expensive,” Knowles said. “I would never criticize another artist, let alone Janet Jackson, who is the queen of production! And her family! I mean they’re the first family of music, always have been and always will be, and I love and respect them.
“Secondly, I stay away from negativity. If you follow me, then you know I am not involved in the mess. What I am guilty of, is liking posts when I’m in a big hurry and I don’t have time to really read, and liking things because I trust that these are people that I follow,” the matriarch continued. “That was a big mistake, I will never do that again. So, I just wanted you to hear it from my mouth that I would absolutely never do that.”
The drama stems from Knowles appearing in the likes section of an Instagram post shared by a disgruntled fan searching for tickets to Jackson’s Together Again tour. The post appears to be a screenshot from Ticketmaster that lists the prices of select VIP packages ranging from $839.95 to $2,399.95. “You want Beyoncé prices, have real production. Just disgusted,” read the caption. “I’m not the only one… oh the DMs I’m getting. Way to thank your fans for years of support.” The account that originally shared the post has since been made private.
Many social media users took Knowles’ appearance in the post’s likes as an endorsement of the caption’s sentiments and a jab at Janet Jackson. In the caption of her explanation video, Knowles emphasized that the like was unintentional, writing, “I do know that you can see people’s likes, so I would be pretty dumb to that.”
The Knowles family matriarch also took an opportunity to laud the impact Jackson has had on the lives and careers of her daughters. “I am saddened by this. Janet Jackson is an icon and I would never question another artist,” she wrote. “I took Destiny’s Child to see Janet when they were 15 years old . They always looked up to her and she opened doors for Beyoncé. Why would I hate on her?”
On Tuesday (Jan. 23), Jackson was announced as one of the headliners for the upcoming Lovers & Friends music Festival in Las Vegas on May 4. The music icon’s fellow headliners include Usher and Backstreet Boys. Jackson will follow up her appearance at the festival with the latest leg of her Together Again Tour with special guest Nelly. She’ll kick off the leg at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert, Calif., on June 4 and conclude at Footprint Center in Phoenix on July 3.
Check out Tina Knowles’ post below:
Kyle-Brandon Denis
Billboard
