Beyonce may have been paid $24 million for a one-hour performance in Dubai over the weekend, but she’s also received plenty of backlash because of it, with people going as far as to call her a hypocrite. Bey had been booked to perform at Atlantis the Royal for a show-stopping set, becoming the first time she’s hit the stage in years — but people on social media are unhappy, claiming she totally neglected her LGBT fans by agreeing to the offer.
Many people were quick to point out that Beyonce, whose latest album “Renaissance” was heavily influenced by queer culture, didn’t actually perform any songs from the project. One Twitter user asked why Bey would dedicate “Renaissance” to her late uncle Johnny, who died of complications of AIDS, only to take a reported $24 million check to perform in the United Arab Emirates; a country that does not support gay rights.
Others were quick to bring up Beyonce’s net worth, saying she and her husband Jay-Z are clearly not desperate for cash by any means, adding that Bey could’ve respectfully declined and gotten that money back from her Renaissance tour. The comments on social media have left people feeling torn, with some saying they agree with the backlash Bey has received while others believed people were simply overreacting.
“No beef but I’m struggling to understand why Beyoncé, who has half a billion dollars, would accept 20 million dollars to make her debut performance of the Renaissance album, a record which lifts heavily from queer culture, in Dubai, a country where LGBT rights aren’t recognized,” one person wrote.
One fan who felt the opposite of the person above, challenged the user’s thoughts, stressing that what Beyonce chooses to do with her career was ultimately her choice. “Why do y’all expect celebrities to have the same moral compass as y’all just because you like them,” they said.
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“Beyoncé is not you, she’s gonna do what SHE wants for HER career. performing in Dubai isn’t hindering her in any way shape or form.”
It’s believed that Beyonce will be heading back on the road later this year for her Renaissance World Tour, with an announcement reportedly expected to be made in the coming months. Socialites, do y’all think Beyonce performing in Dubai has tarnished her reputation with her LGBT fans?