Tierra Whack Called Out People Questioning Why Beyoncé Chose Her for “The Lion King” Soundtrack
After much anticipation and an adorable trailer, The Lion King has officially returned to theaters. The reimagined live-action version received the support of some huge names, with stars including Beyoncé, Donald Glover, and Seth Rogen. However, one person on social media took issue with Bey's accompanying Lion King-inspired soundtrack, and questioned why rapper Tierra Whack was included.
As reported by The Fader, Beyoncé released The Gift, a separate album from the film's soundtrack that features collaborations and music made to be "authentically" African. One Twitter user questioned whether the inclusion of Tierra was in keeping with the soundtrack's theme, writing on Monday, "Like why is Tierra Whack on this album? Could've easily found a rapper in Africa with a better story on these bars."
Tierra then responded to the criticism, tweeting, "Shut up, you just mad cause Beyonce ain’t choose you.. " As for her part on The Gift, Tierra performs on the single, "MY POWER." The rapper is joined by other collaborators on the album including Blue Ivy, Kendrick Lamar, and Pharrell Williams.
While the follower may have taken issue with Tierra's inclusion, it's worth remembering that Beyoncé clearly explained her intentions for the release. "This soundtrack is a love letter to Africa, and I wanted to make sure we found the best talent from Africa," she told Good Morning America. And as Teen Vogue reported, the release does contain appearances from multiple popular African artists, including Burna Boy, WizKid, Tekno, and Tiwa Savage.
Although not every artist featured on the release resides on the continent, Beyoncé told Good Morning America that this album was her "interpretation" of the culture, saying, "We've kind of created our own genre, and I feel like the soundtrack, it becomes visual in your mind. It's a soundscape. It's more than just the music, because each song tells the story of the film."
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