Cries of racism are now the default reaction to, well, anything.
If you think only one anthem — “The Star-Spangled Banner” — should be sung at the Super Bowl, you’re a racist. If you prefer white pickup trucks to black ones, you’re a racist. And if you don’t associate Beyoncé with country singing, you’re a racist.
When the county radio station 100.1 KYKC out of Ada, Oklahoma, initially declined a request to play one of Beyoncé’s new country songs, accusations of racism blossomed like stinkweed after a summer rain, according to Today.
The single “Texas Hold ‘Em” was released from the album “act ii” of the three-part “Renaissance” project set to debut on March 29. The song was released on Sunday, along with “16 Carriages.”
A listener — @jussatto — requested that the country station play the song. When the station declined through an email response, the listener posted it on X.
KYKC called it like they saw it, “We do not play Beyoncé on KYKC as we are a country music station.”
I requested Texas Hold ‘Em at my local country radio station (KYKC) and after requesting, i received an email from the radio station stating “We do not play Beyoncé on KYKC as we are a country music station. @BeyLegion pic.twitter.com/eQksQemk6m
— JUSTIN 🫧 (@jussatto) February 13, 2024
I’d wager the average country music fan has heard of Beyoncé but would never associate her with country music. Why would they? It’s not like the pop icon spends a lot of time in Nashville at the Grand Ole Opry.
Should country music stations play Beyonce’s new song?
True, Beyoncé did show up at the 2024 Grammys in a cowboy hat, but I’m not sure if the guys over at KYKC were tuned in. Even if they were, it’s uncertain if they would have equated the cowboy hat with Beyoncé — with her accent over the é — going country. How much can one expect from some Oklahoma country bumpkins, right?
What happened next was a venomous spat of X posts accusing KYKC of racism for not playing the song. The onslaught was spurred by the spurned Beyoncé requester.
“This station needs to be held accountable for their blatant racism and discrimination against Beyoncé,” the requester wrote.
The seething listener then added, “This is absolutely ridiculous and racist. You guys should be ashamed. I grew up listening to your station.”
.@1001KYKC This is absolutely ridiculous and racist. You guys should be ashamed. I grew up listening to your station.
— JUSTIN 🫧 (@jussatto) February 13, 2024
He then called for other listeners to support his misplaced outrage.
PLEASE EMAIL THE RADIO STATION TO REQUEST THE SONG.
— JUSTIN 🫧 (@jussatto) February 13, 2024
Some of his fellow listeners were quick to oblige. “Dont try this again. Get ready for her country album,” another listener posted.
Dont try this again. Get ready for her country album
— LAMBO 🐝 (@___Taurean___) February 13, 2024
“Now play Daddy Lessons for reparations!” wrote another, referencing Beyoncé’s 2016 country song from the album “Lemonade.”
Now play Daddy Lessons for reparations! 🐝
— Baddie TEA (@bgctea2020) February 13, 2024
The absurd accusations of racism could have been avoided if the too easily triggered accusers had simply slowed down a bit and read KYKC’s initial post. “We do not play Beyoncé on KYKC as we are a country music station.” The phrase “we are a country music station” is a dead giveaway. The station’s denial of the request had nothing whatsoever to do with racism. It was about genre.
KYKC’s general manager Roger Harris said in the statement, “We initially refused to play it in the same manner if someone requested us to play the Rolling Stones on our country station. Fact is we play Beyonce’ on TWO of our other stations and love her … She is an icon,” according to Today.
“We just didn’t know about the song…. then when we found out about it, we tried to get the song … which we did and we have already played it 3 times on YKC, our country station. We also play her on 105.5, KXFC-FM and KADA-FM 0n 99.3,” he said, referring to the company’s other stations.
Harris went on to say he welcomes Beyoncé into the realm of country music.
“We love Beyoncé,” he wrote. “We just were behind this country music changeover…. But, now that she’s coming out as a country artist, we want to be all over it……we are not fools…we know how big she is and we are happy to air it and wish her the best success.”
KYKC made an honest mistake. But in a land where common sense has rolled over and died, simple mistakes are taken for blatant acts of racism.
Some people owe KYKC an apology — like that will ever happen.
