Anita Baker has been receiving criticism online from Babyface‘s fans, and asked the singer to “call off” the social media hate.

Baker is currently on the ‘Songstress’ tour, her first tour in nearly 30 years, with Babyface supporting her. Last month, his opening set in Newark was cut short after starting nearly two hours late and Baker has complained about his sets being too long.

Due to her complaints about the Indianapolis-born singer running over the allotted time, Anita Baker has received backlash online.

On June 11, the BET Lifetime Achievement Award winner took to Twitter to explain her disappointment, alluding that Babyface is going over his contractual set time and making her late.

Baker wrote, “It was 9:30pm. Contractually?… It was waaay past time [for] the headline performer to be on stage”, adding that she was not the one in the wrong and that she hopes her “fan base and reputation is restored.”

Some Babyface fans then tried to discredit the Ohio singer’s claims by not acknowledging him as her opening artist.

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One wrote: “With all respect did you call THE Babyface a support act lmao.” Baker responded: “Dearest one, you are not privy to *The Contracts*. Yes, Babyface is special guest/support act on my tour. This false narrative of a co-headliner is creating unrealistic expectations [and] aggression from his fans towards me. He should tell you guys the truth.”

She referred to Babyface’s fan base as “Kenny’s crazies” after one fan wrote, “Anita jailhouse baker pleaseeee. Your ego dims your light & diminishes your message every time. Put some respect on peoples name. That man holds more Grammys than you. I’ve heard you are a nasty piece of work and no one wants to work w/ you. Do better ‘songstress’.”

She then asked for the 64-year-old to “call off” his fans who were “harass[ing]” her.

“Please call off your fans,” she wrote. “I have been only kind and supportive of you as the special guest/support on my tour.”

The tour honours the 40th anniversary of Anita Baker’s debut album, ‘The Songstress’ in 1983. It started on February 11 this year at Hollywood’s Florida’s Hard Rock Live and will wrap up on will wrap on December 23 in Oakland’s Oakland Arena. You can find tickets here and check out the remaining dates below.

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The US ‘Songstress’ tour dates are 

JUNE
30 – Chicago, United Center

JULY
2 – Detroit, Pine Knob Music Theatre

NOVEMBER
18 – Greensboro, Greensboro Coliseum Complex
22 – Memphis, FedEx Forum
24 – Atlantic City, Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena

DECEMBER
15 – Houston, Toyota Center
17 – Dallas, American Airlines Center
22 – Los Angeles, Crypto.com Arena
23 – Oakland, Oakland Arena

In May 2022, Anita Baker thanked Chance The Rapper for helping her reclaim her masters whilst performing at the Venetian Resort in Las Vegas. “Would you guys say hello to a friend of mine, by way of the music industry, and by way of helping me to get ahold and ownership of my master recordings?” she said, before gesturing for Chance The Rapper to come out. Taylor Swift also congratulated her on getting her masters back.

Meanwhile, in August 2021, Babyface helped Earth, Wind & Fire refix their 1975 song ‘Can’t Hide Love’ alongside Lucky Daye.



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