Tina Knowles Defends Daughter Beyoncé’s Country Album: Cowboys Do Not Belong to ‘White Culture Only’

Pop icon Beyoncé has a new country album and her mom, Tina Knowles, has hit out at her critics on social media.

In a lengthy Instagram post this past weekend, Tina Knowles said she and her family “always celebrated Cowboy Culture growing up in Texas” – Beyoncé’s home state – and knocked notions of it belonging to “white culture only.”

It should also be noted that Darius Rucker transcended country music’s predominantly white American image in the 1990s with Hootie and the Blowfish.

“We have always celebrated Cowboy Culture growing up in Texas,” said Knowles. “We also always understood that it was not just about it belonging to White culture only. In Texas, there is a huge black cowboy culture. Why do you think that my kids have integrated it into their fashion and art since the beginning.”

Tina even said Beyoncé participated in cowboy culture as a child.

“When people ask why is Beyoncé wearing cowboy hats? It’s really funny, I laugh because it’s been there since she was a kid. We went to rodeos every year and my whole family dressed in western fashion. Solange did a whole brilliant Album and Project based on Black Cowboy Culture. It definitely was a part of our culture growing up,” she said.

Beyoncé released the singles “Texas Hold ‘Em” and “16 Carriages” earlier this month from her upcoming album “Renaissance Act II.” Singer Darius Rucker previously transcended country music’s predominantly white American image in the 1990s with Hootie and the Blowfish.

Controversy over Beyoncé releasing a country album erupted last week when former Dukes of Hazzard star John Schneider said on One America News that Beyoncé and “lefties” entering country music is like a dog urinating on a tree.

“People coming into country music,” Schneider said. “They seem to think that it’s easy or it’s simple or somehow it’s not as sophisticated as the music that they sing otherwise.”

As noted by Business Insider, Schneider’s critics pointed out that he is “from New York” and therefore “trying to gatekeep music that originates from the South.”

Paul Roland Bois directed the award-winning feature film, EXEMPLUM, which can be viewed for FREE on YouTube or Tubi. “Better than Killers of the Flower Moon,” wrote Mark Judge. “You haven’t seen a story like this before,” wrote Christian Toto. A high-quality, ad-free stream can also be purchased on Google Play or Vimeo on Demand. Follow him on Twitter @prolandfilms or Instagram @prolandfilms.