Anita Baker is telling Babyface to tame his fanbase, who she says are threatening and harassing her over the fallout from their controversial concert last month.
Babyface was tapped as the support act for the Newark, New Jersey stop of Anita Baker’s “Songstress” tour on May 10. However, following a two hour delay over technical issues, Babyface’s performance was axed to allow his fellow R&B legend time for her headline set.
Although the concert was a month ago, complaints resurfaced recently, and on Monday (June 12) Anita Baker took to Twitter to respond to “Kenny’s Crazies.”
“It was 9:30pm,” Baker wrote in reference to the Newark concert. “*Contractually?… It was WAAAY Past time 4 the Headline Performer, to be On Stage/Anita Baker Support Act did Not Perform. I have No Contract with Support Act. Not my Call. I Did what i was *Contracted 2 do & Love, as Headline Performer, of my Sold Out Concert.”
In one follow-up tweet, Anita Baker implied “fake news” was “deliberately” disseminated, harming her reputation in the process.
“Support Act’s Equipment was On Stage For HOURS Prior my Set amid Video wall Failure… But, With Live Musicians? We. PLAY. ANYway. Why did they, Not Perform?” she continued. “I/Anita did Nothing to Prevent their Live/to Track, Performance….Other ppl? Tech issue? #AskThem.”
Babyface Clarifies Canceled Set
After the May 10 show, Babyface took to social media to explain why he did not perform.
“I am truly sorry to my fans who have been waiting for us to hit the stage this evening at the Prudential Center. I was asked not to perform in order to give Ms. Baker her space and time to perform her show in its entirety,” he shared on May 11. “My band and I are extremely saddened we didn’t get to perform for y’all tonight.”
However, Anita Baker asked Babyface to call off “your boys,” adding, “There is A White man, behind these Grown Black Men… harrassing Me & Gaslighting, My Fans. Because he Cant take over, this Tour.”
