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Home • Celebrity

Tina Knowles Responds to Backlash Following BET Awards Speech

Don't come for Mama Tina.
Tina Knowles Responds to Backlash Following BET Awards Speech
Kevin Winter/BET/Getty Images for BET
By Toni Akindele · Updated October 27, 2020

Don’t come for Mama Tina.

Tina Knowles set the record straight after receiving backlash for accepting daughter, Beyoncé‘s award Sunday night at the BET Awards ceremony. Soon after Beyoncé delivered an exceptional surprise performance of “Freedom,” she was back on a plane, headed to the UK to kick off the European leg of her “Formation” tour.

Knowles mistakenly said Beyoncé would be performing in London on Monday, though Bey’s concert is actually scheduled for Tuesday, June 28 in Sunderland, England. After being accused of lying, Mama Tina took to Instagram to set everyone straight. Read her statement below:

Hello guys first let me sayI just got a wind of the mess that has festered since last night ! The fact that I supposedly lied about my Daughters concert . First of all I did make a mistake on the city and the day . I asked why did she have to leave early and was told by a member of her staff that "she had to get back in time for her concert " and that she actually should have been there 2 days before, as the tour has been down for a month I assumed the date was Monday and the city was London well it turned out to be in the Uk but wrong city and on Tuesday. I want to point out that there is a nine hour time difference and it is an eleven to 12 hour Flight that equates to 19 - 20 hrs to get there! I then want to ask what would be the point of lying to the public and knowing that anyone could see when the date was. Any one with good sence could see that ! I am hurt and disappointed because I know what kind of work, sacrifice , and personal Money it took for her to do this show and support the Bet Award show and to give her fans that did not get to attend the concert a piece of her show. (Even though it means she has one day to rehearse herself and dancers after being off for a month) That was really important to to her. Although everyone told her this is going to take a toll on your tour because you will only have one day to rehearse and you and the dancers will have been off for a month. You will be exhausted because you get to the states on Thursday rehearse for Bet fly to Mexico to be with your Sister for her Birthday on Friday get back to La on Sunday and start rehearsals at Bet At 7 am . (Who else would get three hours of sleep like that? ) Book a huge private plane to carry your dancers and creative staff and choreographers road Managers and pay for it out of your own pocket. Who does that? Please understand that I absolutely am not doing this for anyone but my self ! I know I owe no explanation to anyone but I am tired of people writing my story. So I chose to tell my own ! Thanks for listening❤️continued on next post

A photo posted by Tina Knowles (@mstinalawson) on Jun 27, 2016 at 10:41pm PDT

She ends by stating, “I know I owe no one an explanation this is for me not anyone else. I am tired of letting people tell my story!”

Well said, Mama Tina!

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