Beyoncé's 'Lemonade' - The 'Becky with good hair' mystery

How Beyoncé's fans - aka the Beyhive - ensnared TV chef Rachael Ray, fashion designer Rachel Roy, and pop star Rita Ora into a social-media tailspin.  This, of course, follows the release of a new song from Queen Bey's latest album, which hints at Jay Z cheating allegations.  

By Bill Applegate, Larry King Now


Photo: AP

It seems only a slight difference, the vowels “a” and “o.”  A typo, maybe.  But when you summon the wrath of the rapid fans of Beyoncé, the difference can lead to a social media firestorm.

To wit: TV chef and personality Rachael Ray's recent reported brush with angry Beyoncé defenders.  Why, shortly after Beyoncé dropped her new album Lemonade, did she invoke "the thorny doom," as comedian Patton Oswalt would call it, of the collective Beyhive?  Did Beyoncé just call out hubby Jay Z?  And who in god’s name is Becky?

Let’s back up.

Because it does all start with this Becky person.  Hidden in plain sight on Lemonade, Beyoncé touches on infidelity in the song "Sorry," with the lyric: “He only want me when I’m not there.  He better call Becky with the good hair.”

Now, the backstory, if you’ve not been closely following the rumor mill around Jay Z in the last 10 years or so, he’s been allegedly romantically linked to many a pretty lady - from fellow singer Rihanna, to reality TV “star” Casey Cohen.  About two years ago, the same rumor mill linked the Tidal founder to Rachel Roy, the ex-wife of his ex-business partner and best friend, Damon Dash.

You see where this is going.

Rachel, for her part, posted to Instagram the night Lemonade was released: “Good hair.  Don’t care.”

Oh no you didn’t!

The Beyhive went nuts, trashing Ms. Roy’s social media accounts wherever they could find them.  And by trashing, I mostly mean leaving a nasty comment, and then vandalizing them with bee and lemonade emojis.  It got so bad; Roy even set her Instagram to private.  But in the heated haze of online wars, some of the Beyoncé defenders missed the “o” for an “a” and started attacking Rachael Ray’s accounts.  Displaced nastiness, for sure, for as far as we know, Jay Z has never been linked romantically to the 11-years married Ms. Ray.  But, I suppose you can never count it out.

No comment on the incident from Ms. Ray, by the way.

However today, Rachel Roy tried to tamp out the fire a bit, tellingPeople Magazine: "I want to put the speculation and rumors to rest.  My Instagram post was meant to be fun and lighthearted, it was misunderstood as something other than that… There is no validity to the idea that the song references me personally. There is no truth to the rumors."

At last check, the Beyhive mob seems to have moved on.  Now they’re setting their sites on British singer Rita Ora (no relation to our company).  If so, get ready Rita, the bee and lemonade emojis are armed and pointed at you.  

Oh wait, she is ready, as the singer recently posted to Twitter: "I never usually address tabloid gossip but let me be clear, these rumours are false."

Check out Larry King's interview with Rachael RAY here:


And check out Damon Dash speaking to Larry about ex-wife Rachel ROY here:

The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of Ora Media, LLC, its affiliates, or its employees.

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