• News
  • Film and TV
  • Music
  • Tech
  • Features
  • Celebrity
  • Politics
  • Weird
  • Community
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
TikTok
YouTube
Submit Your Content
Radio station responds to backlash after being accused of 'racism' for refusing to play Beyoncé

Home> Celebrity> News

Published 11:18 16 Feb 2024 GMT

Radio station responds to backlash after being accused of 'racism' for refusing to play Beyoncé

A listener called in to request the song on the station, but it initially declined to play her single 'Texas Hold 'Em.

Kit Roberts

Kit Roberts

A radio station has responded to backlash after refusing to play a song by Beyoncé.

A listener contacted 100.1 KYKC in Ada, Oklahoma, to request they play Beyoncé's new single, 'Texas Hold 'Em'.

But the station drew accusations of racism when it rejected the request on the grounds that it was a country music station.

While some of Beyoncé's previous hits may not fall into that category, one listen to her new single is enough to know that this song's genre is, most definitely, country.

Advert

The listener was not impressed with the response and accused the station of racism.

They wrote: “I requested 'Texas Hold ‘Em' at my local country radio station (KYKC) and after requesting, I received an email from the radio station stating ‘we do not play Beyoncé on KYKC as we are a country music station.'

"This station needs to be held accountable for their blatant racism and discrimination against Beyoncé.

Beyoncé has released a new single.
Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Recording Academy

Advert

"@1001KYKC This is absolutely ridiculous and racist. You guys should be ashamed. I grew up listening to your station."

The single 'Texas Hold 'Em' is from Beyoncé's upcoming album 'Act II', which is the second installment of her three-part 'Renaissance' project.

The song was released on Super Bowl Sunday alongside another single, '16 Carriages', and the full album is set to release on 29 March.

A spokesperson for SCORE broadcasting, who owns the station, told UNILAD: "First of all, we are a minority owned station group and abhor anything related to racism and not treating people equally.

Advert

"We did not know that Beyonce' (who we play on two other stations...a LOT) was putting out a new country song...secondly...we didn't have it...

"So...as soon as we learned about the song...and as soon as people started calling about it...we spent a few hours getting the song and then adding it to the playlist now on THREE stations.

Beyoncé's new material takes on a distinctive country flavour.
James Devaney/GC Images

"We love Beyonce' and have supported her career from the beginning."

Advert

Roger Harris, the general manager of 100.1 KYKC, has since responded to the controversy in a statement.

He said: "We initially refused to play it in the same manner if someone requested us to play the Rolling Stones on our country station.

"Fact is we play Beyonce’ on TWO of our other stations and love her...she is an icon."

He went on to say that the station had simply not known about the song and has since played it three times on country station YKC.

Advert

He continued: "We love Beyoncé. We just were behind this country music changeover.... But, now that she’s coming out as a country artist, we want to be all over it......we are not fools...we know how big she is and we are happy to air it and wish her the best success."

Featured Image Credit: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Recording Academy/ KYKC

Topics: News, US News, Music, Celebrity, Beyonce

Kit Roberts
Kit Roberts

Kit joined UNILAD in 2023 as a community journalist. They have previously worked for StokeonTrentLive, the Daily Mirror, and the Daily Star.

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

18 hours ago
a day ago
2 days ago
  • 18 hours ago

    Barack Obama had surprising response when asked about famous relative that most people had no idea about

    It's truly a small world after all

    Celebrity
  • a day ago

    Shocking story of how Jack Nicholson discovered his sister was actually his mother

    The actor believed his biological mom was his sister and that his grandma was his mom

    Celebrity
  • a day ago

    Kate Beckinsale reveals her mother has died in her arms decades after she found her father dead

    The Underworld actor described her mom as her 'compass'

    Celebrity
  • 2 days ago

    Rob Kardashian shares heartbreaking reason he avoids being seen in public

    The father-of-one has opened up about why he doesn't appear on 'The Kardashians', as he speaks candidly to his sister Khloé

    Celebrity
  • Eye-watering amount Beyoncé was paid for NFL halftime show revealed
  • Beyoncé praised by fans after donating eye-watering amount to LA wildfire relief efforts
  • Miley Cyrus demands dismissal of Flowers lawsuit after being accused of copying Bruno Mars
  • Lizzo reveals real secret to her new look after being accused of using Ozempic during transformation