"Gatekeeping a genre they didn't create": Fans react as Jelly Roll's comments on Beyoncé CMA snub leave internet divided

Jelly Roll appeared on the Flagrant podcast on January 3 to discuss multiple topics, including Eminem, Beyoncé, and his weight loss. He discussed Beyoncé’s controversial 2024 Country Music Awards sub, which has since left the internet divided. This comes after the Break My Soul crooner performed at the NFL halftime Christmas show.

Jelly Roll shared in the episode, titled JellyRoll on Eminem’s Greatness, Beyonce’s Country Album & How He Lost 100 lbs, that some songs from the Cowboy Carter album were worthy of Country Song of the Year. He said:

“I think that the body of art was incredible [Cowboy Carter], there was no denying it… I always take all the politics out of it before I talk about those. Man this is a slippery slope too… The record was good. I don’t know if it was Beyonce’s best record, you know what I mean, it didn’t make me feel the way RENAISSANCE made me feel as a full body of work, but there was two or three songs on there that I thought could be ‘Country Song of the Year’ for sure.”

Jelly Roll went on to opine that Nashville CMA voters are likely not well-versed with Cowboy Carter. He added:

“For them it [Cowboy Carter] was more of like a big TikTok moment, the Texas Hold Em song”

He also said:

“What she did with Jolene was just unbelievable, and how much Dolly [Parton] loved it, to me, that’s the real tale. If Dolly loves it, it’s a big deal.”

Netizens have since taken to social media to react to the same with one person saying:

Internet user reacts to the singer’s opinion on Cowboy Carter (Image via Instagram)

Several netizens were seemingly disappointed by Jelly Roll’s comments. They opined that the musician was being too diplomatic. They also defended Beyoncé. Comments online read:

Internet users react to the singer’s opinion on Cowboy Carter (Image via Instagram)

The BeyHive was disappointed after Cowboy Carter was not nominated in any category in the 2024 Country Music Awards. This is not the first time Beyoncé has been snubbed by the country association. Back in 2016, tension escalated after she performed with the Chicks. Meanwhile, other reactions read:

Internet users react to the singer’s opinion on Cowboy Carter (Image via Instagram)

Meanwhile, other netizens defended Jelly Roll and agreed with Cowboy Carter having limited fan favorites. Comments online read:

Internet users react to the singer’s opinion on Cowboy Carter (Image via Instagram)

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Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter did not receive a single nomination at the CMAs

Morgan Wallen and Lainey Wilson ended up winning Entertainer and Female Vocalist of the Year, with Chris Stapleton winning Male Vocalist of the Year. The album of the year was bagged by Cody Johnson for their Leather album, with Chris Stapleton and Dan Wilson winning Song of the Year for their White Horse track.

As many argued that Cowboy Carter must have been nominated for the CMAs, Beyoncé refused to call it a country album but a “Beyoncé album” instead.

Cowboy Carter is the first album by a Black woman to reach No. 1 on the Billboard top country albums chart. Beyoncé’s Texas Hold Em track also climbed the top spot on Billboard’s country song chart. And the all-genre Hot 100 Chart.