What’s going on between...m her tour

Babyface will no longer appear on Anita Baker's latest tour.

Babyface responded: "I am saddened by the news that Anita Baker has decided to remove me from 'The Songstress Tour.' It's unfortunate and disheartening to see how things have played out via social media. While I was looking forward to the rest of the dates, I have nothing but love & respect for Anita and I wish her the best for the remainder of her tour."

does anyone else find it strange that Babyface was the "opening act" on this tour? With all of the hit songs he wrote and produced for himself and for numerous other artists,he should NOT be opening for anybody.He should not be Anita's "support act".

if anything,this should have been a co-headlining tour......two great artists touring together.No egos involved.

Face should just do his own tour and maybe have Toni Braxton as his opening act.

SoulAlive said:

does anyone else find it strange that Babyface was the "opening act" on this tour? With all of the hit songs he wrote and produced for himself and for numerous other artists,he should NOT be opening for anybody.He should not be Anita's "support act".

if anything,this should have been a co-headlining tour......two great artists touring together.No egos involved.

Face should just do his own tour and maybe have Toni Braxton as his opening act.

According to the reports, this is the issue. Two equal artists but one is contracted to be the support/special guest for the other. Following equipment issues at one show Babyface's performance was cut so Anita's full set could be performed that night. This sparked online attacks and social media battles.

SoulAlive said:

yeah and after Babyface was cut from that show,his fans were brutal but that’s not his fault and there’s nothing he could have done.Anita needs to realize that the Internet can be a really nasty place sometimes.People will always talk shit No need to punish ‘Face by removing him from the tour.

Indeed, the choice of not working together with babyface that night plus the missed opportunity of making a joint stand thereafter may only increase the backlash.

SoulAlive said:

yeah and after Babyface was cut from that show,his fans were brutal but that’s not his fault and there’s nothing he could have done. Anita needs to realize that the Internet can be a really nasty place sometimes. People will always talk shit No need to punish ‘Face by removing him from the tour.

THIS (your statement), not some ego trip, is the reason she took him off the tour.

Here's the loose version for those not listening...

Back in December (I think?), there were tech issues at the show. Anita told Face he wouldn't perform that night. I don't know if the show was late or whatever, but his set was ditched.

He tweeted that he was disappointed and that he wanted to play for everyone.

His fans went off on Anita. Mind you, this happened months ago. She's got up in her feelings about it, calling them "Kenny's Crazies," which only adds fuel to the fire by insulting half the audience. They kept tweet back n' forth about it. She told him to call off his boys, implying he was siccing his fans on her for canceling his set or whatever.

So now it's come to a head and Anita jettisoned him from the remaining shows. With all the tweeting, I thought - do these people not see each other back stage? They can't talk it out, figure out a joint statement to release to cool whatever FaceFires™ are out there against Anita?

Anita needs to be tending to her masters that she now owns, and stay the fuck up off Twitter or Instabook or Facegram or whatever. She can't handle it, clearly. Auntie has a bad rep about having a very bad attitude and being ridiculous on things like this. I love her music, but I wasn't surprised by much of any of it.

TrivialPursuit said:

So now it's come to a head and Anita jettisoned him from the remaining shows. With all the tweeting, I thought - do these people not see each other back stage? They can't talk it out, figure out a joint statement to release to cool whatever FaceFires™ are out there against Anita?

I totally agree! I'm wondering why they couldn't simply sit down and work it out? They could have went onstage together,holding hands,letting everyone know that this tour is all about friendship and good vibes,NO negativity allowed.

TrivialPursuit said:

Anita needs to be tending to her masters that she now owns, and stay the fuck up off Twitter or Instabook or Facegram or whatever. She can't handle it, clearly. Auntie has a bad rep about having a very bad attitude and being ridiculous on things like this. I love her music, but I wasn't surprised by much of any of it.

I was thinking the same thing.Why the hell is she even on social media?! She obviously can't handle it what a mess

I have to say...it's "interesting" reading all the comments from Babyface's fans on his facebook page drama for days

How is her live voice these days?

https://twitter.com/dionn...61408?s=20

ya know,I really love it when two great artists team up and do a co-headlining tour.It's a real treat for the fans,especially if they are fans of both artists.Billy Joel and Stevie Nicks are on a tour together and as far as I know,things are running smoothly and the tour is doing well.It's really disappointing to see that Anita's tour is having all these issues I remember in 1988,Anita toured with Luther Vandross and it was a disaster.She and Luther weren't getting along.We all heard the stories back then.I'm starting to wonder if maybe certain artists just aren't able to tour with others in any case,Babyface should get out there and do his own tour.Alot of his fans are suggesting that that he go out on tour with Toni Braxton and After 7.I know that Stephanie Mills has recently expressed a desire to do a tour with him,too.

2freaky said:

How is her live voice these days?

here is a recent performance.....

Anita Baker The Songstres... - YouTube

Would prefer if they did great new stuff.

StrangeButTrue said:

who remembers the song they recorded together in 2004?

Anita Baker & Babyfac... - YouTube

"how did things get so strange?", Babyface asks

Him opening makes sense. He's same-level or bigger if you include his songwriting/production, but most people DGAF about all that. I saw The-Dream perform at a club for a couple hundred when the Beyonce album he co-wrote was #1 everywhere and fans there had an air of wtf happened to this dude, he hits way back in '09.

I think a co-headlining situation would have made more sense.They could have even switched it up every night.....she goes on first tonight,then he goes on first tomorrow night,etc.Everyone's happy.

WhisperingDandelions said:

Him opening makes sense. He's same-level or bigger if you include his songwriting/production, but most people DGAF about all that. I saw The-Dream perform at a club for a couple hundred when the Beyonce album he co-wrote was #1 everywhere and fans there had an air of wtf happened to this dude, he hits way back in '09.

my favorite Anita Baker song: "Mystery" from Rapture (1986)

Anita Baker - Mystery - YouTube

written by Rod Temperton,I believe it was offered to Michael Jackson first.

SoulAlive said:

kitbradley said:

favorite Babyface song: "Mary Mack" (1987)

Mary Mack - YouTube

who remembers this jam? His first solo album was so underrated.

'Nita should have simply hired a PR/publicist to handle the internet toussle with the fans and kept her tour rolling as it was constructed-- if she knew what is good for her, which I guess she doesn't, given her tour history.

>

Given the response by many fans, though, Babyface should piece together his own tour and get the show on the road, like NOW! Like now or never--my man needs to mobilize on that momentum, it might not come back, no disrespect to him or Anita B.!

no!

SoulAlive said:

favorite Babyface song: "Mary Mack" (1987)

Mary Mack - YouTube

who remembers this jam? His first solo album was so underrated.

Germanegro said:

Given the response by many fans, though, Babyface should piece together his own tour and get the show on the road, like NOW! Like now or never--my man needs to mobilize on that momentum, it might not come back, no disrespect to him or Anita B.!

I agree,he should be out there on his own tour.

SoulAlive said:

Germanegro said:

Given the response by many fans, though, Babyface should piece together his own tour and get the show on the road, like NOW! Like now or never--my man needs to mobilize on that momentum, it might not come back, no disrespect to him or Anita B.!

I agree,he should be out there on his own tour.

I second this. And take someone as an opening, like Jon B. Tony Rich, Shanice, Chante Moore, or Az Yet.

But honestly, a better two-headliner tour that can switch the way Motley Crue and Def Leppard are doing right now, alternating nights as openers or closers, is for him to tour with Toni Braxton. Seems like an obvious choice.

Even Earth Wind & Fire and Chicago toured together. Did some songs together, did some separate. They had such similar sounds that the meshing was seamless. The same can be done with Toni & Face. Weave a show of both artists together and solo throughout the evening.

Let Anita stomp her way through her own damn, problematic tour.

I saw a clip of Dish Nation (with DaBrat et al). They were talking about this situation and brought up Anita touring with Luther, and how she said he couldn't walk here or do that. They had different entrances to the stage, etc.

Not that Luther wasn't a diva, but he didn't come across as a lowkey bitch about things. I would imagine on that tour he had to sorta ramp up his own diva behavior just to not let Ms. Rapture walk all over him and disrespect him.