Do not mess with family.
That was the message from Black Twitter this week after a popular author and social media celebrity offered up some snark at suggestions that ’90s R&B crooner Tevin Campbell perform at a memorial for Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin.
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Luvvie Ajayi, known as @Luvvie or Awesomely Luvvie, tweeted on Thursday night: “Someone suggested Tevin Campbell to sing at Aretha’s tribute. Under what rock did they pull that name from?”
https://twitter.com/Luvvie/status/1030218269154861057
To be fair, Ajayi’s thing is offering up her opinions with a raw twist. She is author of I’m Judging You: The Do-Better Manual.
But her comment regarding Tevin Campbell just went too far—apparently.
Tevin Campbell can sang better that 98% of your faves, and do it effortlessly pic.twitter.com/fMnr8wmQ6x
— Christopher Aka Mr. Black (@Consiglie1Chris) August 17, 2018
Twitter followers from award-winning filmmaker Ava DuVernay to award-winning author Roxane Gay were not having it, posting defenses of Campbell or video of him performing with heavy hitters and holding his own.
OMG @ava that would be AMAZING!!!! https://t.co/tegqTys3vd
— Tevin Campbell (@tevincampbelll) August 18, 2018
The backlash became so great that Campbell was trending on Twitter, prompting even Ajayi to take notice.
“Tevin Campbell is trending,” she tweeted on Friday. “Lawdt. I KNOW he can blow but I haven’t heard his name in awhile. People took my tweet and acted like I called his mama a sinner. I ain’t say he can’t sing. Folks added all that stuff to that one tweet. Chisos.”
Responded Twitter user BK Titanji, @Boghuma, “Your tweet was mean spirited and uncalled for girl and yes you questioned his talent. People have a lot of memories tied to ‘90s R&B and Tevin is royalty of the genre, you deserve all the clap backs you are getting. Know better, do better.”
🙏🏾🙏🏾💯 https://t.co/fdrObccyuh
— Tevin Campbell (@tevincampbelll) August 18, 2018
As for Campbell, he’s choosing to take the high road, tweeting remembrances of Franklin and thanking his fans:
I am truly touched by the love fans on twitter have for me. I love em all back!!!!
— Tevin Campbell (@tevincampbelll) August 17, 2018
He even tweeted a receipt for a meeting with the Queen herself.
The only celebrity that made me nervous…each time I saw her I acted like a nervous fan. The first thing she would say to me was “How is your mom?” I literally studied every movement, every specific great thing she did with her voice. This queen was/is everything to me. 🙏🏾 pic.twitter.com/pKBg7V2Cps
— Tevin Campbell (@tevincampbelll) August 18, 2018
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Here he is singing, “Can We Talk.”
