Kelly Rowland took to Instagram on Wednesday to post a birthday tribute on her son Titan’s seventh birthday.
The post consisted of a series of photos of the blue and yellow LEGO police-themed party. The final slide shows a video of Rowland displaying the table décor.
“How cute is this,” she said in the video. In one of the photos, Titan is dressed in a police uniform, standing outside of a prop police station.
Many on social media thought the birthday party theme was in bad taste. One Twitter user said Rowland should “read the room,” while another said she’d tell Beyoncé on her.
But not everyone was opposed to the colorful birthday party and police costumes. Singer and producer, The-Dream, commented on Rowland’s Instagram post, saying, “Refreshing to see this face in a Police Uniform.”
Rowland responded to his comment saying, “The theme was all HIS idea!” She added an eye roll emoji for emphasis.
Though Rowland responded to clear things up, subsequent comments were critical of the Destiny’s Child singer. Some said Titan’s innocence and presumed ignorance of the issues many Black Americans have with the police was truly refreshing.
“Man can we let kids develop their decisions. Indoctrinating kids isn’t it,” said one user.
Another posted that it’s Rowland’s job to steer her child in the “right” direction but did acknowledge that how she chooses to do it ultimately lies with her.
“It’s her kid but we’re also supposed to prepare them for reality,” the comment read.
Rowland has been outspoken in the past about the anger she feels when seeing racial injustice in the U.S.
“I can’t sit still. I’m angry. I’m hurt, at times feeling hopeless,” Rowland said while discussing the death of George Floyd with Entertainment Tonight’s Kevin Frazier in May 2020. According to KMOV4, Rowland was in tears at the time.
Rowland said it was hard for her to sleep after she heard the news of Floyd’s death.
“But then sometimes I look at my son and I’m like, ‘hell no.’ I gotta keep going and what do I need to do? [I’m] feeling for the families that have to go through all this. Communities, all their emotions, [it] just makes me angry. There’s so many things I’m feeling, like everyone else,” she said.
Have you subscribed to the Grio podcasts, Dear Culture or Acting Up? Download our newest episodes now!
TheGrio is now on Apple TV, Amazon Fire, and Roku. Download theGrio today!