India.Arie is not happy with Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon and singer Justin Timberlake.
The pair connected for a comedic skit in which they communicated with each other by singing lyrics from ’90s songs instead of talking. The problem according to India Arie? They called the bit “Songversation.”
“Songversation” is also the title of the crooner’s 2013 album and it also happens to be the name of her 2018 Grammy-nominated EP, SongVersation: Medicine. And when Arie heard about Fallon and Timberlake’s skit, she wasn’t pleased.
“I hear the @jimmyfallon show appropriated my sacred word #songversation Last night for a skit,” she tweeted. “Just be clear, I’m offended.”
While the Tonight Show sketch doesn’t seem to be connected to Arie’s music, she’s still not happy Fallon and Timberlake used “Songversation” without her permission.
“Scrolling thru these hashtags is [making] me nauseous,” she wrote. “#songversation was not created as a place for @jimmyfallon to make jokes.” She added, “I demand that my life’s work be RESPECTED ~ do not TOY with #Songversation”
While some fans offered her support, others wondered if she was overreacting.
“No tea, No shade but I doubt Jimmy Fallon woke up and was like “Imma rip @indiaarie off today,” one Twitter user wrote. “I could see more than one person coming up with the name “Songversation” especially in context to Jimmy’s game being about singing a conversation. It makes sense.”
“Appropriated? Are we sure this wasn’t a harmless mistake?” another user asked.
The “I Am Light” singer said Fallon and Timberlake’s intentions weren’t important; her feelings on the issue are what matters most.
“My stance is NOT that it was intentional. It’s that is offensive,” she explained. “I don’t like it and I don’t have to. And standing for myself is … valid.”