Mary J. Blige has a message for all of her fans: She ain’t your auntie.
The 49-year-old singer has been lovingly given the nickname “Auntie Mary” by the Black community, but Mary has made it clear that she is not feeling it. During an interview, the “No More Drama” singer bluntly stated her thoughts on how being called “auntie” by everyone and their mama really makes her feel.
“Why can’t I just be your sister?” she asked. “And there’s women that are like WAY older than me calling me ‘auntie’…Come on. Can’t I just be your sister? Your friend in your head?”
Driving her point home one more time, Blige reiterated, “The ‘auntie’ is like come on. Not if you’re 10 years older than me, please don’t call me ‘auntie’.”
Fans — many of them perhaps unaware that terms “auntie” and “uncle” were used condescendingly by whites to address older Black women and men during the Jim Crow era — were tickled by Blige’s passion when speaking about her deep dislike of her nickname and wondered what they should call her instead.
“Okay you’re the auntie that wants to be somebodies sister we got you,” replied a fan smugly.
“It’s out of respect 😂😂😂” a second explained. “What you want us to call you grand…”
“It’s either Aunty or Nana….. don’t do that Mary,” criticized a third.
“Girl shut up. You’re not young anymore,” stated a fourth. “You’re lucky they ain’t calling you Granny 😂😂😂”
“Sorry auntie,” a fifth apologized.
“But she old enough to be my auntie 😕,” a confused sixth fan wrote.
Whether or not people actually listen to her request and stop calling her “Auntie Mary” remains to be seen, but we won’t be holding our breath as we wait.
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