Beyonce’s father, Mathew Knowles went into a New York TV interview earlier this year to promote a Destiny’s Child tribute project. Instead, the conversation turned into a viral moment about his ex-wife Tina Knowles and who deserves credit for helping build the group.
The former Destiny’s Child manager appeared on PIX11’s Kandid With Kendis with anchor Kendis Gibson to discuss Destiny’s Child: Iconic Reimagined, a tribute tour celebrating the group’s legacy. During the conversation, Gibson told Knowles that both he and Tina Knowles had “earned [their] flowers” for the work they put into the group’s success.
Knowles pushed back immediately.
“What work did she put in?” he asked.
Gibson responded by pointing out Tina’s early contributions to the group — including styling, hair, costumes and image-building before Destiny’s Child became a global act. Knowles briefly acknowledged it, saying, “OK, you’re absolutely right, and the styling. The imaging. You’re right,” before ending the interview soon after with a short “We’ll stop now.”
The moment quickly spread online, with many viewers interpreting the exchange as Knowles dismissing Tina Knowles’ role in Destiny’s Child’s early development.
“I asked a question, did not make a comment,”Mathew Knowles responds to the backlash
After the clip began circulating, Knowles pushed back on the way the moment was framed. In a follow-up response to media outlet Page Six, he said his comment had been misunderstood and that he was asking a question, not dismissing Tina’s work.
“I didn’t know what he meant by that,” Knowles said. “So I’m calmly saying, ‘What work did she put in?’ That was a question, not a comment.”
He also emphasized that Tina’s contributions went beyond what some people remember.
“She did way more than just their hair,” he said, noting her work on the styling and overall image of Destiny’s Child.
Knowles also claimed the interview itself had already started off on a bad note and said the segment included repeated questions about Tina when the focus was supposed to be the tribute show he was promoting. In the same response, he said the situation had been “a complete misrepresentation because he continues to have a good relationship with Tina” and that he is currently “evaluating all legal remedies.”
Tina Knowles seemingly reacts to the drama
The exchange struck a nerve with Beyhive particularly because Tina Knowles’ role in Destiny’s Child has long been part of the group’s origin story.
Before the group became one of the biggest girl groups of the late ’90s and early 2000s, Knowles was closely involved in shaping its look. She styled the members, designed and sewed many of their early stage outfits, and helped craft the visual identity that became closely tied to the group’s brand.
Around the same time the debate was unfolding, Knowles reshared an Instagram post reflecting on her work and contributions to Destiny Child, also liking several comments from fans saying she has never received enough credit for the work she put into the group’s early years.
