The acclaimed R&B singer and songwriter is standing firm in her beliefs.
Muni Long at the 2024 BET Awards at Peacock Theater on June 30, 2024 in Los Angeles, California.
Gilbert Flores/ Billboard via Getty Images
Muni Long has made it clear who will not receive the gift of her pen. The acclaimed R&B singer and songwriter shared a clip across social media declaring her skills will not be used to empower “non-melanated” artists.
The 36-year-old claims that a high-ranking executive at Atlantic Records requested she write soul music for non-Black artists, an offer she immediately declined.
“Me to the president of Atlantic asking me to write ‘soulful’ songs for non-melanated artists,” detailed the Grammy-winner noted in the caption across the video. The clip features her lip-syncing to audio from rapper Boosie that is frequently used in memes, exclaiming, “F**k no! And I’ma stand on that!.”
Muni Long performs onstage during the 2023 iHeartRadio Music Awards at Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, California on March 27, 2023. Broadcasted live on FOX
Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for iHeartRadio
In the caption shared along with the upload, the “Made For Me” performer doubles down on her stance.
“And when I said NO one of em gone say ‘You can reach in that Priscilla Renea vault and see what you have in there,’” she writes. “Boy do you know what a VAULT is? That’s where you keep the valuables. If you don’t get somewhere and sit down. I wanted to cuss them out so bad ya’ll.”
The comment section was filled with support from fans as well as other musicians including H.E.R., SZA, and Baby Rose. One fan questioned Muni Long asking, “Why not? Get that money and publishing.”
She swiftly responded, “Oh baby you must got me confused with somebody else.”
As a solo performing artist, Muni Long had her mainstream R&B breakout in 2021 when her record “Hrs And Hrs” went from viral sensation to chart-topping hit. Professionally however, Priscilla Renee, has been working in the industry for decades, penning records for the likes of Rihanna, Tamar Braxton, Chris Brown, Mary J. Blige, Sabrina Carpenter, Mariah Carey, Ariana Grande, Kelly Clarkson, and more.
“I want to go where I’m loved and appreciated. I want to go where the joy is. The dumb sh*t that happens behind the scenes when lawyers and A&Rs and record execs get involved, it’s so unappetizing. It’s like, ‘Hey, guess what? I’m willing to pull this song and walk away because I don’t want to deal with the headache and the silly sh*t.’ It’s not that complicated,” she explained to The Hollywood Reporter earlier this year about continuing to write for others.
“When I work with artists like John Legend or Mariah, it doesn’t take all that. It’s very simple. All the extra sh*t that comes with it, that means that someone is trying to devalue you or finesse you out of something. I don’t want no parts of that.”
