Latest Blackface Controversy: Beyonce

Beyoncé sparked controversy yesterday when images of her—with her face covered in dark paint—appeared in a French fashion magazine. In a statement, L'Officiel Paris says Beyoncé’s skin was “voluntarily darkened” as a tribute to her “African roots,” the New York Daily News reports. The spread itself was a tribute to Nigerian musician and human rights activist Fela Kuti. (A Broadway show about the musician, Fela!, is co-produced by B's husband Jay-Z.) Ironically, Beyoncé has also been involved in a scandal over her skin being lightened. Click for more, including reactions from both sides. (More blackface stories.)