Jill Scott Opens Up About Cringeworthy Awards Show Encounter Ahead of New Album Release
It’s been nearly a decade since Jill Scott last gave fans a full studio album, but as she steps back into the spotlight with “To Whom This May Concern,” the stories are flowing just as freely as the music.
While promoting the upcoming project, the three-time Grammy winner stopped by the R&B Money podcast, where Tank and J. Valentine invited her to play their fan-favorite segment, “I Ain’t Sayin’ No Names.”
The premise is simple: spill an industry story, leave the names out, and let the lesson speak for itself. What followed was a moment that the neo-soul admitted still makes her cringe.
She took listeners back to an awards show red carpet, where she unexpectedly ran into one of her musical heroes. Overwhelmed by admiration, the “Golden” singer said she approached with pure excitement, pouring out what she believed was high praise, calling the unnamed artist inspiring, powerful, and “a beast,” a term Scott clearly intended as a sign of respect.
The reaction, however, was not met with praise from the unnamed artist.
Instead of warmth or recognition, Scott was met with a stare that immediately shifted the energy. She recalled thinking in real time, “okay… maybe I did too much,” as the moment quietly fizzled.
At first, she tried not to read into it. But clarity came later through the artist’s assistant, who revealed the misunderstanding.
The compliment had been received as an insult. What the actress meant by “beast,” a nod to talent and dominance, was interpreted as “obese.”
“I say, ‘Hey, what did I say?’” Scott remembered asking. “She said, ‘You called me obese.’”
The realization stunned her. The “Why Did I Get Married” star made it clear that wasn’t her intention at all, joking that the idea of her insulting someone she admired made no sense.
Still, even after the explanation, the damage had been done. According to Scott, the artist remained upset, describing her as still “mad” and “fuming” over the mix-up.
Watch the clip below.
