Just moments ago, on Friday, March 21, 2025, at 10:02 PM PDT, Beyoncé dramatically and publicly reignited her ongoing feud with Elon Musk, launching a devastating verbal attack that sent the internet into a frenzy. The global star, known for her commanding stage and cultural presence, addressed Musk directly via Instagram Live at 9:59 PM after weeks of escalating tensions between the two prominent figures. Her words were sharp and relentless: “Sell Tesla and beg for mercy, you reckless, selfish fraud!” The statement, which followed Musk’s latest controversy, sparked a storm of outrage on social media; hashtags like #BeyonceVsMusk and #TeslaDrama were trending within minutes. Not one to back down, Musk hit back almost immediately. His reaction has made everyone nervous and they are eagerly awaiting the next chapter of this showdown where everything is at stake.
The roots of this conflict date back to early February 2025, when Beyoncé first publicly criticized Musk for his role in the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). A prominent social justice advocate, Beyoncé criticized Musk’s aggressive push to dismantle federal agencies that she argued disproportionately harmed marginalized communities. During a concert in Atlanta on February 10, she interrupted her performance to speak out, urging her fans to “stop supporting billionaires who don’t care about us” and explicitly calling Musk a “danger to progress.” Her remarks were met with thunderous applause from the audience but drew ire from Musk, who responded to X with a now-deleted post calling her a “hypocrite” and accusing her of “virtue signaling about flying private jets.” This exchange marked the beginning of a very public feud that only intensified in the weeks that followed.
Musk’s recent troubles have only added fuel to the fire. Tesla, the electric vehicle company he has led since 2008, is in dire financial straits. Shares have plummeted 48% since mid-December 2024, representing a loss of over $800 billion in market value. Investors have become increasingly vocal in their dissatisfaction with Musk’s leadership, particularly his splitting of the company into Tesla, SpaceX, and X, and his political role with DOGE. On March 19, prominent Tesla shareholder Ross Gerber called for Musk’s resignation, citing a 53% drop in stock value and a significant decline in sales, particularly in Europe, where Tesla’s market share fell 45% in January 2025. Gerber and other investors have cited Musk’s political involvement as a major factor in Tesla’s problems, arguing that his divisive behavior has alienated a large portion of the company’s customer base. Protests at Tesla showrooms are commonplace. In cities like London and San Francisco, activists spray slogans like “Musk Out” on shop windows.
Beyoncé’s latest attack appears to have been triggered by Musk’s comments during a Tesla employee meeting earlier this week. There, he rejected calls for his resignation with a defiant eight-word statement: “I’m not going anywhere, Tesla will rise again.” The widely shared statement appears to have provoked Beyoncé, who has openly expressed her belief that Musk’s leadership is damaging not only Tesla but society as a whole. In her Instagram Live, she didn’t hold back, accusing Musk of putting his ego above the well-being of his employees and customers. “You’re bankrupting Tesla, and you couldn’t care less,” she said, her voice filled with emotion. “You think you’re untouchable, but you’re just a reckless, selfish con artist. Sell Tesla, resign, and beg for mercy before it’s too late.” The livestream, which garnered over 12 million views in its first 10 minutes, quickly spread to other platforms, with clips of her rant widely shared on TikTok and X.
Musk, known for his quick and often unfiltered replies, didn’t waste any time clapping back. At 10:01 p.m., just two minutes after Beyoncé’s livestream ended, he posted on X: “I’m not begging and I’m not breaking. Watch Tesla take off while you keep singing.” The response, laced with his trademark bravado, divided opinions online. Some of Musk’s supporters praised his resilience, with one X user writing: “Elon doesn’t bow to anyone, not even Beyoncé. Tesla will come back stronger!” Others, however, sided with Beyoncé, praising her for calling out Musk’s behavior. A popular tweet from a Beyoncé fan account read: “She said what we’re all thinking. Elon’s arrogance is his downfall. #QueenBey speaks the truth!”
The conflict has reignited debates about Musk’s leadership and the role of celebrity influence in corporate responsibility. Some analysts argue that Beyoncé’s comments, while inflammatory, reflect a broader sentiment among consumers who are increasingly wary of Musk’s polarizing actions. A recent YouGov poll found that Musk’s approval ratings among Americans fell from 52% at the beginning of 2024 to 38%, with many citing his political involvement as a reason for their disapproval. Tesla’s sales figures tell a similar story: The company reported a 1.1% annual sales decline for 2024—the first in over a decade—while competitors like BYD and Rivian posted significant gains.
As the drama unfolds, the internet remains a battleground of opinions from both sides. Beyoncé’s fans, known as the “BeyHive,” flooded Musk’s X-posts with bee emojis and demands for an apology, while Musk’s followers countered with memes mocking Beyoncé’s involvement in what they call “corporate drama.” Tesla’s board, meanwhile, remains silent on the matter, although sources close to the company suggest internal discussions about Musk’s future are ongoing. Whether this latest conflict will have a tangible impact on Tesla’s trajectory remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: The feud between Beyoncé and Elon Musk has captured the world’s attention, and neither side is backing down.
