Actress Tia Mowry took to Instagram to debut waist-length straight back braids in a playful video, which fans believe throws shade at her ex-husband.
The video switches between clips of her drinking wine in the pool to her wearing black cutoff jean shorts and a white studded T-shirt, as she lip-synced to Queen Bey’s 2006 hit, “Upgrade U.”
Capturing the essence of Beyoncé’s lyrics, Mowry sassily performed, “I hear you be the block, but I’m the lights that keep the streets on/ Notice you the type, that like to keep them on a leash though/ I’m known to walk alone, but I’m alone for a reason.”
The caption, “When the lyrics hit hard,” underscored how deeply the song resonated with her.
Many of her 12.7 million fans loved her new bossed-out performance, shouting her out by writing, “Every time you get braids you get thugged out,” as another added, “Yessssss maam you definitely putting it down for us over 40 Queens.”
They even gave her a few new nicknames, “Tia ‘BIG ENERGY’ Mowry and “Ti-ONYCE.”
However, many swore Mowry was being shady to her ex-husband, Cory Hardrict, whom she divorced in 2022. Hardrict has been making headlines and billboards for his lead role in Tyler Perry’s new film, “Divorce in the Black” and women have been swooning over his post-divorce looks
“He can live and be happy too Tia. The movie blew him up and made people see him in a different light, is that ok?” a follower commented.
“She’s clearly hating on him right now,” a follower quipped.
Another zoned in on when the song stopped, “She aint sing that ‘IMMA HELP YOU BUILD UP THAT ACCOUNT’ PART..and I understood it!!”
Others thought she should cut out the foolishness and “get your man back.”
But someone else noted she isn’t fooling anyone, “The shade at stopping at right at ‘And I can help you build up your account.”
Tia Mowry has upgraded pic.twitter.com/UNuvWN8B3m
— I Choose Violence (@ourhermitage) August 3, 2024
Then some of those fans, locked into the dips and waves of the internet, said she kicked off a viral moment, writing, “So basically you just created an #UpgradeYou challenge. Aiiight, BET!”
While opinions differ on the meaning behind her post, one thing is clear: fans are still not over Mowry’s split from Hardrict. The couple had been together since 2000 and married in 2008, and their breakup came as a shock to many who viewed them as a stable and loving pair.
Despite the separation, both Mowry and Hardrict have expressed a commitment to maintaining a positive relationship for the sake of their children.
Mowry, in particular, has been open about her journey toward self-improvement and personal growth, but even in that people thought she was being shady toward the father of her kids, Cree and Cairo.
we gon be alright 💕 pic.twitter.com/RuCdgCP4Wj
— Tia Mowry (@TiaMowry) November 24, 2023
A year ago, the “Family Reunion” star shared a post titled “Things I’m leaving behind,” where she listed “perfectionism, negative self-talk, accepting less than I deserve, not taking time for myself, and not listening to my intuition” as things she was moving away from.
The 46-year-old emphasized further in her caption writing, “Trying to always be perfect, negative self-talk, and not taking care of myself is just no longer an option. I’ll say it once, and I’ll say it again: you can keep that!! Here’s to a summer of living with intention, purpose, and peace.”
As fans continue to follow her journey, many are enjoying this new chapter in Mowry’s life, with some even declaring, “Single Tia is Fun.”
Her fanbase can also be on the lookout for her reality series, “Tia Mowry: My Next Act” for AMC Network’s WEtv. It will document her life as a single mom and businesswoman as she juggles multiple career gigs.
