Jully Black gets threatening, racist email for changing the national anthem lyrics

Editor’s note: This article contains racist language that may be disturbing.

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Jully Black, Canada’s R&B queen, made headlines when she sang a slightly altered version of the Canadian national anthem at the NBA All-Star Game last Sunday.

Black changed the second line “our home and native land” to “our home on native land.” People took notice of the small but poignant change, praised her for being an ally, and even demanded the original words be changed officially.

Now, the 45-year-old singer has shared a darker side of the response to her lyrical choice.

“This is what I’m getting as a BORN and raised Canadian #HateRunsDeep,” Black tweeted, along with a disturbing screenshot of an email from her inbox.

This is what I’m getting as a BORN and raised Canadian #HateRunsDeep pic.twitter.com/PFxmwQIynH

— Jully Black (@JullyBlack) February 27, 2023

The email, filled with anti-Black language and racist slurs, bashes Black for her Caribbean root, lyrical choices for the national anthem, and existence as a Black woman.

“While living in a white majority country, you have the audacity to single-handedly change our national anthem! HOW DARE YOU!!” it exclaims at one point.

The sender claims to be Indian, and not white. They go on to call Africa and the Caribbean “the worst countries in the world.”

Neither are countries.

Black is also blatantly threatened as the email reaches its end: “You watch and see what happens to you if you ever try to pull this shit ever again.”

The screenshot was shared in the early hours of Monday. Since then, Black has received tons of responses from concerned and supportive fans and friends.

Love you Jully. Continue to walk tall. What you did was brave and showed true allyship. The fact that this person resorts to name calling says everything about them not you. Standing with you.

— nam kiwanuka (@namshine) February 27, 2023

if you were wondering what really brings out the vile, untempered racism, the answer is a Black women standing with Indigenous people. https://t.co/uHuhfz2atY

— Adele Perry (@AdelePerry) February 27, 2023

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Disgusting. Hatred of Indigenous people seems to be a national identity to which many new Canadians are conscripted into. Jully Black is a national treasure. I hope this person gets their ass fired from whatever job they have for this. https://t.co/oHRaFFGrCj

— Christi Belcourt (@christibelcourt) February 27, 2023

Grotesque. You improved the anthem and they can’t handle that.

— Elizabeth Renzetti (@lizrenzetti) February 27, 2023

Hamilton Centre MP Matthew Green also weighed in, talking about how people of colour can perpetuate white supremacy and anti-Black racism.

“All too often it’s other people of colour who exhibit the deepest held anti Blackness,” he said.

As my Brother @DTylerRobinson1 reminded folks recently…
White supremacy has no race.

All too often it’s other people of colour who exhibit the deepest held anti Blackness https://t.co/mQAinE7msz

— Matthew Green 🍊📈✊🏾 (@MatthewGreenNDP) February 27, 2023

Many others also pointed out how and why Black people and people of colour (POC) do not fall in the same category.

This email is vile, and the end is an example of why Black and POC is not synonymous. https://t.co/3yGbLs3oQa

— B.M. (@britany_murphs) February 27, 2023

The email was sent by “Terencia Stapleton.” A Google search of the name reveals no results, and it is likely a pseudonym.