Why is Everyone 'Thanking' Beyoncé Suddenly? Inside the Bizarre 'She Knows' Conspiracy Theory

A new trend is taking over social media — people are thanking Beyoncé in their posts and they're also using J. Cole's song She Knows as background music. Many think Beyoncé and Jay-Z have some sort of secret powers in the music world, and that thanking her is necessary to achieve success; otherwise, those who don't do so will experience dire consequences. The background music in these social media posts is J. Cole's She Knows, and its lyrics have sparked intense online discussions.

In particular, these lines have got everyone buzzing: "Only bad thing 'bout a star is they burn up/ Rest in peace to Aaliyah/ Rest in peace to Left Eye/ Michael Jackson, I'll see ya/ Just as soon as I die." For one, a viral video highlighted the connection between Cole's She Knows and "She Knowles," with Knowles being a reference/acknowledgment to the pop sensation's maiden name. 

Some conspiracy theorists are interpreting these lyrics as symbolic of dark secrets in the music industry. Others feel there is a literal connection between Beyoncé, Jay-Z, and Diddy to the deaths of Aaliyah, Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes, and Michael Jackson, though there is not much concrete evidence for this notion.

For what it's worth, though it is not strong evidence for anything, the three celebrities died on the 25th of the month: Aaliyah on August 25, 2001, in a plane crash, Lopes on April 25, 2002, in a car accident, and Jackson, of cardiac arrest, on June 25, 2009. As such, some feel that Diddy, Jay-Z, and Beyonce are somehow connected to these situations. Many have also pointed out that Beyonce was only able to attain her stardom after Aaliyah, the "Queen of Urban Pop," passed away, insinuating a sinister murder plot, as per The Teen Mag.

As per another version of the theory, Beyonce is supposed to have god-like powers, which is why major celebrities often tend to 'thank' her — even if the Halo singer has nothing to do with the milestone. Several famous pop culture moments have also been 'explained' by this theory; in particular, fans brought up how other stars praised Beyoncé at award shows, suggesting they wanted to protect themselves. For example, in 2017, Adele won Album of the Year at the Grammys. During her speech, she said, "I can't possibly accept this award... The artist of my life is Beyoncé," as per The Guardian.

Another infamous moment took place in 2009 when Kanye West interrupted Taylor Swift during her VMA acceptance speech and then claimed Beyoncé should have won instead of her. Some people suggest that this interruption by West was meant to protect Swift, though, again, there is not much that gives any credibility to these conspiracies. Even celebrities like Lady Gaga and Britney Spears have thanked Beyonce at some point in their careers. 

However, not everyone has found the trend funny, as many Beyoncé fans are upset and they say it's disrespectful. One fan wrote on X (formerly Twitter): "I hate how artists showing appreciation for a woman who's paved the way for so many is now turning into a joke." Another fan added, "It's unfortunate the way it's brainwashed people, they fall for this narrative created by clowns who can't stand successful black woman been running the game for 20yrs."

Some see a racial element to the trend as one user commented, "It's ONLY racist and I won't elaborate further. This would be national news if people were playing with Taylor Swift's name like this." Another one said, "When Adele, Lizzo, Ariana grande and Taylor swift say thank you to OGs like Beyonce bc they literally grew up being inspired by destiny’s child as a teens."

J. Cole's song She Knows was briefly removed from YouTube in September, which also fueled more theories, but it turned out it was part of a wider dispute between YouTube and a music licensing organization. Beyoncé has not commented on any rumors yet.