Beyoncé has never been one to fly under the radar, and her latest string of appearances only solidifies that fact.
On Feb. 6, Beyoncé dropped her first song since her critically acclaimed album, "Beyoncé: Deluxe Edition," titled “Formation” and stunned fans around the globe.
The now famous video has become a hot topic on almost all forms of social media and has gained large political traction.
The “Formation” video makes evident illusions to the Black Lives Matter movement, the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and the treatment African Americans have endured in the United States in recent years.
Beyoncé released her video the day before her Super Bowl 50 Halftime performance, which also coincidentally (or not) happened to be the day before Sandra Bland’s birthday, the woman who was found hanging in her Texas jail cell last summer, as well as the day after Trayvon Martin’s birthday—the young man who was shot and killed by George Zimmerman. Many have said that it was the death of Trayvon Martin that woke this nation up and lead to the activism we see today.
The video also harks on early American history, as Beyoncé and the clan are seen wearing what appears to be Civil War style clothing, and makes multiple references to Louisiana—which was one of the largest slave ports in America.
Not even a day after the video was released, Beyoncé performed at the Super Bowl 50 Halftime show with Coldplay and Bruno Mars. The theme of the performance was “Believe in Love” which was written in the stands as the performers finished their set.
The Super Bowl 50 Halftime show racked in 111.9 million viewers, making it the third most watched television program in the country.
During the show Beyoncé performed “Formation” for the first time live, but the real surprise was the underlying message of her performance as a whole. During the show, Beyoncé as well as her backup dancers paid tribute to the Black Panther Party, causing uproar across the country.
An Anti-Beyoncé Protest Rally is set to happen at the Park Avenue Headquarters of the National Football League on Feb. 16 in response to the halftime show.
Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani has also been very open about his disapproval of Beyoncé’s actions. “I thought it was really outrageous that she used [the Super Bowl] as a platform to attack police officers, the people who protect her and protect us and keep us alive.”
Yet support for Beyoncé’s message has come in just as strong. The Black Panther Party for Self Defense in the Bay Area is celebrating their 50th anniversary, and many believe that Beyoncé could and has served as someone who can educate others about the topic. The group was initially founded to combat police violence in Oakland, California, in the late 60s.
Kelly Rowland, a member of the former girl group Destiny's Child, commented on Beyoncé’s performance and video stating, “I think that we live in a country where you have the freedom to say how you feel and talk…And It’s really from a peaceful place. I think that they’re blowing it out of proportion.”
Run the Jewels, Killer Mike, was also quoted as saying “White people. It’s not all about you.” He went on to discuss how the song as a whole was Beyoncé talking to the black community about how she not only feels about being black but how she openly embraces it.
There has been no comment from Beyoncé or her publicist.
