Beyonce is probably the smartest businesswoman in the industry today. Her recent pattern of dropping albums, videos, singles, and guest appearances with no press whatsoever is probably the biggest PR move she can make; no matter what, she'll sell millions. So I almost wasn't even surprised when the day before her guest appearance at the Superbowl 50 halftime show, she dropped a new single. The song is called "Formation," and it's fire.
But "Formation" isn't just another dance anthem. There's no question that she's calling attention to some major issues facing the black community. Police brutality, the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and many others. She floats atop a sinking New Orleans PD car, and in the end submerges with it. A young black boy in a black hoodie dances in front of an armed police line, and eventually the police surrender as the camera pans over a "Stop Shooting Us" graffiti art.
The lyrics are a statement to the public that she hasn't forgotten where she came from, and she's proud of who she is. Lines like "Earned all this money but they never take the country out me," and "I like my negro nose with Jackson 5 nostrils" are just a few.
However, what I found most interesting about this song and video was how the public reacted. The media took this video and skyrocketed it to another level, reporting so seriously on how Beyonce released a black power video. I knew I couldn't be the only one surprised at how surprised everyone else was acting; so last night, when SNL released their skit on the public finding out Beyonce is indeed black, I couldn't help but laugh out loud. Beyonce created a song and video embracing her culture and shining light on political issues, so instead of the media acting all shocked, why don't they support her. You go, Queen B!
Now, some people may look at this article I'm writing and say, "Who is she to write a piece on Beyonce and her culture? She's not black, she doesn't know what she's talking about." And to a certain extent, those people are right. I'm a 20-year-old white girl from New Jersey; I'm not going to act like I know what I'm talking about, or that I can relate to these themes. But I find it interesting, and empowering, and that's why I chose to call attention to it.
Check out the video for "Formation" here:
Check out the SNL skit here:
