If you've been online at all in the past few months, it's more than likely that you've seen the game. Everyone dreads it; being forced to choose between their a few of their favorites and cast one to the wind, never to be heard of again. The game, of course, is One Gotta Go. Multiple options are presented and to everyone's dismay, one must hypothetically eliminate one. The options are often insanely popular, and are the subjects of heated debates. But the most relevant One Gotta Go matchup should be obvious: Beyoncé's "Lemonade" or Solange's "A Seat At The Table?"
Now, clearly both albums are amazing in their own rights. Beyoncé created what many feel may be her magnum opus; "Lemonade" is a genre-defying masterpiece, that chronicles the cycle of troubled love, from hurt to redemption and forgiveness. It's her second visual album, co-directed by Bey herself, and has been billed as the best album of 2016 by publications like Rolling Stone, Complex, and The New York Times. On the other hand, Solange's "A Seat At The Table" is a smooth and mellow look into blackness in America. It's a stark and poignant examination of blackness in America and what it means to be pro-black, highlighted by Solange's ethereal vocals. It's arguably the most important album of the year, and has received high scores and glowing reviews.
Now for the hard part: which album Gotta Go? Neither has any glaring low points; each one can be played front to back with no skips or interruptions. Both tackle important topics, and both are considered to be each artist's best work to date. Beyonce stuck her foot into "Lemonade", and it shows; you can hear the emotion in her voice on tracks like "Sandcastles" and "Don't Hurt Yourself," and the visual album is perfectly narrated by the poetry of Warsan Shire. Solange also put her all into her album, and is a vital examination of blackness in America.
So the important question is this: if you had to choose one, which one would you choose? How would you pick? Drop a note in the comments and let us know which album gets your vote!
