Entertainment

Beyoncé, the ‘Formation’ Activist or the Actress?

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By Annette Johnson, Editor

 

Beyonce cop car Formation

The day before her Super Bowl performance, social media was abuzz with news of Beyoncé’s latest release, “Formation.” Curiously, as a longtime fan, I partook of the video. I wanted to see more of the singer’s evolution from sultry R&B singles that inspire to vulgar rap-styled tunes that avow her fame. As always, Bey never disappoints in her visual adaptations – whether on stage or video. Even as she lay atop a police car slowly drowning in the Hurricane Katrina floods, she convinced us of her consciousness of disenfranchised victims of racism while dazzling with her natural, surreal beauty.

While the look of her musical presentation can hardly be ridiculed, the disconnect or even disappointment comes regarding her lyrics. Put simply, what do the song’s paltry lyrics have to do with the significant video imagery? Did Bey merely use the current rising tide of demonstrative racial inequality and the “Black Lives Matter” campaign to create new commercial appeal for herself?

If Beyoncé wanted to really send a message that black lives matter, wouldn’t that begin with words that clearly declare and define her position. Instead, the lyrics detail how she looks in her Givenchy dress and how she rewards great sex with “Red Lobster” or a ride on her “chopper.” There are references to black cultural archetypes like “hot sauce” in her purse, eating cornbread and collard greens, and a preference for “Jackson 5” nostrils. After dissecting the entire song, though, it’s as if “Formation” was written to defend her choice of husband with his oft criticized ethnic features; her baby’s natural, to some disheveled, hairstyles; and her quaint Southern dialect that some degrade. In another words, it was about her blackness, not others’.

 

 

Like Michael Jackson’s famous strike back at his naysayers with the song “Leave Me Alone,” Bey uses “Formation” much the same way. She reminds listeners, more aptly her haters, that she is married to a black Bill Gates and that she is not counting them (critics); she is counting her money. She calls some of them “corny” and reminds others, saying, “I twirl on them haters.” As a savvy business woman who happens to be married to music mogul, Beyoncé knows how to command attention and then monetize it. Just visit her online store to behold the “Formation” wares, including shirts and caps designed with the song’s lyrics.

 

Beyonce hat and shirt

She has done her job, making people believe that she cares, garnering their respect and, ultimately, their money. The issue here is: What does she truly care about? Other popular singers who have used their musical platforms to make political statements – referred to as “protest songs” – did so with topical, compelling, at times controversial, narratives. For instance, one could never confuse the intent of songs like Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the USA” or Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On?” Whether you agree with her political stance or not, Pink unabashedly walked a career tight rope when she released the song “Dear Mr. President” in 2006, penning a lyrical letter about her dissatisfaction of then President George W. Bush.

So, did Beyonce release a protest video with “Formation”? Yes, we could all probably agree. Did she release a protest song? Yes and no. Yes, she protests affronts about her own blackness, and no, she never once mentioned anyone else’s blackness and their challenges. Obviously, some would disagree with this analysis, as they hail her activism using the video and Super Bowl performance as proof that the lyrics are about something greater and more meaningful. Others are calling to protest Beyoncé’s protest performance and using the hashtag #BoycottBeyonce to promote it. The anti-Beyoncé protest rally is planned for Feb. 16 in front of the NFL headquarters.

No matter if you think that Bey is simply acting as an activist, as part of a new marketing tactic, or you believe there exists a genuine concern for victims of racism, Mrs. Carter slays, as she reminds us. Now get in formation.

 

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