William Carter

Beyoncé’s #BlackLivesMatter Superbowl Performance & Current Dominating Political Stance

Beyoncé's Super Bowl Performance, via her Instagram

It all started with a performance. Beyoncé, otherwise known to many as "Queen B" performed at the super bowl on Sunday, February 7^th with Coldplay, and took a different approach to the normal leotard dancing and singing. This time Beyoncé performed with a message. She released her new song and video for "Formation", which together has ties to anti police brutality, hurricane Katrina, loving oneself and the culture, and #BlackLivesMatter as a whole.  The song shows a young boy dancing in front of the police, and shows graffiti of the phrase "Stop Shooting Us." She performed at the super bowl with her back up dancers dressed in modified Black Panther outfits, and performed in an all black outfit herself covered with bullets. The song and video was a call from Beyoncé to get more attention on the subject matter and to make it a national topic that maybe the people most hiding from it would have to see or at least hear it for a little bit In between Coldplay and Bruno Mars performance. 

Dr. Teresa Gilliams shared her insight on the Beyoncé’s performance. “It was brilliant,” she said. “We experienced history being made where Beyoncé moved from being this iconic figure to a Black Panther; somebody who is taking a stand about black lives, how much they matter, and her connection to her history. I think the backlash just confirms how incredibly impactful “Formation” is, and how lasting it is…”  

The reason for choosing the Beyoncé Super Bowl performance was because of the controversy surrounding it. There are people who praised it and the need to have something such as that televised, and then it is the other side that states that the lyrics and the performance promote hatred for the police and violence. The performance struck such a nerve, that it was alleged that the Florida police department would not plan on covering security for her concert in Orlando. If the Florida police department did not offer security, then the Nation Of Islam would.

Fox News has a new show called “Tomi”, the host is female news anchor Tomi Lahren. Lahren shared her thoughts on Beyonce’s, and they were not positive at all. Lahren went as far as bringing up her husband’s past as a drug dealer. “First it was [holding hands up] “Hands Up, Don’t Shoot!” then it was burning down buildings and looting drugstores, all the way to “Oscars So White” and now, even the Super Bowl halftime show has become a way to politicize and advance the notion that black lives matter more. This isn’t about equality; this is about ramrodding an aggressive agenda down our throats and using fame and entertainment value to do so… What is the political message here? What is it they’re trying to convey here? A salute to what? A group that used violence and intimidation to advance not racial equality, but an overthrow of White domination?... These privileged Hollywood entertainment types are really something. Beyoncé didn’t reference the Black Panthers to bring about some sort of positive change; she did it to get attention. Good for you, you made headlines! You, just like President Obama, Jada Pinkett-Smith, Al Sharpton and so many others, just can’t let America heal. Keep ripping off the historical Band-Aid. Why be a cultural leader when you can play the victim, right?”

Dr. Gilliams shared her thoughts on Lahren’s perception of the event. “For a bit I was astonished, but then I started seeing the comedy in it. Beyoncé has clearly struck the white supremacist nerve; she got right at the core. They wanted her to stay silent. When you have to go for the jugular, and start talking about Jay-Z’s drug selling past; its very clear that they have no idea how the economic structure of this country works. If there were jobs available and if there ere truly equal opportunity; black people would never be selling drugs in their own communities. She’s really mad that Beyoncé’s impact was as far reaching as it was. What other performer, celebrity could during Superbowl make such a statement? And which one would ever make a statement about race? They want Beyoncé to just do “Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)” and just sit down and not talk about the fact that she is not going to sit down idly while black people are getting struck down in the streets. Whether they sold drugs or not, we’re still human beings.”

Fans and haters alike were waiting to see if the police would cover her concert on April 27^th, 2016 and the police department did. It was the first date of her “Formation World Tour,” and it kicked off with a success. Beyoncé released her sixth studio album “Lemonade” on April 23^rd, 2016. The album is named after a talking scene featured in her movie to go along with her album. At the end of her song “Freedom,” it features an African-American civil rights leader Hattie White talking about her life and struggles in a brief two sentences.  “I had my ups and downs, but I always find the inner strength to cool myself off. I was served lemons, but I made lemonade.”

“Freedom” is a song asking for freedom, having to fight to be treated fairly, how the fight is not over, and no matter what happens we need to continue to fight. The lyrics are powerful, especially in the chorus.“Freedom! Freedom!/ I can't move/ Freedom, cut me loose!/ Singin', freedom! Freedom! Where are you?/ Cause I need freedom too!/ I break chains all by myself/ Won't let my freedom rot in hell/ Hey! I'ma keep running/ Cause a winner don't quit on themselves” “I think she’s making a statement about her blackness, and the entire African-American community,” said Kalia Bethea, current Junior and English/Criminal Justice major. “She calls for a stop to the marginalization of African-Americans, and for acceptance overall.”

Beyoncé Opening Night Of Her Formation World Tour, vis her Instagram

Beyoncé expressed changes of emotions from grief, sadness, anger, hope, and more. While talking about her troubles with her marriage and her mom’s troubles with her father, she was also able to give not just African-Americas, but all people can relate too. “Lemonade” does however, brings attention to issues in the African-American community, while also showing the culture in expressing her thoughts. In the “Lemonade” visual movie, she has images of being in church praying, couples of different races, ages, and genders, and even has a gay couple featured in the video. Each song/video for the movie tells a story, and in the end shows a message of hope for a better day, a brighter future. The songs “Forward” and “Freedom” follow each other in the movie for “Lemonade” with the theme of hope. One scene in the video features the mothers of murdered victims Trayvon Martin, Eric Gardner, and Mike Brown. Another scene features her singing “Freedom” in a plain white dress in front of an audience dressed in all white in the deep south. The scene resembles old slavery times.

From having the “Formation” video, to the Super Bowl performance, to “Lemonade;” Beyoncé has made her stance on anti police brutality #BlackLivesMatter movement, but not everyone has shared delight on her new political stance. Piers Morgan, who is known for controversy, wrote an article about the “Lemonade” album. The first line says “I never like it when entertainers go all political,” says Morgan. “Whether it’s Oscar-winners preaching from the Academy Awards pulpit or Madonna seizing the best-looking babies from African orphanages, it always looks and sounds like they’re using a ‘good cause’ as a fashion accessory.”

Morgan went on to criticize the signer on her “newly found” political views. Needless to say, fans, journalists, and even businesses were entirely too happy with Morgan’s perception of the album. Morgan first shared his thoughts on twitter, but then took to the dailymail.co.uk to write an article. 

Artists are looked up to as role models, many get criticized when they do not speak out when they have the platform. However, when some speak and its not what some want to hear, they get attacked. “Lemonade” demonstrates understanding, and the need to continue to fight to be heard and get understood. The fact that she had to an album dedicated to not only exploring ones self, but also history on the African-American community, as well as the need to be treated fairly; “Lemonade” is something some people need to drink.