So I woke up, Sunday morning; and my first instinct
(after praying) was to check the news- typically. A lot happens when you sleep
you know. Well, I found out a couple of interesting things; amongst which was
that the crazy North Korean leader had ordered a rocket launch- thought to be a
cover for a long range missile- to the chagrin of most of the world!
Hmmm…another day, another provocative action from Pyongyang. At this point, I
feel like I’ve seen it all; and heard it all…so I moved on to another story.
Still scrolling through my phone; then boom! I saw it! Just a couple of hours
before the start of Super Bowl 50, and Beyoncé had pulled a “Beyoncé” on us,
with a surprise video release. I wasn’t “surprised by the surprise”, because
it’s typical of Beyoncé. But what struck me was the fact that this was not just
another sexy Beyoncé video…it was a Beyoncé video laden with political
undertones and a social message...excellent! It was a message that was mostly
geared towards the black community. Beyoncé is usually criticized for not being
too vocal on issues affecting the black community. But in recent times, she and
her husband have shown greater support for black causes; especially with the
#blacklivesmatter movement. And this video was a feather in the cap of Beyoncé’s
rhythmical political activism- if I may call it that! Now before I venture
further, I would just say that I am a Beyoncé fan. Mix that with political and
social activism; and I knew the video would be a hit. I was not disappointed.
Beyonce atop a half-submerged police car |
The video- Formation- is a work of art filled with
political messages…and the scenes bear evidence of this. Shot on location in
New Orleans, it opens up with a warning- Parental Advisory, Explicit Content.
The faint-hearted had been given notice! We then see Beyoncé bending to squat
atop a police car partially submerged in water- this being a tribute to New
Orleans as it was ravaged by Hurricane Katrina in 2005; and can also be seen as
a “f**k you” message to trigger-happy, black-killing cops, when it is fully
submerged (drowned) at the end of the video. And with the entire #blacklivesmatter
movement gaining traction all across the US in the wake of police brutality
towards blacks which have culminated in the loss of several black lives, the
particular choice of a police car was a poignant message which was not
lost…much like Kendrick Lamar’s “Alright”.
As a tribute to her black heritage, Beyoncé pays
homage to her Negro+Creole roots; announces that she’s proud of her baby’s
(Blue Ivy) curly hair; and defiantly declares that she “loves her Negro nose
with Jackson 5 nostrils”! As black people, the media tries to convince us that
we are not good enough…that we should aspire to be “white”…but Beyoncé isn’t
here for all that bullsh*t, and strongly urges us to own our blackness! And oh,
by the way, watching Blue Ivy playfully affirm her mother’s powerful lyrics;
was just the cutest thing ever!
Blue Ivy in Formation |
In the mostly white dominated society that is the
USA, black stereotypes abound. I was struck by the fact that rather than shy
away from these stereotypes, Beyoncé puts them in full view, casting them in a
positive light. From the church scenes (yeah, black people everywhere do have a
very vocal, albeit theatrical way of worshipping God), to the black basketball
players (we own the game…white men can’t jump! *joking*), to the scenes showing
black women (one of them being Beyoncé) sitting while dressed elegantly in a plantation-styled
mansion (yeah, blacks were once slaves in America…but I liked the fact that
instead of being dressed in “slavery attire”, Beyoncé and her crew were all
elegantly clothed), to a black child dancing in front of a line of black cops
(I’ll get back to this particular scene in a bit…by the way, y’all know that
nobody dances better than a black person!); it was all black excellence!
Beyonce surrounded by her crew in a plantation-styled mansion |
Beyoncé has always been a firm believer in financial
empowerment; and her catchy lines in Formation, reaffirms this. From constantly
telling us that she “slays”, to letting us know that we might be the new “black
Bill Gates”; just as she also just “might be a black Bill Gates in the making”,
black people are reminded that the financial realm does not have to be
monopolized by a few white men in Silicon Valley and Wall Street. Beyoncé lets
us know that we are the new face of blackness…the new elite. And she doesn’t
just give us catchy lyrics, but also shows us a process as she sings- “I see
it/I want it…I dream it/ I work hard/ I grind till I own it”; and she does this
while “slaying all day”. Now who says a black man can’t think up the next
Microsoft, Google, or Facebook? And there weren’t just lines to black financial
excellence, but also to female empowerment. With X-rated lines like “when he
f**k me good, I take his a** to Red Lobster…if he gets it right, I might take
him on a ride in my chopper”, Beyoncé reminds women everywhere that we can ALL
be bosses! We can change the game…we can be the new generation of bad bi***es!
Beyoncé has never been one to shy away from
controversy. Surrounded constantly by a thick cloud of conspiracy theories, she
pokes a finger in the eyes of her detractors by telling them that “y’all Corny
with that illuminati mess”. Yes, we’ve all heard the rumors…we know what she’s
talking about. Haters, take a few seats!
Now, back to the little black kid dancing in front
of a line of white police officers. That, for me, was the most potent political
message in the video- aside from the drowning of the police car. As the little
boy dances, he suddenly stops and puts his hands up in the air (y’all remember
the line: “hands up, don’t shoot”?), and then surprisingly, the policemen all
raise their hands too. Then the camera closes in on graffiti on the wall- “stop
shooting us”! I wept! May we see the day when a white cop also waves the flag
of peace and surrender in the face of an un-armed black man! Black lives do
matter!
Little black kid dances and then raises hands in front of a line of white cops (click picture to watch) |
Beyoncé reminds us of our power. We are capable, and
we are ‘fly’. Yes, black people love Corn Breads and Collard Greens, and got
hot sauce in their bags; but it’s a sign of swag. And ain’t nobody got swag
like a black folk! The system may be unfair…black people in the USA are usually
treated unfairly, just like the rest of the black race is also marginalized in
the global community; but like Beyoncé dressed in black garb with a neck full
of chains and surrounded by black men, a time comes when we have to put our 2
middle fingers up in the air and say “f**k you”, to the system…we will do
things our way…as black folks…with black swag…and black excellence. And just
like Beyoncé admonishes in the last line, we will “always stay gracious,
because our best revenge is our paper”. So we will keep getting that paper! Can
the African continent stop begging for crumbs now; and learn to create its own
wealth?
Beyonce puts her middle fingers up |
Beyoncé’s “Formation” is a call to blacks
everywhere…an excellent black empowerment anthem. It is a reminder and
affirmation of black heritage, and also gives us a window into our glorious
future. It is a sexy, groovy political declaration, and one of Beyoncé’s best
offerings. It is Kwame Nkrumah in the 40’s and 50’s; Martin Luther King in the
60’s; Barack Obama in 2008. Thank you Mike Will Made-it, for producing such a
dope a** masterpiece; thank you Swae-Lee, for being an awesome co-writer; thank
you Melina Matsoukas, for being a visionary video director; and thank you Queen
Bey, for being such a genius artist and a great representation of the black
race. Yes, we are black and proud; we slay…we slay…all day!
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