I know that every time Beyoncé drops a video I say it changed my life. Because everything Beyoncé has ever done has changed my life for the better--but that's beside the point. Her latest, "Formation", is equally life changing but, of course, has its detractors.
Today I've seen posts saying that her mention of collard greens and hot sauce somehow diminishes any serious point she is trying to make with "Formation" (Wrong); I've seen people saying Katy Perry's SB performance last year was better (Wrong); and I've seen posts lambasting Beyoncé for her repeated use of the word "Negro" (take a seat).
I think "Formation" will be important for a lot of people, in the end, because of its themes and because of who Beyoncé is as an artist.
She has largely been encouraged to seek the middle ground as an artist, not to offend, to have coiffed and straightened hair, and to accentuate any European features she may have. The most influential popstar in the world saying that she loves her husband's wide nose, her daughter's kinky hair, and her own black southern roots is the most important statement that can be made by this artist at this time.
No doubt you've heard people use the phrase "I wish they loved black people as much as they love black culture." Beyoncé's "Formation" is like a klaxon call to spectators of popular music: You love our culture and you will love us too.
At the end of the day, "Formation" is just a song. It's not going to make police officers stop killing black people and it's not going to stop corny anti-black haters from tweeting all that illuminate mess.
But it's going to do a lot for black people and the way they reconcile their own black identities with their place in culture. It's going to let black people know they can stop pursuing respectability politics and embrace whichever parts of their culture they can identify with. Whether it's Blue Ivy's kinky hair, Beyoncé's thick thighs, or Tina Knowles' creole background, "Formation" is about embracing the beauty and nuance of black culture.
Happy Black History month, ya'll! It's lit.
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