Kayla Leland
Professor Santos
EN 003
February 19, 2016
Blog #4
Beyoncé- Formation
This week in class we have discussed Beyoncé’s new song called “Formation” in which she also performed at the 2016 Super Bowl. My first reaction when listening to the song was a little shocking listening to all of the references she has made in the song and it was not until reading the full lyrics did I understand the references more clearly that she was referring too. This song was meant as a Black-power anthem as a tribute to the black power movement in which Beyonce is owning her female empowerment. Beyonce is proud of the woman she is and is proud of her cultural identity as she states " my daddy Alabama, momma Louisiana." One particular part of the song that stood out to me was when she says " okay, okay, ladies now let's get information, cause I slay" because this is where she is really trying to take the call to action and wants all black women to unite because this formation is what has to come before any real movement.
Although I think it is great for Beyoncé to be able to sing what she feels and sing for black power I found it a little too much. Beyoncé knew what she was doing and chose to make such a big impact by performing at the 2016 Super Bowl. Some may argue that Beyonce came on a little too strong as she could be seen as mocking people. One thing that we have discussed in class that I have never really thought about is the part where Beyonce talks about Hurricane Katrina that caused the massive damage in New Orleans. Some people who were affected by the hurricane saw her song to be taking advantage of the tragedy as a way to make money as she never got to see the suffering people have gone through. Overall, similar to Nina Simone Beyonce has become more political in the sense that she is using her music to make a change against racism.
The point that you brought up at the end of your blog relating Nina Simone and Beyonce in the sense that they became more political in the sense that they used there music to make a change in fight against racism, I found this to be a very good point. I found it interesting when watching and talking about Beyonce's "formation" video and performance at the Super Bowl to see how she really was really using this song as a way to, as you said "be a Black power anthem" and how she like Nina Simone was using her music as a way to speak out to the African American community.
ReplyDeleteThe point that you brought up at the end of your blog relating Nina Simone and Beyonce in the sense that they became more political in the sense that they used there music to make a change in fight against racism, I found this to be a very good point. I found it interesting when watching and talking about Beyonce's "formation" video and performance at the Super Bowl to see how she really was really using this song as a way to, as you said "be a Black power anthem" and how she like Nina Simone was using her music as a way to speak out to the African American community.
ReplyDelete