The lyrics of Beyoncé’s song Formation hold very political meanings behind them.  This political influence has created controversy all over the world. Beyoncé presents her love for black pride through this song.  The chorus “I like my baby heir with baby hair and afros, I like my negro nose with Jackson Five Nostrils” shows how she is proud of and not ashamed of her culture.  I believe that in the video for this song, Beyoncé includes her daughter with her hair in afro to stand up against the people who shunned her for keeping her daughter’s hair in that way.  It is a statement to say that black woman are beautiful naturally as they are. In the music video it explores black culture by taking place in New Orleans and having a little boy dancing in front of cops, which elutes to Trevon Martin.  The part of the music video when the boy stands before cops and the words “Stop shooting us” really stood out to me.

    Choosing to put that scene in the music video was a very political decision on Beyoncé’s part.  I can see how people may think that is disrespectful towards cops but in this scene I believe that she is trying to gain sympathy for her cause by using a youthful figure pleading for his life. It was also a huge political statement for Beyoncé to place herself on a cop car sinking under water.

Also in this song Beyoncé displays her strong sense of girl power.  “I slay” represents that woman that need to go out and take what’s theirs, and need to get the job done.  The lyrics “Okay, ladies, now let’s get in formation” is a call out to all the woman of the world to come together and take the roles necessary to gain equal gender rights.  In the song she mentions that she’ll take her man to Reb Lobster, take him on her flight chopper, take him to the mall, and get his song played on the radio station. Those lyrics represent that she doesn’t need a man to support her that she makes her own way and can actually support him.   I love that she takes dominance in this song over a male figure.