Analysis Of ' Beyonce And # Blacklivesmatter, By Anna Leszkiewicz

Lauryn Hill is the queen of R&B. Michael Jordan is the king of basketball. It is widely known that throughout American history, African American talent has been extrusive. Would it be ‘narrow-minded’ to describe someone’s talent in these fields as ‘black?’ While it may seem these ascriptions are a simple compliment, they also serve as a developmental handicap. In William Raspberry’s essay, “The Handicap of Definition” he highlights the stereotype of what it actually means to be Black by definition. Raspberry uses multiple examples to help acknowledge the underlying fact that the definition of black is restrictive, and how much of a toll it takes on African-Americans.

Beyoncé uses “Formation” as a continuation of the story in “Freedom” by making a statement about working hard to obtain what she wants and pride in her roots, particularly her southern black heritage. She alludes to how far she has come when she says she rocks her Givenchy dress (citation). Here, she is calling attention to how far she has come and the fortune she has earned by referencing her Givenchy dresses, a luxury brand only someone well off can afford. However, she did not forget where she came from and references her heritage in the second verse when she says “My daddy Alabama, Momma Louisiana” She is

One of the most prominent visuals in Lemonade is the setting of New Orleans, Louisiana. In current times, New Orleans is most closely associated with the Hurricane Katrina disaster of 2004, in which a strong hurricane devastated the city and left many killed, injured, or homeless. There was national criticism of the government’s handling of Katrina, stating that the government took too long to respond to the crisis due to the city being mostly populated by blacks. However, this is not the only aspect of New Orleans that is central to Lemonade’s narrative. The video also shows staples of the old American South during the time of slavery, such as plantation homes and slave quarters. In this setting, Beyoncé indulges a fantasy of an all-black utopia dominated by women, who dress up, take photographs, and

This denotation to the silent cries supports for an emotional appeal to an example of the silent cries in African American women. As stated in the title, Powell is aware that black women are merely being betrayed in the hip-hop industry and simply states that the choice of words that hip-hop artist chose to rap about is simply “the ghetto blues, urban folk art, a cry out for help.” (298) and it is rubbing off on almost every man in our American society and giving them a different perspective of women all because women refuse to speak out and speak up. “As a result, female rappers are often just as male-identified, violent, materialistic, and ignorant as their male peers.” (298). Over 100 years ago, women were not even allowed to vote, the closest they got to voting was sitting there and watching. They were not allowed to work, they were forced to be stay at home wives while their

For nearly twenty years, Beyoncé has lived her life in the public eye yet she has always kept her cool, been submissive, and rather quiet when it came to her personal endeavors however after releasing the film “Lemonade”, we are able to see her in a vulnerable light. In Jeremy Helliger’s article: “Dear Beyhive: Stop Whining. Beyoncé Still Hasn’t Earned Her Album Of The Year Grammy” he addresses the idea that although Beyoncé was able to encourage black women to be proud and free, she also she missed the mark by adding raunchy, over the top content to her vulnerability.

Alicia Keys is reiterating an identity that is universally accepted by most African-American women (Harris-Perry 184). This is the cultural identity of the Strong Black Woman (SBW): self-reliant, tough, and hardworking. Stuart Hall defines cultural identities as, “[A] sort of collective ‘one true self’, hiding inside the many other, more superficial or artificially imposed ‘selves’, which many people shared history and ancestry hold in common” (Hall 223). SBW is a self-construction manifested by black women in the Americas. It is used a coping mechanism in response to pervasive sexism and racism. The SBW construct dates back to slavery because the image projects traits of all three stereotypes established during the era of slavery: She looks like the Mammy but is loyal to the black community; She does not require physical and emotional security from men, thus, she resembles the Jezebel; She is angry, just like the Sapphire (Harris-Perry 187). This paper unveils the unfavorable impact of the Strong Black Woman (SBW) cultural identity in the Americas. The argument is centered on the effect of this cultural image on the private sphere, public sphere, and the health of black women. The paper also proposes

Over the past few years tragic events seem to be surrounding our society. An array of killings, social protests, police brutality and racism have startled the nation. Lately celebrities have been addressing these issues more and more on TV, in interviews and in the public eye. One incredible artist just used her talent to address all of these issues and more in her new music video "Formation". Beyoncé is an iconic figure in our culture, spreading her talent, feminist views and activism worldwide. This video is one of a kind. It is not centered on her but on Black America. There have been many critics disagreeing with Beyoncé 's video. They felt that she spread negative messages of police throughout her video. Others, however, loved her video. They felt she used her platform to reach out and address issues. Supporters and critics of the video have expressed their opinions in many different ways. In this paper I will analyze this video that has been shared worldwide. The question I ask is: "How does Beyoncé depict the complexity of Black Americans?" In order to answer this question, I will apply Pentadic criticism to analyze this discourse.

While most of the lyrics in Beyoncé’s “Formation” music video are bold statements and used to represent social issues amongst Black America, it can be vividly seen the video uses several rhetorical approaches and signs to present the answer to the initial question: “What happened after New Orleans?” This scene also has Beyoncé standing on top of a New Orleans Police Department vehicle while surrounded by flooding water, which we’re led to believe is part of the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Logos is established when Beyoncé addresses the rumors that she’s a part of the illuminate. This is the first time we’ve heard the starlet mention it since there have been hundreds of accusations linking her, Jay Z, Chris Brown and other black celebrities to the possible secret society. By her recognizing the rumor and attempting to dissolve it to present a great issue, she demonstrates great use of logos because she’s able argue her reasoning and persuade the targeted audience.

Originating from the beginning of the African American hardship in the United States, there have been different works of protest art that come from influential figures who attempted to adjust the ways of society. During times of slavery in the 1800’s, Frederick Douglass was a figure who brought upon staggering realizations and provided regular citizens a new consciousness regarding the truth of slavery. In the mid-20th Century when racism was burning throughout the country, Malcolm X took a powerful and compelling stance that induced a sense of fury and urgency among the African American audience. In today’s America, where the so-called “afterimages” of racism linger, Beyonce has implanted a sense of empowerment among the African American community through her music. In order for these

Over the past few years, racial tensions in America have heightened. During this period, Black America undergo the daily struggle of witnessing the killing of unarmed black men and women. Victims of these endless killings and police brutality, turned into one of many hashtags, which led to the formations of the Black Lives Matter movement. Solange Knowles, younger sister of Beyoncé, soul singer and songwriter was viewed as the angry black woman. Solange used her platform to speak up. She became the most outspoken black artist for black activism in recent years. She embodies the image of a carefree black girl who is willing to let the world know that she is proud of her blackness.

Person, and Chris Riotta. ""Formation" Lyrics: Meaning Behind Beyoncé's New Black Power Anthem." Mic. N.p., 07 Feb. 2016. Web. 03 May 2016.

Aside from the history concerning the development of the Black Lives Matter Movement, this issue impacts people of varying identities differently. The first group of people I would like to examine is black women. Black women often believe the Black Lives Matter Movement is very male-centered. A number of women such as Yvette Smith, Tyisha Miller, Miriam Carey, and many others have been victims of police brutality. When these women were brutalized or even killed, their names weren’t raised, and they didn’t garner much attention. This conveys the idea that black males’ lives are more important than black females’ lives. This brings about the issue of solidarity; feminism and black lives matter both are matters at hand here. Women are battling to achieve equal social, economic, and personal rights as men. Black women are fighting for the both their feminine rights and human rights. In light of the added burden, black women have had a huge influence on the Black Lives Matter Movement. In fact, three black women created the Black Lives Matter Movement; Alicia Garza, Opal Tometi, and Patrisse Cullors are the creators of the movement. They started it on twitter with the #BLM, which catapulted it into a nationwide movement. They created this rallying cry to connect and inspire people to make change. They brought attention to the issue at hand through this rallying cry. On top of the aforementioned, black women are often on the front line in support of their brothers, husbands, and

    In the video for her song “Formation”, the scene starts with Beyonce on top of a sinking New Orleans cop car with floodwater from hurricane Katrina. She starts with the lyric “What happened after New Orleans?” which seems to hold a lot of emotional influence. This lyric was voiced by a YouTube sensation, Messy Mya. He was a comedic icon who was shot and killed leaving a baby shower. Beyonce uses this image and lyric to express an emotional response from the tragic destruction caused by hurricane Katrina and the death of a black

As a firm believer to the idea that celebrities influence our lifestyles, Beyoncé personally, has significantly influenced me. Growing up, Beyoncé has been a role model since I was very young and still continues to live up to that standard today. She is considered to be a VERY mainstream artist and entertainer. What inspires me about her is the genuine quality in her work, which she produces. She is undeniably talented and over a long period of time she has been able to sustain excellent work ethics and authentic passion in everything she does. All these characteristics about Beyoncé influence my behavior because they drive me to give 110 percent in my life. This reference is evidence

While on her previous albums, Beyoncé was trying to empower all women, on Lemonade, Beyoncé speaks directly to black women. “As Jacqui Germain astutely noted on feministing.com, ‘Beyonce using the specific cultural marker of ‘Becky,’ [a social trope for white womanhood] in Lemonade is less a question of who’s excluding whom and why, and more so just us watching Beyonce be the ... multi-layered Black woman’” (Thompson, C., 2016). It was through this album that Beyoncé changed how the public thought of her. She was no longer afraid to not fully share what she wanted to say about current culture, and finally talked straight to black women to raise them up. It was also through this album that Beyoncé changed her image. Before her sixth album, Beyoncé definitely had feminist songs, but with Lemonade, she used rage to share her message, a message telling women that even after getting married, a man may not always be right for