| February 11th, 2016
Beyonce Breaks the Internet With Her New Single
By: journeymagazine
Words By: Jamani Elston
On the eve of her performance on the Super Bowl stage, singer Beyoncé Knowles surprisingly released a bold video that demonstrated her activist side with a powerful pro-Black message.
The video for her new hit single, “Formation”, reaches out to the Black community and displays that Knowles is very much aware of Black issues and police brutality.
From graffiti that reads “Stop Shooting US” to a young black boy
in a black hoodie dancing in front of a line of officers, Knowles used her platform to broadcast the occurrences of police brutality in the Black community.
Jameshia Mathews, junior criminal justice major student from Orlando, Fla. like the message that Knowles conveyed.
“She not only brought attention to police brutality but also to some of the other struggles us as black people go through,” Matthews said.
The setting of “Formation” takes place in New Orleans, La. The video featured a mock Mardi Gras scene as well as the re-visit the Hurricane Katrina aftermath. Knowles is shown standing on a police car in a heavily flooded neighborhood. She later sinks the police car in the video, which is a very hot topic on social media for its controversy.
Kayla Crowley, junior criminal justice student from Perry, Fla. feels that the controversey stems from her message to the police.
Photo Courtesy of The Independent/ Beyonce sits atop of a police car in her new single “Formation”
“Beyonce’s video is controversial because it seems as though she is taunting police everywhere.” Crowley said. “From the sinking of the police car to the little boy dancing in front of a line of police in riot gear, Beyonce is mocking many events that have taken place the past few years all while disrespecting law enforcement.”
Many lyrics refer to how she also fits the racial the many stereotypes of black people. In saying, “I like my negro nose with Jackson Five nostrils” Knowles admits to finding strong, black physical features attractive even if others don’t.
Shakala Newton, a senior biology student from Atlanta, GA felt that “Formation”, “sends a powerful message for Black History month.
“I think it gave a great outlook on letting our generation know that you don’t have to be embarrassed of your skin color and full lips,” Newton said.
Daisha Hampton, junior biology student from Orlando, Fla. loved how the video spoke volumes.
“She in many ways, makes us [black girls] want to embrace our blackness more and stop trying to compete with each other,” Hampton said.
Although very controversial, “Queen Bey” and her posse are seen throughout the video posing in elegant petticoats and top hats giving viewers a flashback to the antebellum era.
Photo Courtesy of CNN/Beyonce performs with Coldplay and Bruno Mars at the Super Bowl
Knowles fans, whom she calls the “BeyHive” strongly anticipated Queen B’s performance at the Super Bowl halftime show in hopes that she would perform her new single. Hitting the stage with her dancers dressed in all black and black berets, holding high fists of “Black Power,” Knowles did not disappoint performing the new single.
After her Super Bowl performance, Beyoncé also announced her upcoming Formation tour.
