_Kennedy Horton is a sophomore at MU studying English. She is an opinion columnist who writes about student life and social justice for The Maneater. _
Currently, I’m taking a black studies class. Last week, we began by discussing Beyoncé’s most recent studio album, “Lemonade.” It’s a visual album that aired on HBO, encompassing themes of black empowerment, self-empowerment and the journey and experience of being a woman. It really is a thing of art; there’s spoken word, stunning imagery and messages that really speak to what it’s like to be black in today’s America.
I loved it. Not because I’m some droid who worships everything Beyoncé does — although that is warranted — but because it meant something to me. However, some people in my class took a different stance. And though everyone is entitled to their own opinion, some are just plain wrong.
First of all, as a disclaimer, some of the people in my class who negatively critiqued “Bey” ended their piece with, “I’m just not really a Beyoncé fan.” I would just like to say if that’s the case, feel free to just keep your views to yourself.
One major critique that kept coming up was that Beyoncé doesn’t write her own songs — that she either has people writing her songs for her or other people helping her write them. This is a trash assessment for a few reasons. It’s only half true. Yes, Bey has had help writing some of her music, including tracks on “Lemonade.” Her name, however, remains under the lists of writers. She does write. She is always a part of her own production in the writing room, and no lyric gets into a song without her OK.
Perhaps this was unbeknownst to some, but Beyoncé is a singer. Her gift, talent and purpose is to sing. I don’t understand how people can be mad at her for doing her job. She has help recording her music videos as well, but does that make her output less genuine or less holistically hers? The answer is no.
It’s the same with actors. Meryl Streep is one of the greatest actors of her time, but she doesn’t write her own scripts. I’m sure that sometimes she has input in her character’s words should she feel so inclined. But her gift, talent and purpose is to act. Both Beyoncé and Meryl have the incredible ability to transform writing into another art medium and they should be judged for the artists they are.
Furthermore, there’s something to be understood about art and artists. No great art is ever created alone. To not understand that is not to understand art; if you don’t understand art, then you shouldn’t be offering opinions on it. Art has always been a medley of contributions from other talented people. For example, the late and great Prince himself is a smoother and upgraded blend of Jimi Hendrix, Little Richard and James Brown. Writing-wise, he’s also contributed to the lyrics of other greats including Cyndi Lauper, Chaka Khan, Stevie Nicks, Vanity and Madonna. There is nothing new under the sun.
Another one of the ways “Lemonade” stands apart from Beyoncé’s other albums is its active and evident pro-blackness. Members of my class found the record to be contradictory. They felt like they saw pro-blackness in the message of the visuals, but not in the lyrics. This also goes hand in hand with not understanding art. Artwork is multi-faceted. There is the intended message of the creator, and there’s also the interpretation of the audience. It’s important to keep this in mind and to remember that the album is made up of distinct kinds of empowerment. The way I see it, the visuals primarily encompass black empowerment, while the lyrics primarily encompass female empowerment. It’s elementary to call her production contradictory; art and its motives appear in varied and complex ways.
A position some took was that Beyoncé “panders to both sides,” which I took as referring to black people versus everyone else. They felt like since every single track on the album does not overtly celebrate blackness that the pro-black message of the entire production is compromised.
That is an invalid argument. She doesn’t “play” or “pander” to both sides. There are no sides. She’s a pop star, and her music is for everyone, whether certain people identify more closely with it or not. For example, a man can be a Beyoncé fan, but he won’t identify with “Grown Woman” like a woman would. That doesn’t mean he can’t enjoy it.
Not only are her lyrics for everyone, but she covers such a variety of genres that anyone can find a style they like. Regarding “Lemonade” in particular, the music genres range from R&B to rock to country and even more than that. Her work is a collection of mixed styles with no sides, just favorites.
It also must be understood that Bey is in an industry. Her husband Jay-Z has an applicable line that goes, “I’m not a businessman; I’m a business, man!” There is a game to be played. When first starting out, a lot of artists are not allowed to be their most authentic selves and put out exactly the kind of music they want to put out. We know Beyoncé is an independent woman, but she still has to make her money. You know why she’s almost always in a leotard when performing? Besides liking it, it’s because being sexy sells. Often, it takes artists a lot of time to get a point in which they have full reign over what they create and how they create it. Their early music may greatly differ from their later music. And that’s OK, because people are allowed to evolve. Beyoncé is allowed to add black rights anthems to her discography, and it makes sense that she would now with all the violence toward black people currently taking place. She’s not the 22-year-old she was when she released her first solo studio album. She’s older, more established and is growing with the world.
I think it’s really bogus to act as if Beyoncé is just now figuring out she’s black. She has always been pro-black. She performed at both of President Obama’s inaugurations. There are photos of her, old and new, holding up the black power fist. She performed her most pro-black song at the 2016 Super Bowl with all black dancers wearing their natural hair dressed as Black Panthers. In the wake of rampant police brutality, she is constantly urging fans to contact legislators for change and sharing messages on the government shootings. She speaks publicly that she is tired of her community being attacked, heading “Stop Killing Us” on her website. Beyoncé has never forgotten who and where she comes from. Furthermore, every song of hers does not have to be “Formation” in order for her to be a pro-black artist. Beyoncé is black; all of her songs celebrate blackness.
What I find the most interesting about my class discussion is that most of the criticism came from black females, whom one would think might have the most respect for Beyoncé. I’m not sure what this means — it’s an exploration for another day. But it is something to ponder. It’s not to say we cannot evaluate our role models, but why be so quick to judge if the person belongs to and stands for all of us?
Like Forrest Gump said, “That’s all I have to say about that.” If you’re not a Beyoncé fan, I can’t force you to like her. But I implore you to examine why you feel the way you do and see if it’s valid. It’s easier if you start with the proposition that it’s not.
