#BoycottBeyonce

Photo via BBC

The Super Bowl brought about more controversy than expected, is Beyonce at fault for the drama? – for JOUR 4250

By Laura Muensterer

Although I never watch the Super Bowl (don’t want to pay for cable), I always find it interesting to see what ads and performances inspire online discussions and blog posts. I think the Super Bowl is a great way for advertisers to spread a message that will be reached by a large audience, although I think year after year, the ads get further and further away from their purpose, which is to educate people on a product, service, etc.

When people in class brought up #BoycottBeyonce, a new twitter hashtag trending on Twitter, I was intrigued because a lot of people idolize the famous singer, and I think her popularity has brought her a lot of clout when it comes to conveying a messaging and having people listen to that message. With so many video views, comments and fans, it’s no wonder her performance brought about so much commotion.

According to CBS Local, about a day before the Super Bowl commenced, Beyonce released the single and music video for “Formation.” To give you some background on the song, it celebrates the artist’s culture and upbringing with lyrics like: “My daddy Alabama, Momma Louisiana. You mix that Negro with that Creole make a Texas bamma” // “I like my baby hair, with baby hair and afros. I like my Negro nose with Jackson Five nostrils,” among others.

The video also incorporates themes that echo the fallout from Hurricane Katrina, racism in the U.S. and police brutality. However, as the article’s author points out: “the video never paints police or white people as evil.”

Of course, people labeled Beyonce a racist after the single and video release, which continued during and after the Super Bowl halftime show. Personally, I think it’s awesome that Beyonce is starting controversy. Racism continues to be an issue to this day, and Beyonce is simply shedding light on the unfairness and contradictory treatment among not only black people, but other races as well. This song and video does not make me hate the passionate artist, but rather appreciate her freedom of expression. Of course, I am white and so I view the two compositions differently than, let’s say, a black person, but I think far more offensive things have been created in the world. If people are upset, good. That’s what she wants: reaction. If nobody reacts, nobody is going to talk about the work. Although Beyonce lost a few fans, she gained a lot of PR (which in my mind, is never bad).

Works Cited

“People Cry Racism and #BoycottBeyonce Following ‘Formation’ Video Release, Super Bowl 50 Halftime Performance.” 923 AMP Radio New York. CBS Local Media, 8 Feb. 2016. Web. 10 Feb. 2016.