Thursday, March 28, 2024

Beyonce’s ‘Formation’: How Being ‘Unapologetically Black’ Can Empower Black Women

Beyonce-formation*Beyonce gave the music industry a much-needed surprise jolt of epic realness when she premiered the official music video for the unexpected new single “Formation.”

I’m not the biggest Beyonce fan but I will give the woman her props: she knows how to slay musically and visually – and she keeps a bottle of hot sauce in her purse – SLAY! I sincerely hope it’s Louisiana brand. Imagining Bey suckin’ on her hot sauce coated fingertips after devouring a plate of hot wing warms my cold heart. But let’s not get distracted with my celebrity food fantasies…

I’m here to praise Bey’s latest effort and co-sign with fans who agree with readers like Jade Aja Marie, who said in response to this song that it’s “not something I’m going to bump in my car. However, that video was so unapologetically black, that I have to applaud it. That’s why people are really upset. A black woman, throwing up two middle fingers, rewarding her lover with low-grade sea food AFTER he makes her cum, getting rich, police brutality, Katrina…dis jus tew much for the mainstream. I have a new respect for her now.”

As do I, and my respect is primary do to the visuals of the arty video. It serves as a reminder that in our modern society – that is ripe with anti-black womb sentiment – it takes a black female artist to truly appreciate black beauty and uplift black women.

Come on, her dancers were dressed as Black Panthers at the Super Bowl!! That move was fearless black art perfected!

Let the image below marinate as your wonder: where are the PROUD BLACK voices of mainstream black male artists?

Your favorite pill-poppin’-white woman-worshipping-down low queer-pants sagging rapper ain’t uplifting blackness or black women, so I’m here to bowdown to Queen Bey for this here…

Beyonce formation
Beyonce’s “Formation” proves that it’s up to black women to validate & uplift each other. (image via Facebook)

As yet another reader asked on Facebook, “why didn’t Jay-Z opt to be the one to musically and visually speak out against police violence and black issues? Why isn’t he showing himself as a real man and protector by not allowing his wife be the face of black movements?”

The most threatening force to White Supremacy is that of a black man and black woman unified and reproducing their blackness (via children) yet – we no longer support or celebrate such love. Sadly, far too many black folks have been programmed to believe that if it’s not mixed – or white – then it ain’t right!

“Formation” is all like, “Well, bi*ch, you tried it – but we’re not serving that today.”

What I love most about “Formation” is that it’s not for black male consumption. This is about acknowledging the dynamic force of black womanhood at a time when no other mainstream artist is going so.

Nicki Minaj would rather put on a blonde wig and call herself a Barbie and brag about ridin’ The D.

Rihanna is all about the #TurnUp, and last I heard from Lil Wayne, he was asking white women if they could love a black man. Why? Ain’t the love of your black mothers and sisters enough?

A few years ago, Drake made a video where he pitted dark women against pretty & petite light girls in a game of hoops, and the black community ate it up!… SHM. The name of the track escapes me, cause I petty much tuned out after I witnessed that hurtful dynamic.

Gone are the days when you could turn to BET – and maybe even MTV – and see black beauty draping black male artists. Recently, I decided to re-live 90’s R&B – via YouTube videos – and I was reminded that R.Kelly may be been the last black male artist to prominently feature black woman as dancers, props or even as his love interest. Hell, I even miss the days when Dame Dash bathed his black female props in expensive champagne. And it’s not that I’m promoting the degradation of black women in music videos by black males. My point is… Why/when did mainstream black male artists decide that the mother of his race was no longer a trophy?

Mainstream black males artists (particularly rappers) get paid to destroy the image of the black woman, and Beyonce is here to remind black us that ‘You Is Kind, You Is Smart, You Is Important…. now let’s get in formation.

via Twitter
You won’t find a mainstream, black male artist today who will prominently feature dark beauties such as this. (image via Twitter)

As readerJade points out,  “For years, we had to endure songs about blue-eyed, red-haired, big bottomed, 17-year-old, pale skinned, tan skinned…all the white and black male ideals. All the white woman perspective. Now a BLACK WOMAN is self identifying, owning her sexuality, and issues that affect her…people were not ready.”

Not only are they not ready, they mad, most especially mainstream media. #StayMad.

Beyonce
via Twitter

Beyonce’s fearless message in “Formation” should serve as a call to arms for black women. If you want to march and be the leaders and protectors of black males, cool – do you, boo, but I’m talking to you sistas who are here to uplift other sistas. It’s up to us to protect us and instill in our daughters an impenetrable sense of self-love and pride in being black.

“Formation” finds Beyonce draped by gorgeous, dark skin women, and I think folks forget that if it wasn’t for the womb of the BLACK WOMAN, NONE OF US WOULD BE HERE TODAY! I know some of you may need a minute to think on that, after all, African history is not something we’re taught in schools, so you’ll have to do your own research to confirm that my statement is true. Here’s a clue: her name was Eve, and white historians are still trying to find clues in pits and caves throughout Europe that will debunk their own findings that the birth of civilization began in Africa via the womb of a woman who didn’t look like Mariah Carey, Kim Kardashian, Stacey Dash or Halle Berry.

via Facebook
via Facebook

Formation reminds us that it’s okay to tell our black daughters to be proud of their afro hair, that grows up toward the heavens (toward God).

Formation reminds us that it’s okay to be a loud and proud black woman, who is hustlin’ to solidify her place in society – and those who call you angry while doing so are simply confirming their role as destroyers of the black womb. And what do we say to the God of death? “Not today….cause I woke up #flawless.”

Formation reminds us that there’s esoteric power within melanated people. A power that intimidates many, and that’s why there’s a system in place to weaken and dismantle this power (even steal it), and now it’s up to black women to use each other to rejuvenate this power and maintain its flow in order to shape and make stronger future generations of blackness.

Okay, ladies!

Now let’s get in formation.

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