Hello World. It is my honor and privilege to bring you today’s blog: The Gospel of Beyonce
The other night on the VMAs Beyonce revealed that she was an expecting mother. Now I could go on a mini tangent about what this baby will look like, the possibility of musical genius that might be flowing through this embryo’s blood stream, the fact that when this child belt’s out its first scream…it will do so as a multi-millionaire; but I’m not going to do that. What I want to focus on today is what on earth the African American women of this generation will do, if their folk hero and supreme goddess decided that she will no longer make music. Believe me, I know what you are thinking my beautiful black sistas *sticks up fist*: Who am I going to rely on for my relationship advice, my source of empowerment, building up my internal cockiness *clears throat* , I mean confidence if B stops making music? My question is, “How much has she really helped?” I mean the Gospel of Beyonce has been so instrumental in the lives of pretty much every black female’s life since the late 20th and now 21st century….but what have you really been subscribing to? The following are a list of singles that Beyonce has put out since her debut album in 2003. Most of you hear good sound advice, what I hear is emotional contradiction. Let’s discuss…shall we?
Crazy In Love: This song jams; that is without question (and I am almost positive the fellas would agree when I say that the real strength behind this song was the accompanying video). However, this song highlights a tragic flaw in the mindset of some women when they are in relationships. She is completely engulfed with this guy so much so to where she could be a detriment to herself. In the first verse she says, “I look and stare so deep in your eyes; I touch on you more and more every time; When you leave I’m begging you not to go, Call your name two, three times in a row. Such a funny thing for me to try to explain; How I’m feeling and my pride is the one to blame; Yeah, cause I know I don’t understand
Just how your love can do what no one else can” I think it’s plainly obvious to see that her infatuation about this guy has turned her into a delusional female. Her behavior eventually will cause her to create drama in her relationship…if in fact she ever experiences disappoint while in it. This theme is reinforced in another hit single of this album. Baby Boy: I’m not suggesting that thinking about your dude is wrong. What I am suggesting is fantasizing about him all the time and that being your focus instead of focusing on reality sometimes…will lead you down the road of destruction; and how the hell you gone get stuff done, if all you thinking about is him? Ah, but the contradiction comes next.
Me, Myself, and I: I told you…delusional behavior patterns and a complete lack of focus on what truly is important in your life will cause you to miss the warning signs of a destructive relationship. And when it happens, you have no idea what happened or what to do next. But thanks to Beyonce, you have a new mantra to hold on to. I mean read the lyrics. She is talking about how she can’t believe how things happened; how young and naïve she was. How she was fooled by his schemes, etc, etc. You damn right you was fooled because you were crazy in love and all you could do was fantasize about your baby boy. On top of all that and this is the *lighters up* moment. “Me, Myself, and I is all I got in the end. That’s what I found out. And there ain’t no need to cry, cause I made a vow that from now own, I’ma be my own best friend” I highlight the whole chorus because that’s just stupid talk. What you really have is the beginning of isolation. You by yourself, trying to cope with relationship disappoint, instead of seeking help from someone who can help you look at your role in the failure and give you the tools to move on for real, is completely ridiculous; stop lying to yourself! Deal with your issues so you don’t make the same mistake…but no because you take this route, you end up in the same useless relationship cycle. Don’t believe it? Look at this hit from 2006…you know the one…
“Mmmm to the left, to the left, Everything you own in the box to the left, In the closet, that’s my stuff Yes, if I bought it, baby, please don’t touch” Irreplaceable an anthem that signifies the deliverance from a horrible relationship (see a trend here?). While this songs reflects moving on and leaving a lame dude, what seems to get lost in translation are all of the errors committed within it. Why are you letting him drive a car you bought? Why is he living in your house rent free? Why are you asking him to leave the stuff that you freely bought him? But more importantly why on earth are you bragging about the fact that you can have “another him in a minute?” Why would you want another guy like him when you are kicking him out? Oh and about Ring the Alarm: Are we seriously promoting to women that it’s okay to stay with a guy that’s obviously mistreating you because he is ballin and spending his cash on you just so another chick can’t receive the material benefits of being with him….that’s real empowering?
Listen I could go on and on, but I feel like my tangent is becoming a bit too long. I would hate for all of you Single Ladies, who are waiting for a guy to put a ring on it just because they LIKE IT (and “IT” could be anything but probably refers to SEX) to think that I am hating on Beyonce. I also would hate for you all to think that I am okay with people, specifically men, mistreating their significant others because we all know that If You Were A Boy, you would act completely different, right? o_O. No I’m just a guy who believes that in every situation, especially failure, all things need to be taken into consideration so that people AVOID making the same mistakes. I mean, come on…if we, specifically women, especially black women, keep making the same mistakes by dating, staying with and engulfing themselves in sorry dudes how could we ever believe that you RUN THE WORLD… GIRL? *two snaps*
Will you survive if Beyonce quits the music biz? I know I will.
The Writerz Block 
Not sure whether this technically falls under Beyonce or Destiny’s Child, but my favorite artistic contradiction related to this topic was the “independent woman” song juxtaposed against the “can you pay my bills, bills, bills” song. I didn’t get it then and don’t get it now. Meh.
Whenever I say anything that isn’t utmost praise about Beyonce I get deemed a hater. I’ll say that I’m not a fan. I think she’s good at what she does as an entertainer but that’s what the problem is. People use entertainers as role models. But since its Pop music you have to play to your audience. Relationship songs are either about how great your love is or how you’re so over it. Either way you’re gonna reach a vast amount of folks.
And I did like the Crazy In Love video. For the dancin.
Often times singers write and sing songs that will appeal to their audiences at any given time. Beyonce is no different. There are in fact those women who do and did feel “Crazy in Love” and made that song their national anthem. Then on that same day, there are women who have endured a relationship that left them feeling bamboozled and the mantra “Me, Myself and I” seems like the most empowering song out there. Point is, though I am not mega Beyonce fan, she is strictly selecting songs that will at some point or another “speak” to her female audience and let the audience know that she can supposedly relate. Her songs, whether telling a chick to “cater” to her man or get out and “move to the left” are nothing more than her trying to appeal to the masses.
Clearly, she figured out what needed to be done because she managed to do what seems rare and got her guy to commit to being more than just her “baby daddy” (no offense to anybody who chooses this), Im just referring to the “ideal or unideal” views out there.
If you are a grown woman looking at Beyonce or any entertainer for that matter for relationship advice or to be your relationship role model you have deeper issues that can not be addressed in a song. As far as her quitting her singing career, there are plenty other entertainers who sings songs of the like.
Now, let’s analyze John Legend. His variety of songs that range from promoting infidelity (ex. She don’t have to know, Let’s Do It again,etc) to fluff talking about “let’s go to places on lovers go” could suggest that he is projecting the common sterotype of men that they want to have their cake and eat it too and that’s all good. I would love to see a blog about what he’s promoting.
Good and witty blog!
Ryane I appreciate the feed back and agree this songs have been marketed to appeal to a mass audience. However, when mass audiences try and live their lives by adopting these songs as a way of life is sad and definitely has roots in deeper issues. I know other artist, as you pointed out, have contradictory messages as well. But when was the last time somebody championed the lyrical content of john legend as a mantra to live by? Thank you for reading and sharing your thoughts
I’m probably the biggest Beyonce fan I know…probably for very different reasons than all women are, but I’ll give her props as far as music goes. She’s a hell of an entertainer/singer, and she’s found her lane and does it like no one else. As far as her musical content goes, I won’t judge her any harsher than I judge every other artist who does the same thing with his/her music. The problem is her fans incorporating it into their every day lives and living that shit like it’s the gospel. Hmmmm…she’s kinda like the female r and/or b equivalent of Tupac in that respect
Why yes, yes I will. The subliminal base sexual messages in some of her videos really bother me and why is largely illustrated in what you wrote. Visually being a over-sexed symbol while toutin your independence is a contradiction your subconscious can’t make sense of. Images prevail especially when there are then lyrics that reinforce the inaccurate casualness with which sex and love are used interchangably.
Sarah reading the block….ah snap. Thanks for stopping by
I am a Beyonce fan…but her songs have always confused me, kinda like what Ed pointed out. I’ve never heard a woman jump back and forth from gold digging to independent suga mama like she does. And she’s either begging like Keith Sweat (Why Don’t You Love Me) or telling dude to get gone. I don’t get it.
I do think her weave, dance moves, and glittery fashions are hypnotizing.
Lol…those weaves, dance moves and glittery fashion is always for Sasha Fierce
I’m a fan of Beyonce’s thighs…and thats where it stops. However I know for a fact, that whatever she names this kid, will be the #1 name in 2013
http://rhiandanielle.tumblr.com/post/9684006440 <<< contains the first of three of my responses to this news and post