Sorry, but not everyone can sing Formation

Okay, so as most of you know, Beyoncé came out with a single last week, the day before the Superbowl called Formation. She is not known for making political statements…ever, but she did so in a big way this time. It starts with a visual depiction of the ruins of New Orleans still affected by Hurricane Katrina and goes on to make countless political statements about the state of the country in relation to police brutality.

The video is super southern in both the imagery of southern gothic style of dress, Mardi Gras styles, and 19^th century creole garb and the lyrics “My daddy Alabama, mama Louisiana/ You mix that negro with that creole make a Texas Bamma.” Black culture is so inherently southern for obvious reasons, so this is an important geographical distinction that she makes with this despite it being her own lineage as well.

Ever since the song dropped, I’ve listened to it a minimum of 5 times a day because it’s so catchy and that video literally touches on aspects of African American culture normally obscured from the public eye. I’ve literally never heard a song that was so pro black features with “I like my baby hair with baby hair and afros/ I like my Negro nose with Jackson 5 nostrils.”

Black features are constantly demeaned and thought of as ugly while simultaneously being the basis for popular culture and makeup routines today, which makes no sense. Large lips are aesthetic when drawn on but not when they’re natural, like okay… But also, her own daughter is constantly disparaged in regards to her hair despite the fact that she’s basically a baby, and Beyoncé got tired of that shit and addressed it blatantly.

me, watching formation, for the the 30th time. (this is the baby hair with baby hairs part)

Now I know a lot of people that love the song, but really, it’s an empowerment piece FOR black people. It’s not supposed to be an all inclusive song; its really not. There are references to many aspects of black history as well as the present, from soul food with references to cornbread, collard greens, and hot sauce as well as scenes in beauty supply shops. Even the infamous line everyone has taken to, “When he fuck me good, I take his ass to red lobster” is inherently black in that Red Lobster is the quintessential black date night spot.

As black people, there are not a lot of things specifically for us, and it’s nice to see Beyoncé utilize her position of power to do this for her people, especially during Black History Month.

Beyonce not giving a single fuck and delivering this iconic line.

It’s because of this that not everyone can sing Formation simply because they can’t relate. Also, saying Negro and not being black is just not a thing to do. It’s not the same as the n word but it’s close enough that you shouldn’t do it.

A lot of people have been getting mad about the song and it comes across in a way that doesn’t sit right with me, because Beyoncé’s pro-blackness is not rooted in anti-whiteness, but the responses are inherently anti-black. It’s as if people are mad that she’s insinuating that police killing black people is wrong through her imagery, and it’s like yeah?

Cops, people that are supposed to help people, shouldn’t be going around murdering unarmed, black people in cold blood so much so that we cant even remember all of the names of the dead. I’ve heard people angrily state that she’s disrespecting cops because of their portrayal in the video, but all she does is have them raise their hands in a “hands up, don’t shoot” manner while a little boy dances; there’s literally nothing threatening expressed.

“hands up don’t shoot” imagery

Anyways, if you support for Beyoncé and her message and you’re black, bump that shit, but if you’re not, don’t wax poetic or trivialize the points she makes in the video. Again, regardless of whether or not you enjoy it, it’s not for you, and do not sing the parts where she says Negro if you’re feeling the song; you just can’t do that.