Why do people keep bashing Beyonce

The 50th Super Bowl was complete with an intense game as we both rooted for Peyton Manning’s last Super Bowl win before (possible) retirement and for the second Super Bowl of Blind Side favorite Michael Oher. Plus who doesn’t love Cam Newton and his love of the kids?

But it wasn’t the two teams with so much to gain that stole the show, no it was the much awaited half time show featuring Coldplay, Bruno Mars and Super Bowl Halftime Veteran Beyonce.

All three set out a phenomenal show incorporating the fun lively colors Coldplay is know for and the old school moves of Bruno Mars. Yet when it came to Beyonce, viewers were left not shocked by the outstanding presence of Queen B herself, or by how amazing the live debut of her new hit ‘Formation’ was, but by the message people believed it had.

Before the Super Bowl, Beyonce dropped the music video to her song ‘Formation’ with out any warning and it instantly became a hit, becoming the anthem of every black girl in America (myself included) but this is also where the controversy starts.

The whole of the video can be seen as an embracement of “black culture” taking place in Louisiana and Beyonce’s home state of Texas while paying homage to the tragedy of Hurricane Katrina.
With lines like:
“I like corn bread and collard greens b***”
“I like my baby’s hair with baby hair and afro.”
“I got hot sauce in my bag, swag.”

Any fellow African-American can revel in hearing a song that embraces what society only deems as stereotypes.

Yet it is a scene where a young black dancer is seen breakdancing in front of a line of police officers, coupled with another shot of graffiti on the wall saying “Stop Shooting Us” that has sparked a conversation calling Beyonce’s new single and her video “anti-police.”

With the recent accusations of black males being targeted by white police officers, I can understand why a song embracing black culture would include this controversy is understandable. Why families, home to morally sound cops who have had their images tainted by the poor decisions made by their counterparts appose such a message is also understandable.

Yet to say Beyonce herself is “anti-police” is overreaching.

Obviously as a figurehead in Hollywood, Beyonce is well aware of the position she has in the public and as a fellow African-American, she is well aware of what is taking place around America regarding her fellow brothers and sisters. The video for ‘Formation’ is just her expressing her views on what the rest of us see on the news everyday.

In fact, hearing this song, which embodies all aspects of Southern Black Culture and makes people like me comfortable embracing who we are, is another tactic to further some hidden African-American agenda, is offensive. I am well aware that not all police officers are bad, just like not all people are bad.

As someone who is a fan of Beyonce and has a family member who has been a police officer for many years, I don’t see the video as offensive to cops. The scenes regarding the police do not depict cops as bloodthirsty murders. In the video they pay respect to the “hands up don’t shoot” movement. They do not point their guns or harm the child dancing in front of them, the whole time they are peaceful.

To say this music video is sending a message to viewers to not trust the police is like saying the music video is glorifying the damage caused by Hurricane Katrina.

As of Saturday, the song and video could only be dowloaded and viewed through Tidal but you can watch it here and determine if you believe Queen B is “anti-cop” or “pro-black”: