Beyonce - Formation (video)

[cooliofranco]

I've never been very interested in Beyonce. I realize she is immensely talented and it seems like everyone loves her music. But she has always directed those talents towards a music I'm just not that into. And, she always seemed anodyne and corporate to me. I appreciate singing about female power is subversive, but when power is money and fashion and consumerism, well, that's just not my brand of subversion.

 

[youtubehd]LrCHz1gwzTo[/youtubehd]

 

But dang, this new video looks awesome and seems political in a new and interesting way for her. and the song is pretty good, except the hook. "YOU just might be a Black Bill Gates..." meh, "I just might be" less meh. So for those who follow these things more closely, is this bold or just clever branding? If this is political, could she see some backlash that could impact her earnings? Most importantly, if her brand-machine calculated that this entry might hurt earnings, and she wanted to do it anyway, then that's sorta exciting. And could it lead to more bolder tunes entering into the corporate world of current high end hip hop?

 

anyway, these are my first impressions so i'm holding on the right to distance myself from this post :)

[th555]

I know Caroline Polachek of Chairlift (co)wrote this song for her

[eugene]

yes i was kinda expected to hate-watch it due to my frustration with pitchfork and their heavy emphasis on mainstream music in recent years and hip hop specifically. i mean as ridiculous as their writing was they did bring up a lot of interesting stuff to the surface in mid 00's, now actual independent music seems to have taken a backseat. so i kinda went "oh come on now, a fucking "breaking news" about beyonce's new song and vid?? well how good can it possibly be?" and i clicked on it and it was actually pretty good, of course the lyrics are retarded and this is just typical political chameleonism/going with the flow that doesn't require any bravery, but the production on this is really cool and it's pretty nice to hear something like that within mainstream.

[doublename]

She is to 2010s social movements what Madonna was to 1980s and 90s musical ones. A few years ago she glommed on to feminism, now she's embracing some watered down pro-black thing one which seems to involve eating at Red Lobster even though you're a millionaire.

 

It's p deece, marketing I guess: far enough behind the wave not to alienate anyone, but timely enough to seem topical.

[bendish]

this is a black lives matter single i think....shame she uses so many lame stereotypes...that feminist thing a couple of years back was ridiculous...she's short of a few brain cells

 

a fun song with a flashy video

 

the death of intelligence...

 

[juiceciuj]

croatia via red lobsta

[logakght]

marketing

[auxien]

It's a good track. Beginning 'build' is way too drawn out though (perhaps for the video), curious to see if that'll be edited down for a final cut on an album or whatever. Catchy hooks, a bit of bite, and definitely harsher than anything she's done that I'm aware of. Yes, she's not making left-field original revolutionary political statements, but she's at least leaning towards more realistic adult subjects. It's still just pop music and is intended to be danced and sung along to and sell tickets to her shows. No matter, it's a damned good track. The straight 4 beat/chant it falls in to towards the end that goes for like a full 30 seconds is subtle and tense and fun all at once. Good stuff, curious if the rest of the album (assuming it's part of an album?) will be as solid. I enjoyed her last album, but there's as many misses as there are hits, unfortunately.

[dr lopez]

i hate beyonce but i hate her fans much much much more

[Goiter Sanchez]

Sweet production; tastefully appropriates rudiments of trap and whatever else. She has a bit of grit in her delivery. Nice single.

[bossman]

this is a black lives matter single i think....shame she uses so many lame stereotypes...that feminist thing a couple of years back was ridiculous...she's short of a few brain cells

 

a fun song with a flashy video

 

the death of intelligence...

 

 

 

some serious annuit cœptis / novus ordo seclorum shit going on in that

[Rubin Farr]

I was at a Roots gig back in the 2000s when Beyoncé appeared on stage to perform this track, the only song of hers I ever really liked