Beyoncé Knowles has been in the limelight, for the right and wrong reasons.
For what it’s right, Beyoncé surprised every fan out there with the release of her self-titled visual album. “BEYONCÉ” went down in history the fastest selling album on iTunes Store, shattering records by selling 828,773 albums and reaching the number one spot in 104 countries in JUST THREE DAYS!
Jay Z and Beyoncé at the 56th Grammy Awards 2014
Pretty awesome for Momma B! The album features a massive 31 songs playlist including 14 brand new tracks and the star has collaborated with husband Jay Z and her two-year-old daughter Blue Ivy on the album as well as other musicians including Drake and Frank Ocean. Not only did she have that many songs, she had made 17 brand new music videos to accompany the album.
Both husband and wife are now the world’s first billion dollar couple in the music industry. With Mr Carter taking on Coca-Cola sponsorships while Beyoncé bags the H&M and Pepsi deals, they’re seen as a powerful couple in the entertainment industry today.
And then it begun! Social media ‘hounds’ went berserk over her single “Drunk In Love,” a powerful sexually charged song, perhaps even more R-rated than the “Crazy in Love” collaboration. An accusation that Beyonce (being all feminist and such) allowed husband Jay Z (featured in the music video too) to rap about the supposed violent relationship of Ike Turner towards Tina Turner; whose real name is Anna Mae Bullock.
“I’m Ike Turner, turn up/Baby know I don’t play, now eat the cake, Anna Mae/Said ‘Eat the cake, Anna Mae!”
Jay Z – Drunk In Love
Now we know the story of Tina Turners illustrious life in the biopic “What’s Love Got To Do With It.” In a scene off the movie, Ike and Tina are seen sitting in a cafe. As Tina signed a couple of autographs for her young fans, Ike, supposedly ‘high’ that evening, sarcastically pokes at how famous Tina has become and that they should be celebrating with a cake. When Tina repeatedly refused, Ike smashes the cake on Tina’s face yelling “Eat the cake, Anna Mae!”
This is ridiculous. We know clearly know for a fact that in no way does Jay Z portray the ‘abusive husband’ role at all. We also clearly know that rap jargons such as ‘cake’ could be made as reference to female genitalia. In this case, the one that belongs to Beyoncé!
For those who haven’t seen the way Beyonce Knowles ‘puts-her-game-face-on’ during most of her performances on stage, especially at the recent one where she blew the crowd away with her “Drunk In Love” performance at the 56th Grammy Awards was nothing short of excellent. Immediately after the performance, she then embraced Jay Z, as if she was rather shy and snapped back to wife/mom mode thereafter.
Many cried foul over the performance calling it raunchy!
I mean she was absolutely hot! Even Jamie Foxx couldn’t keep his eyes off Beyoncé!
That is the brilliance of showmanship. The split personality that she carries on and off the stage is magnificent. Now tell us, would Beyoncè, who often has anthems promoting strong women, independence and girl power, such as “Single Ladies” and “(Girls) Run the World,” do a song that seemingly mocks domestic abuse?
Well she wouldn’t!!
When you are a record breaking artist, it’s almost crucial that you need to draw the line between how people personify what you portray musically and how one conducts themselves in the ‘outside world’. Take Mr. & Mrs Carter for example and you will come to see that they have it all figured out.
The kiss – after Jamie Foxx’ comment
In an interview published in Vogue in April 2013, Beyoncé was asked if she considers herself a feminist, to which she gave the response:
“That word can be very extreme … But I guess I am a modern-day feminist. I do believe in equality. Why do you have to choose what type of woman you are? Why do you have to label yourself anything? I’m just a woman and I love being a woman. … I do believe in equality and that we have a way to go and it’s something that’s pushed aside and something that we have been conditioned to accept. … But I’m happily married. I love my husband”
Even when Jay Z picked up the Grammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration, the first thing he said was, “I want to tell Blue, ‘Daddy’s got a gold sippy cup for you.”
Daddy has a gold sippy-cup for you, Ivy!
Let’s just enjoy music like how music is supposed to be enjoyed now, shall we?