by
Lisa Jean Francois
Not everyone is drinking the lemonade. While much of the world is hailing Beyonce’s latest album, Lemonade, a masterpiece, Rapper Azealia Banks is calling it the “antithesis of feminism.”
In a series of tweets, Banks called out Beyonce for reinforcing what she called, “the heartbroken black female narrative.”
If you haven’t yet heard or seen Lemonade let me grant you a brief and literal synopsis. Almost every song leads with Beyonce reciting passages from Warsaw Shire’s poetry. Then we’re taken into 13 songs that, on the surface, are about Jay-z’s infidelity and Beyonce’s hurt feelings. In the end, Beyonce seemingly makes peace with whatever happened between them and they reconcile. I know that description probably isn’t going to make you want to watch/listen to the album, but you should. It’s more complex than what I’ve described.
Complex or not, Banks isn’t here for it.
Banks isn’t alone in her criticism of the album. Conservative blogger, Matt Walsh, shared these thoughts:
…“Beyonce” is more a brand than a person. The lady herself is a person, but what’s presented to the world is a carefully constructed and marketed product. It’s a narrative, a story, a walking and talking fantasy novel for girls. I don’t know how much of the final manuscript is Beyonce’s brainchild and how much comes from the team of people around her, but rest assured that everything we see is manufactured. This, after all, is a woman who hired a “visual director” to follow her around and document and stylize her every move.
The skepticism shared by both Banks and Walsh is fair. Beyonce’s transformation has come a bit too quickly for some. After all, she’s the same person who sang Cater to You, and likewise Jay-z’s to reference Tina Turner’s brutal beating with the lines, “Eat the Cake Anna Mae,” in her song “Drunk in Love.” Moreover, she isn’t the first person to laud feminism, so why is Beyonce seemingly getting all the credit for bringing it to the forefront?
27 Responses
I canNOT believe I am actually saying this( I think a pig just flew past my window lol) but AB is so right on. All we and others around us are seeing is the “black woman struggle” over and over and over all while we are trying to overcome how the world see us. When is it ok to continue to stay with a man who CONSTANTLY disrespects you?( whether it’s about Jay or not… doesn’t matter) We as a culture have soooo much going on and this type of music is starting to be a black women’s anthem. Meanwhile…as AB said… she’s this feminist but at the sametime saying “bow down bitches.” I used to go hard for Bey but these days… I can do without her. Formation is dope tho! Lol! I rocks with that one.
I don’t know why seeing a Black women like Beyonce as a complex human being who hurts and makes mistakes is so threatening to America. Perhaps people are afraid that if they see Black women as human beings they’ll have to start treating them as such…
(Sorry for my english i’m a french black women). I’m not a fan of beyonce or even Hip Hop , RNB , rap and all that stuff but i’m done with all the critics. For me lemonade portrayed what women and specifically what black women are going through. Lemonade make me feel good because even if i’m not american , i must admit taht when it’s about black women , the society and the media take for exemple a smal group of ratchet , angry black women in America to talk about all the black women living on Earth. In lemonade beyonce shows the impact of these sterotypes on black girls and women. I don’t get why people are mad because for me she is such a powerfull woman that she can highlight this issue. The cleavage between us black people is so deep that a lot of us blame her because she is a brand so she can’t represent us. Stop it , i rather be represent by beyonce than this stupid and overated piece of shit called Azelia banks.
I don’t fully buy these kinds of critiques of Beyonce, simply because I don’t see what makes her approach to her public image and music that different from the rest of the pop stars–particularly white pop stars–who hire plenty of creative support, image trendmakers, etc., to help them rake in fans, awards, and dough. What makes Beyonce relying on these same resources–and doing it so well–such a crime against humanity? Sounds like the same old haterade for black women enjoying themselves and doing it well. Can a black woman succeed without these triple standards?
I am so done with AB. I’ve never seen someone so ready to attack fellow black artists and always with the angry black female mode that she exudes ALL THE TIME. But that’s none of my business tho.
Oh WOW! I agree with Azealia 1000000000000% percent!
Yaaaaaaaaassssss
For reallll!!! Preach sista!!!mPreach! Everybody read this!
Amen Azalea! Now mind you I am not a fan of either woman but in this Azalea has a point. I am so sick and tired of Beyonce perpetuating this nonsense that black women are these hopeless people whose existence and happiness is predicated upon how other people perceive us. This ‘becky with the good hair’ is an embarrassing piece of self hating slave talk that is being blared out to the world that we see ourselves as inferior on account of the hair we were born with. She and Ciara’s famous lament of the other woman’s ‘silicon ass and Brazilian hair’ is toe curling cringe-worthy stuff of nightmares. That these women walk around with a ton of said Becky’s fake hair drives home the point that it doesn’t matter how beautiful a black woman is, or how successful she will never acquire the dizzying heights of natural straight hair.
Beyonce, stop spreading your insecurities to a world that will accuse us all of hating our own hair and envying other races of women. Its shameful and disgusting.
Wasn’t Beyonce once quoted as wishing she was born Latina? This independent crap and girls run the world is bollocks. White companies are making ‘Becky with the good hair’ shirts shows they are positively crowing and smug at these black female insecurities.
Can someone explain to me why we continue to support Beyonce’s train wreck of a music career?
Finally someone who gets it. Beyonce is such a poser trying to capitalize on this whole “woke” trend. Like because now she’s perpetuating theculture she’s suddenly validating blackness, talking about she likes nappy hair, negros noses and Jackson 5 nostrils, and wants to rock a few Culturally inspired hairstyles. Girl please. How many nose jobs, skin lightening sessions, photoshop lightening filters, and Becky weaves did homegirl rock before she decided blackness was fierce? But her idea is wailing over unfaithful men? We get so mad at white people hoping on our culture like some cool trend when what they admire was birthed out of years of pain and struggle. But its OK for this woman to capitalize on our efforts. Where was she in it all? Too busy catering to whiteness. She musically dramatized the black woman’s moment (that we fought for) and now she’s selling it back to you. It’s just more cultural appropriation on her part just like she did with Indian culture:putting on a culture as a gimmick and a costume and selling that culture to everyone for profit. She even said at one point that she was Blu’s example andwould leave if she were ever cheated on (something to that affect) but here we are years later with more scandals and this is the result of it. So over this woman’s nonsense.
Blah blah blah
I’m a black women and feminist but I honestly don’t get the hype/praise about Lemonade. I only watched the intro video and I’ve tried, believe me, I’ve tried to see the depth but I keep splashing in puddles.
I too see Beyonce as more of a brand than a product, so in that light, and because I know I’m not in her target market, I find it difficult to get that excited about what anything she does.
The only person telling a “heartbroken black female narrative” is Azealia Banks. She talks about “queen” ish. Real queens don’t sit on social media every day blaming everyone else for their problems. Real queens dust it off, keep it moving, and scale greater heights.
Bye!!!!
Pretend feminist if anything.
What a troll! Female, BE gone!
She has a right to express herself musically. Most women can identify with the songs. We MUST take it with a grain of salt….and move on.
I read Matt Walsh’s columns and I have long since noted that he has serious issues with Black women and girls. He felt that it was justifiable for the cop to throw the bikini-clad girl to the ground and sit on her and he also thought that it was appropriate for the school cop to toss a grieving child across a classroom. Apparently someone has not been reading his pieces for long. I believe that it was a mistake on your part to use him here. Just my 2 cents.
True!! Banks act a fool some times but she know feminist. Actually I wish beyonce to be more consistent and explain like matt mcGorry did to iggy about the term ‘becky’….wishes…
Meh
First, Azealia who? Banks, so Tyra Banks?
Second, a true queen doesn’t diss or come at another queen on a public form so at least we know this chick is clueless and thus need bow down.
Furthermore, apparent by the lack of comments makes certain she is a ‘non-factor.’ And lastly, everyone knows this chick, AZ, is one angry black woman, mentally unstable in all her ways. Like what does she know about the sanctity of marriage? Having become just another side chick graduating to baby’s mama, of course she would defend her own, concubines and wifey wannabees. Side chicks and those having affairs with married men cause great harm, not just to the wife but the children, often destroying or crippling the family unit. But again, what does AZ know about that?! Absolutely nothing.
There is nothing Beyonce or anyone else can do to change the truth regarding the black woman’s struggle, whether in relationships or in life. Furthermore, Bey, like any other woman, has a right to share her personal struggle or journey (if this is indeed her truth) and is not responsible for representing ALL black women, something no one person can do! We are diverse.
Chile, now go take a seat and make sure it is the seat in some therapist’s office.
Thank you and that whole bow down b******es….She was talking about EVERYBODY (male or female)`that always has something negative to say about her or anyone…I guess it’s so normalized for Black males to call Black women bitches in popular culture that some Black women when they hear the word thinks someone is calling their name…..and isn’t funny how Black women always bring up that line but have nothing to say about the numerous rappers and regular dudes who are talking about Black women when they use that word?….Anyhow, they need to get a life…..As for that ‘conservative’….lol….he’s talking as if it’s a bad thing Beyonce is doing.
Having said that A Banks is right…I’m sick of that woe is me Black women narrative though.
Me personally I will not judge what goes on between Beyonce and Jay-Z because that’she not my relationship and I don’t know the whole story behind it. What I do know is that as a women I will not tolerate cheating at all. If my man was to cheat on me there’should nothing going he or anyone else say to justify it or make me want to stay. Cheating (regardless of who he cheats with ) tell me that you have no respect for me, our family, or our relationship. I’very always said to my man that if he ever feels the urge to cheat or if he is just not feeling us to talk to me about it or just leave. I say this because no matter how much I may love him if he wants to step out then he’s not really mine in the first place. And as a woman I refuse to find my worth or value in a man. If he leaves or cheats (which to me is leaving) I believe I will be just fine at the end of the day because my everything is NOT in him. In my opinion love should not hurt your lover, although love and marriage can be hard it should not hurt. If a man trulyou lover you and if you truly love him you all would not be spiteful and hurt each other.
i wish i could like your comment 1 BILLION TIMES… AMEN, AMEN & AMEN!!!! TO EVERYTHING YOU SAID. personally i will NEVER tolerate cheating because i equate it to trying to kill me. STDs are real. i’ve seen women die from STDs given to them by their husbands. i loved lemonade with regards to the black female unity and sisterhood part but i think it is very stupid to stay with a man that constantly disrespects you.
Beyonce followed the natural movement NOT the over way round. Though the mainstream media is now declaring she’s empowering everyday black women, ladies let’s get information: We allowed her to wear her natural hair when we started stepping out every day proud of our own. By reclaiming our wholeness we are changing the narrative. Pat yourselves on the back ladies #blackgirlmagic
Lord…B always had natural hair….Under her weaves and braids it’s been natural…..before this ‘movement’ she had natural hair…..It’s colored blond and straightened when needed but natural.
Please read again. She’s only now *wearing* her natural hair because it’s become normalised again by everyday black women thanks to the natural movement
Not sure how straight blond hair can be deemed natural Afro hair, to me it’s the very antithesis.