750 word write up task 1: Representations of identity
Catherine Msuya
28/03/17
Music Culture
750 word write up task
Formation by Beyoncé
This song represents Beyoncé for who she is it was even said that Beyoncé was almost trying to reminding everyone that she is black. Beyoncé was born Houston Texas, and I feel this song promoted self-love. Knowing where you’re from, who you are and your history. Always remembering your roots no matter where your living. Knowing your inheritance, liking black features as they are to be embraced. This song is seen as a song that represents black power, and she used the stage/platform of the 50th Superbowl to really outline this to the world. Even down to the visuals she was wearing all black and the lyrics are clear on the topic. The timing itself was correct for this anthem as it was a good contribution to black history month. Also around the same time two victims of racial conflict and abuse was Trayvon Martin’s and Sandra Bland’s birthday. Beyoncé was defiantly a part of the black lives matter movement. Making everyone awake that inequality is still a problem and there needs to be an improvement.
I personal am happy that Beyoncé did this as she has taken the face of the black artist representative by doing this. Being well known and successful she is one of the best for the role. I feel like the song is also about people thinking right about black people better. Trayvon for example didn’t do anything wrong but was stereotype and was thought to have stolen something but he was simply passing through a neighbourhood. He did not deserve to die from people assuming form the colour of his skin that he was up to no good. At the same time people tend to like our features and would go as far as to get themselves surgery enhanced for the same features they downgrade us for. The song goes through girl power as well as Beyoncé always has a touch of this from her lyrics (e.g. Run the world (Girls,) to who performers with her. The lyric “You mix that negro with that Creole, make a Texas Bama.) The word “Bama” was originally black slang for working class black people arriving North from the South during the Great Migration. The meaning of the word referred to someone who wasn’t presentable enough for white people. I feel Beyoncé was trying to bring up class and racial separation. How race purely determines to some people your class. Being as successful as she is she is seen as a high class woman going against what would be wrongly automatically thought of her being black. Her success takes her out of that kind of social and racial grouping. Overall I believe this song is a good example of how identity is being performed and enacted in a song.
Bibliography
- My daddy Alabama, mamma Louisiana/ You mix that negro with that Creole make a Texas bana
https://genius.com/8640216
https://genius.com/8640068