Beychella (April 14th 2018) is Beyoncé’s performance at the 2018 Coachella musical festival in California. She became the first Black woman ever to headline at Coachella in its 19-year history. Her two-hour performance was so amazing that it made the news in Brazil, needed a new word in the English language – and drew comparisons to Michael Jackson, even among those over 30.
She sang 26 songs, went through five costume changes, performed “Déjà Vu” with her husband Jay-Z, danced “Get Me Bodied” with her sister Solange (now in her blonde phase), and had a surprise reunion with her old band mates from Destiny’s Child – Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams. It was their first reunion in five years and marked the band’s 20th anniversary.
Coachella is a faux bohemian arts and music festival that takes place every spring out in the desert east of Los Angeles. “Faux” because few actual bohemians (or ordinary Black people, for that matter) can afford it: tickets run from $426 to $1000 – and that does not count food, room and travel. The whole thing can easily run $2000 a person.
All Black Everything: Beyoncé made it like Homecoming at an HBCU (Historically Black College or University). She had a marching band (made up of former HBCU marching band members), a drum line and a hundred dancers. She built the show on them. They were dressed in yellow and black, the colours of Alpha Phi Alpha, the fraternity of Frederick Douglass and Martin Luther King, Jr. She was dressed like Queen Nefertiti, and then like a sorority sister from a fictional Beta Delta Kappa. She quoted Malcolm X, sampled Nina Simone’s “Lilac Wine”, and sang “Lift Every Voice and Sing”, the Black national anthem. It was great, it was glorious, it was the way it should be.
She also added $100,000 to the scholarship money she gave last year for HBCUs.
Too Black? Her mother had warned her:
“I told Beyonce that I was afraid that the predominately white audience at Coachella would be confused by all of the black culture and black college culture because it was something that they might not get.”
But Beyoncé said:
“I have worked very hard to get to the point where I have a true voice and at this point in my life and my career I have a responsibility to do what’s best for the world and not what is most popular.”
At long last! For 18 years she cranked out robotic, raceless, “universal” pop music. A huge talent wasted on playing it safe. Not till 2016, with her Super Bowl performance of “Formation” and her album “Lemonade”, did she seem to discover that she was a Black woman.
Doctor’s orders: She was to perform at Coachella last year, but her doctor advised against it: she was pregnant with twins. But it was all to the good. Beyoncé:
“So I had time to dream and dream and dream with two beautiful souls in my belly and I dreamed up this performance.”
– Abagond, 2018.
See also:
- Beyonce
- Lift Every Voice and Sing
- Michael Jackson
- Nina Simone
- Solange
- Malcolm X
- Frederick Douglass
- Queen Nefertiti
- “being universal”
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“At long last! For 18 years she cranked out robotic, raceless, “universal” pop music. A huge talent wasted on playing it safe. Not till 2016, with her Super Bowl performance of “Formation” and her album “Lemonade”, did she seem to discover that she was a Black woman.”
“Can the Chuch say — “AMEN! And AMEN again!!!”
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Typo spotted: “Lift Every Voice and Sing” misspelled.
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@ ben
Thanks!
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This piece is decent, but I’m not about to let this shade slide: “Not till 2016, with her Super Bowl performance of “Formation” and her album “Lemonade”, did she seem to discover that she was a Black woman.”
As a Black woman, I can tell you firsthand you discover you’re Black and a girl/woman and that these things are considered not ideal at a VERY young age. And once you discover this, white supremacy, racism, sexism and misogyny won’t let you forget it. Just because Blackness has not always been discussed in her music, that doesn’t give you the right to deny Beyoncé her experience as a Black woman in America. She’s been surviving the state of Black womanhood in America for 18 years and let me tell you, that shit ain’t for the faint of heart. When Destiny’s Child was just starting out, Beyoncé called out a white reporter for calling Kelly and one of her other group members (I can’t remember which one) by the wrong names, saying, “Don’t act like you don’t know their names.” Bet that never happened to Wilson Phillips. Give credit where it’s due.
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@Sheena…”This piece is decent, but I’m not about to let this shade slide…”
Sister, I don’t think there’s any throwin’ shade — at all. As an “old-head,” I totally agree with Abagond (as you can see from my comment). Look, with 61 seasons behind me as a Black woman in this American society, I see Beyonce as a conundrum. Leaning on white folks’ need for a “Jezbel,” Sister gave them what they wanted — half-naked, undulatin’ into their pulsing loins — knowing they wanted that, and also knowing their women weren’t giving it. Don’t get me wrong, she and her handlers played that “brand” thing to the hilt, never once thinking THAT’S what these deprived white guys expected of EVERY Black woman they encountered. But, it seems, she never once thought about HOW her “Jezebelness” affected the lives of young, Black women who subscribed to the “Beyhive.”
And it hasn’t been — until Coachella ( or Jay’s 4:14) that she realized the power in them hips. Sister was playin’ on Jezebel to the height of her “dollar bills y’all” til she saw — somethin’. Don’t know what that somethin’ was (hate to believe that it’s due to a NEW way to make mo’ money) , but I’m happy she realized the real “power in them hips.” Happy she thought about the Black women behind her she could bring forward with that scholarship.
I’m not totally convinced in this society in which we live today, that she’s “evolved,” but I’ll give credit where it’s due — for now.
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Ok, so Jay’s album was called 4:44, not 4:14. This mix-up lets me know I don’t need to go back and forth with you. I stand behind my opinion as you stand behind yours. Have a good night!
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Damn, Sister! So I made a mistake on a NUMBER and you shut down the conversation???!!! You have a good night too, Dear-Heart…
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Beyonce’s music before 2016 was robotic? Okay, I got as tired of “Single Ladies” as everyone else did, but overall I would have to disagree. “Say My Name” was a great example of vocal harmonies. “Lose My Breath” was a fun dance track. “Survivor” conveyed an empowering message. “Halo” was a beautiful ballad. “Love on Top” demonstrated her amazing vocal range. All of those songs (which only constitute a handful of her hits) were pretty different from one another. I think there have been far more robotic pop songs, like most of what Britney Spears has done since her breakdown in 2006.
That being said, I think it’s great that Beyonce has become more of a progressive advocate (though she had already been promoting feminism for years). I especially appreciate her emphasis on education. It’s also nice that she included her sister and former groupmates, all of whom are talented too.
Beyonce will almost certainly go down in history as one of the greatest performers of the millennial generation (and maybe one of the greatest performers, period).
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The mistake told me a lot. But the main reason I shut down the conversation is I listened to a podcast today where one of the hosts said, “I don’t argue with people about Beyoncé anymore. She’s proven herself. There’s nothing else to say. If you don’t like her at this point, you just wanna be mad.” I COMPLETELY agree with this sentiment. Therefore, I’m not going back and forth with you about Beyoncé. And SISTER, I think it is so sad that you as a 61-year-old BLACK woman don’t really want to give Beyoncé her due. You said you gave it to her, but you gave it begrudgingly. I’ve been through hell as a Black woman in this country and I’m only 35, so I know you’ve been through twice, possibly three times, as much. So why aren’t you proud of how successful Beyoncé has become? Though you say she got where she is by “playing the Jezebel,” clearly she didn’t play it well enough because these white people STILL won’t give her the Album of the Year Grammy. Beyoncé is Black, she always has been and she always will be. For her to accomplish what she has as a Black woman in America is truly remarkable. End of story. And even if you’re not a fan, at Beychella, she showed you how incredibly talented, creative and athletic she is. And there is NO arguing about that. I’m too through. Goodnight.
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@Sheena…“And SISTER, I think it is so sad that you as a 61-year-old BLACK woman don’t really want to give Beyoncé her due. You said you gave it to her, but you gave it begrudgingly.
And is that not my right? Darlin’, understand — I could give two shits about Beyonce, or Coachella in the big picture of Black folk in America. It was social commentary — somethin’ I’m allowed in the scheme of this social media world in which we both inhabit.
Be through, Sister — so am I.
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Viva Beyoncé!
It fills me with joy, it makes me happy when a Black person – either from America (North or South), or Europe or Africa, etc – makes it, goes to the top in her/his field!
Is she perfect? No, I don’t think so. She is above all a human being, and therefore a mix of perfections and imperfections!
But I will not delve in her imperfections, make them the center of my thoughts, of my feelings. That I let to the enemies of the Black race to do!
Remember: we Blacks, are the ones that a whole World wanted and desired, to be inferior almost in everything! So it’s a joy when things come contrary to their will!
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@ Sheena
I have no doubt she has experienced racism (that is why I wrote “seem”), but SOME Black people, when they reach the top of their field let themselves be co-opted by Whites. Beyonce and Obama before 2014 were both like that. It was like Ferguson had to burn before they woke up.
I am sure they both knew perfectly well what was going on long before Ferguson – neither one grew up in a palace – but that makes it all the worse. And maddening. To see a Black person with such a huge public platform remain silent.
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It is your opinion Beyoncé and Obama were like that and opinions aren’t facts. Just because someone doesn’t speak publicly about something to your satisfaction, that doesn’t mean they’re not “awake.” Lastly, Beyoncé is a famous artist. Her job is to entertain, not comment on social issues. She can choose to comment, but she, like any celebrity, doesn’t owe us that.
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You responded to me three times. Clearly, you give at least four or five shits. LOL! Nice try though. Have a great Sunday!
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On a personal note, I do not care for Beyonce’s or her husband, Jay-Z’s music. But in terms of being socially conscious and/or weaving some form of artistic connotation directly into her artistry is nothing but sheer COURAGE on her part. Some of us wear our blackness on our shoulders while others are quite reserved. We as a people cannot expect everyone of so-called African American descent, especially those within the upper echelon of society to display their “awoke” level on queue or at our personal behest.
To me, Beyonce has on more than one occasion sent a phuck you id, hurled towards white folks, but neatly tucked right into her chosen artistry, music.
http://owning-my-truth.tumblr.com/post/143569446582/beyonces-lovedrought-video-slavery-igbolanding
One of her most famous “F bombs” hurled towards that certain group of people had to do with a group of Igbo/Hebrew slaves embarking off of a slave ship in Glen County, GA. in 1803. Instead of submitting themselves to a life of slavery, they walked back into the ocean and committed suicide as demonstrated in her “Love Drought” video from the “Lemonade” album. Again, it is of my personal opinion that this was her way of displaying consciousness, courage, a sense of our history and resistance all at once.
I believe that Beyonce is much more intelligent and in tune with the social vibrations of so-called African Americans than what most people are willing to give her credit for.
And one other thing, who would go to Coachella, which is usually a bastion of whiteness with members of a Historically Black College band and place them on stage in front of the world and dance in sync? You cannot get anymore blacker than this!
Yup, … the Black band on stage was another notch in favour of resistance and another phuck you! Good job Miss “B”!
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUyQSKe75L4)
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@blakksage… I know the story of Igbo Landing quite well. Paule Marshall’s wonderful book, “Praisesong for the Widow” weaves it beautifully into a story about a Black woman from Harlem whose roots are buried deep as hell in the Deep South.
Beyonce seems to have not known, as Mr. Baldwin so succinctly says, “from whence she came” until she got hooked up with West African designers for her “Lemonade” video: http://venturesafrica.com/features/borders-within-2017-kechi-nomu-shares-the-highlights-of-her-journey-so-far/
Don’t get it twisted, I’m all for my people coming into their own — eventually, cuz that’s how I came to be me. But I’m not the one when folk are shinin’ up shit and callin’ it gold like they’ve been there all along. They haven’t. It’s just more “let’s confuse the Black folk” bullshit. If my sister Bey is really on — my 60+ seasons will see it. If she ain’t, I’ll call her on it, as is my right, despite the “Beyhive.”
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Concerning what Abagond said here:
“I am sure they both knew perfectly well what was going on long before Ferguson – neither one grew up in a palace – but that makes it all the worse. And maddening. To see a Black person with such a huge public platform remain silent.”
Anyone here can correct me if I’m wrong, since I haven’t listened to every single song Beyoncé has released — but there doesn’t seem to be much in her lyrics, to this day.
Yes, she’s beginning to use this imagery in her live performances and videos, but she still doesn’t seem to be using her “true voice” and her words in the way that other musicians like Nina Simone and Lauryn Hill have done. Nothing like “Mississippi Goddam”.
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I camped out at Chochella this weekend and saw Beyounce perform last night in front of 100,000 plus people. This weekend show was similar to what Abagond described though she added a Hispanic rapper who rapped in Spanish with her
It was an amazing show.
Chochella has been traditionaly pretty “white” but this year they added a Latino line up and more hip hop, jazz.
http://remezcla.com/music/coachella-2018-lineup/
Kamasi Washington is slated to play tonight.
Chochella is not too far from Palm Springs and is hot as hell there. It’s hard to nap during the day when it’s over 100 degrees outside. After two days I had enough lol. This was my first time at Chochella.
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@ Deb
“Beyonce seems to have not known, as Mr. Baldwin so succinctly says, “from whence she came” until she got hooked up with West African designers for her “Lemonade” video…”
I always thought of Beyonce as yet another shallow entertainer. Her primary identity was part of a multiracial buffer class (Creole) for years before embracing Blackness. In a 2012 L’Oreal commercial featuring a number of celebrities including Beyonce, she was described as “African American, Native American, and French.”
She is clearly very adept at adapting certain trends into her latest marketing campaigns. African/Black American imagery is a perennial best-seller with White America——–the lives of Black people are not.
Imagery does not equal authenticity.
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Imagery does not equal authenticity.
I don’t understand why people look to celebrities for authentification and or inspiration.
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I have new found respect for Beyonce. I am not a fan of her music but, I respect her artistry by bringing black culture to a super white space, honoring HBCU and giving scholarships to several HBCU’s is very generous. I doubt if those drugged out white folks even knew what they were watching. I haven’t seen the performance but just hearing about it has piqued my interest.
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The Beehive (Beyonce fans) always attack when they feel their Queen is being criticized or attacked. Just like any artist she is not above being critiqued. People can have their opinions about her. I think it’s very strange how her fans worship her like some deity. She’s just an entertainer and nothing more.
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@Afrofem…“She is clearly very adept at adapting certain trends into her latest marketing campaigns. African/Black American imagery is a perennial best-seller with White America——–the lives of Black people are not.”
“Marketing campaigns” hits the nail on the head.
“Imagery does not equal authenticity.”
Just like symbolism does not equal substance.
@Mary Burrell…“I think it’s very strange how her fans worship her like some deity.”
All the better to keep them distracted from the things materially affecting their lives in the real world
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She was everything and more!!! and NO…. I don’t believe “they” got it, However i definitely believe they appreciated the artistry and I heard crowd members praising the band. #beychella2018
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