Beyonce's song Formation clearly addresses issues of inequality in terms of both race and gender. Her video also advocates the "Black lives matter" movement which "campaigns against police brutality in the United States against African-Americans." Somewhat controversial images of a child dancing in front of a line of police in riot gear caused threats from multiple police unions to protest Beyonce's shows due to the potentially anti-police messages being presented. The graffiti shown in one close up shot of a wall shows the message "Stop Shooting Us". This is a clear reference to the numerous police shootings of black civilians in the United States of America. The over the shoulder shot of the child facing the line of police officers also acts as a poignant reminder that future generations will have to face the threats of racist forces.
One of the initial shots in the video depicts Beyonce sitting on top of a sinking New Orleans police car. This is a reference to the failure of the Hurricane Protection Project of New Orleans which resulted in major damage and flooding after the city's Levees broke as results of Hurricane Katrina. It is claimed that hurricane Katrina had the greatest effect on the less economically privileged black community in New Orleans. Therefore, The shots of sinking buildings and police cars could be a metaphor for the sinking position of the Black community in the deep south of America, which has been a problem dating back to the popularity of slavery.
The male voice using derogatory terms such as "B****" at certain points of the song including the very start raises the issue of such insults becoming acceptable within selective communities. A slow motion shot showing Beyonce leaning out of the passenger side of a car is accompanied by the sound of catcalling. This emphasises the sexualisation and objectification of women which still exists within modern communities. The lack of respect shown by the male voice draws attention to the lack of change in America's attitudes, implying that racism and sexism are still a major issue despite the apparent progressiveness of the nation.
Beyonce appears to envision the song "Formation" as being a potential anthem for Black women who have been oppressed for centuries by slavery, racism, sexism, patriarchy and poverty. Shots depicting Beyonce in a plantation house and dressed as a plantation owner with a large brimmed black hat, symbolises her rewriting history and reclaiming the power denied to women like her in the past. The video contains a wide range of natural African american hairstyles and the lyrics of the song detail how black women should take pride in their appearances rather than hating and disguising features such as their nose and hair. One shot shows three women of black or mixed ethnicity who have succumbed to the aesthetic expectations of the media. A close up shot shows that one is wearing sandals with derogatory sexist language which the character appears to have accepted and encouraged by wearing the footwear. Beyonce is clearly criticising this passive and acceptive attitude towards the opppression of African-American natural beauty. The zoom shot of the three women shows rows of blatantly artificial wigs in luminous colours. The dull lighting of the shot and gaudy colour scheme emphasises the unattractive nature of the wigs and clothing which disguises African-American beauty and culture.
Beyonce appears to envision the song "Formation" as being a potential anthem for Black women who have been oppressed for centuries by slavery, racism, sexism, patriarchy and poverty. Shots depicting Beyonce in a plantation house and dressed as a plantation owner with a large brimmed black hat, symbolises her rewriting history and reclaiming the power denied to women like her in the past. The video contains a wide range of natural African american hairstyles and the lyrics of the song detail how black women should take pride in their appearances rather than hating and disguising features such as their nose and hair. One shot shows three women of black or mixed ethnicity who have succumbed to the aesthetic expectations of the media. A close up shot shows that one is wearing sandals with derogatory sexist language which the character appears to have accepted and encouraged by wearing the footwear. Beyonce is clearly criticising this passive and acceptive attitude towards the opppression of African-American natural beauty. The zoom shot of the three women shows rows of blatantly artificial wigs in luminous colours. The dull lighting of the shot and gaudy colour scheme emphasises the unattractive nature of the wigs and clothing which disguises African-American beauty and culture.
Throughout the music video and during Beyonce's performance of "Formation" during half time of the Superbowl in 2016, the symbol "X" has been a motif. This could be a reference to Malcolm X, who "Laid the foundation for the Black Power movement of the late 1960s and 1970s". Another reference to key figures in the American Civil Rights movement is made in a shot showing Martin Luther King on the front page of a newspaper entitled "The Truth". These references make Beyonce's intentions of impacting public views and attitudes concerning the black community clear.
Despite the controversy the music video has caused, Beyonce maintains her view that she is using her music and influential power to make a positive impact rather than to incite a riot. In an interview she told Elle magazine that "If celebrating my roots and culture during Black History Month made anyone uncomfortable, those feelings were there long before a video and long before me," and that she's "proud of what we created and I'm proud to be a part of a conversation that is pushing things forward in a positive way." However, the question that must be asked is are the strong messages she's trying to convey being undermined by the provocative dancing and revealing clothing? One thing that's certain is that as a musician and international public figure, Beyonce has moved far from the generic pop artist she started off as in "Destiny's child". This music video embodies her good intentions and wishes to use her influence to make a positive impact on American culture.
Bibliography:
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Lives_Matter
- http://blacklivesmatter.com/
- http://genius.com/8641340
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfMlFxrMb18
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Effects_of_Hurricane_Katrina_in_New_Orleans
- https://medium.com/@FancyCapitalist/11-references-you-missed-in-beyonc%C3%A9-s-formation-d39fa9009886#.hd3yybrvn
- http://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/beyonc-addresses-formation-criticism-rare-interview-n551066
- https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2016/02/19/boycott-beyonces-formation-world-tour-police-union-urges/?utm_term=.aa6bfe132f6c
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Formation_(song)
- http://www.history.com/topics/black-history/malcolm-x
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