On Friday night, Beyoncé' did what she does best and released a surprise new song, “Black Parade.” The song honors the history of Juneteenth and celebrates the abolishment of slavery, espcially in the state of Texas in 1865. She dropped her new music, which supports BeyGOOD's Black Business Impact Fund, just after she posted a message on her website telling fans how they can support black-owned businesses.
In a post titled “Black Parade Route,” she wrote. “Happy Juneteenth. Being Black is your activism. Black excellence is a form of protest. Black joy is your right. ‘Black Parade’ benefits BeyGOOD's Black Business Impact Fund, administered by the National Urban League, to support Black-owned small businesses in need.”
Under that, she shared several Black-owned businesses and creators that her fans can support: She included restaurants and bars, arts and design, fashion, wellness and health, and more. The list was created and curated by @ZerinaAkers with @black.owned.everything.
"I'm goin' back to the South, where my roots ain’t watered down, she begins. Put your fists up in the air, show black love," she says. "Need peace and reparation for my people….Ooh, motherland, motherland, motherland, motherland drip on me. Ooh, yeah, I can't forget my history is her-story, yeah…Being black, maybe that's the reason why they always mad. Yeah, they always mad, yeah…"
She also slipped in a Beyhive reference here: Follow my parade, oh, my parade/Talkin' slick to my folk (My folk), lift that lip like lipo (Lipo)/You hear them swarmin', right? Bees is known to bite/Now here we come on our thrones, sittin' high/Follow my parade, oh, my parade.”
In references to the Black Lives Matter marches, she sings: "Black love, we gon' stay together/Curtis Mayfield on the speaker/Lil' Malcolm, I miss 'em, momma Tina/Need another march, lemme call Tamika/Need peace and reparation for my people/Fuck these laid edges, I'ma let it shrivel up (Shrivel up)/Fuck this fade and waves I'ma let it dread all up (Dread all up)/Put your fists up in the air, show black love (Show black love)/Motherland drip on me, motherland, motherland drip on me."
Full, extended lyrics are here.
In a June 14 letter on her website, Beyoncé included a message to Attorney General Daniel Cameron of the Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) to arrest the plain-clothes officers with a “no-knock” warrant who killed Breonna Taylor in her own home.
"Your office has both the power and responsibility to bring justice to Breonna Taylor, and demonstrate the value of a Black woman’s life," she wrote, in part. "I urge you to use your power and:
1. Bring criminal charges against Jonathan Mattingly, Myles Cosgrove, and Brett Hankison
2. Commit to transparency in the investigation and prosecution of these officers’ criminal conduct
3. Investigate the LMPD’s response to Breonna Taylor's murder, as well the pervasive practices that result in the repeated deaths of unarmed Black citizens.
Don't let this case fall into the pattern of no action after a terrible tragedy. With every death of a Black person at the hands of the police, there are two real tragedies: the death itself and the inaction and delays that follow it. This is your chance to end that pattern. Take swift and decisive action in charging the officers. The next months cannot look like the last three."
On June 7, Bey addressed 2020 graduates during YouTube's "Dear Class of 2020" event, when she charged high school and college grads with the task of making the world a better, positive place.
"Your queerness is beautiful, your Blackness is beautiful, your compassion is beautiful, your compassion, your understanding, your fight for people who may be different from you is beautiful," she said. "I hope you continue to go into the world and show them that you will never stop being yourself, that it's your time now. Make them see you. Now if you've ever been called dumb, unattractive, overweight, unworthy, untalented, well, so have I. Whatever you do, don't let negativity of people projecting their own self doubts on you deter you from your focus. I know those moments are painful, and you're human, and it hurts like hell, but now is the time to turn those criticisms into fuel and motivation to become a beautiful beast."
This content is imported from YouTube. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. Hilary Weaver Hilary Weaver is a freelance writer based in New York who writes about politics, queer issues, Meryl Streep, Glenn Close, and every woman the Queen has ever made a dame. This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io This commenting section is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page. You may be able to find more information on their web site.
