I’m starting to think Beyoncé drowned that New Orleans cop car in a pool of White tears.
First, some White folks took offense to her new video for her latest single, “Formation,” for daring to use the word “Negro” and having the audacity to ask that the police stop murdering Black people. That anger has since carried over to last night’s performance at the Super Bowl.
To be fair, the Super Bowl Halftime Show was not Beyoncé, main act. Those bragging rights go to Coldplay. My review of them is this: I don’t really listen to their music, but if it’s on, I might say, “Oh, Chris Martin sounds nice and I can see why anyone would ‘consciously uncouple’ Gwyneth Paltrow.” Just kidding. That’s Beyoncé’s homegirl, so let me chill.
I do appreciate the band featuring a marriage-equality-inspired rainbow wave of placards held up across the stadium, which spelled out “Believe in Love.” This is the Super Bowl, the pinnacle of hypermasculinity, which has always been at odds with homosexuality. For them to use their time to honor a community not especially welcomed in that world will at least get me to give them one iTunes single purchase. (The song with Beyoncé, obviously).
Okay, that’s all I got on them.
Also apart of the show was the Puerto Rican Frankie Lymon, Bruno Mars. Bruno was dressed like he was about to perform “Pumps and a Bump.” Be very clear: that’s a compliment. He also danced a little like Heavy D. Again, that’s a compliment.
Here’s my thing about Bruno Mars: He’s handsome, he can sing, and he is a strong songwriter. However, I tend to find him the most successful cover artist ever. Everything he does reminds me of someone else. Nonetheless, the man can perform and he is always a joy to watch on stage. I don’t know if Charlie Wilson and Morris Day still want to jump him for “Uptown Funk,” but that’s not my business.
Now, let’s return to the real star of the show.
Beyoncé had her dancers dressed like the Black Panthers at the Super Bowl Halftime Show. The level of boldness in her choice to take the most watched program of the year to give a nod to the Panthers on the 50-year anniversary of their formation, which has its roots less than 50 miles from where the game was played, speaks to how intentional she is becoming in her messaging.
The same goes for her own costume, which referenced what Michael Jackson wore when he performed at the Super Bowl in 1993. I’m assuming MJ watched the show on a cloud with Whitney Houston, and in my mind, Nippy told Jackson, “See, that baby boy? Wasn’t nothing ever wrong with your nostrils. SHAMON.”
In any event, Beyoncé has riled up the likes of Rudy Giuliani, who on Monday Morning said on Fox & Friends:
“This is football, not Hollywood, and I thought it was really outrageous that she used it as a platform to attack police officers who are the people who protect her and protect us, and keep us alive. And what we should be doing in the African-American community, and all communities, is build up respect for police officers. And focus on the fact that when something does go wrong, okay. We’ll work on that. But the vast majority of police officers risk their lives to keep us safe.”
Do you know what I think is outrageous? The fact that Giuliani is still asked for his opinion about anything when he’s essentially an aging parrot who can only repeat two things: “9/11” and insert [something racist and stupid here].
However, Giuliani isn’t the only one complaining. Conservative writer and commentator Michelle Malkin tweeted: “Cuz nothing brings us all together better than angry @Beyonce shaking her ass & shouting ‘Negro’ repeatedly.”
It certainly beats making a living as the minority mascot and pet of White supremacy, beloved.
Then there are the racist trolls online, whining about Beyoncé not having any White dancers last night. This, despite that Beyoncé typically always having White dancers featured prominently alongside women of other shades and sizes on her stages. Believe me when I tell you that I am pointing and laughing at every last one of those melanin-deficient simpletons. Most of these people are likely not even Beyoncé fans, so their opinions don’t truly matter.
And that is the power of the “Formation” video and last night’s performance: she was reaching Black people first and making us top priority.
When I see tweets of a little Black girl watching Beyoncé’s Super Bowl performance, I know that in her way, Beyoncé is helping little Black kids see their value in a world that will try to beat that out of them. If White people and their minority “friends” find that infuriating, oh well. Stay mad. The less we place value in the thoughts of those who don’t see us as equal anyway, the better off we’ll be.
Michael Arceneaux hails from Houston, lives in Harlem, and praises Beyoncé’s name wherever he goes. Follow him @youngsinick.
