Beyonce's Lemonade Album

Prior to class I had only heard a few of the songs in the Lemonade album by Beyonce. After watching the all of the videos that went along with all the songs in Lemonade I was truly blown away. Not only were the lyrics powerful but also the images that went along with them. Beyonce did an amazing job showing the issues that African-Americans and women deal with. She also showed how even celebrities like herself and Jay-Z deal with relationship issues. Beyonce coming out with this video and album brought the issue of sexual prejudice among others into conversation in America. Many were frustrated by this video, and many were overwhelmed with joy but never the less these topics were being talked about. In order to deal with major issues like this, something like Beyonce's album needs to occur that brings people together. One image that sticks in my mind when looking back on some of the visual images in Beyonce's video was when she was walking through the street with a bat smashing cars. What I believe was Beyonce's purpose behind this scene was to mix feminist qualities and actions with masculinity. She was wearing a bright big dress and makeup to show off her feminist side, while walking down a street with baseball bat smashing cars. She was trying to show that a beautiful woman like her can act like "manly," by acting violently by destroying and smashing with the bat and monster truck. The only thing I was confused about concerning Beyonce and her video and album, was the purpose behind it. Was the purpose for her to release and express her anger with Jay-Z and his alleged affair? Or to bring up the issue of sex, race and their relation to equality in America? Or both? In the end it doesn't really matter what Beyonce's purpose behind the video and album was because it brought these important issue to many minds.

My experience with racial equality is limited, because of my skin color and my surrounding growing up. However I have a sister and a mom whom I have learned some about sexism from. I thought that Beyonce focused a lot on the issues that African American women specifically, deal with. I don't have much experience with the prejudices and issues that African American women deal with, but I thought that Beyonce nailed a couple of them that I had seen before. For example in some of the songs she acted as the stereotypical "Angry black woman," but she embraced it which I thought had a very powerful affect. What I love most about this album and video is that it can have a lasting affect on somebody like me, who had not had much experience with these issues before listening to and watching them. Beyonce was brave by coming out with this album, but if change is going to happen we are going to need more brave people like her to take professional risks.