Counterpoint: Beyonce cares about Black people

Whoa boy, strap in for some fun. Beyonce: There is little introduction to who she is on the surface but there is a hell of a lot to discuss when you scratch an inch below the surface. She has released music that has inspired a generation, changed how we view fashion and redefined how female artists move through the industry and the world. There is no denying her positive impact on the world. Despite her achievements, I believe that her motivations are not to better the Black community, but to enrich herself at their expense.

Before I begin, I must address the concern of people who see this as an attack on a Black woman. I recognize Black women have been historically undermined and treated as less than human for hundreds of years in America. I also understand that Black men such as myself have been one of, if not the primary cause for the majority of the way society treats Black women. However, this is not an attack on Black women, but a criticism of one specific Black woman as it relates to how she uses her immense power and celebrity and the way she presents them to the public.

Over the past few years, African imagery has been center to Beyonce’s image. “Lemonade” used African prints from an African artist Laolu Senbanjo and used Warsan Shire’s words to bring the visual album to life. Her 2017 Grammy Awards dress was inspired by the Yoruba fertility goddess Oshun. Her use of African imagery has been huge because her popularity is second to none. When she wears something, its designer becomes instantly famous. One would think with her uses of African culture, she would perform on the continent. Alas, you would be wrong. On the Run, the Formation world tour, the Mrs. Carter Show world tour and On The Run II all had zero stops on the African continent. The last two times Beyonce performed in Africa were at charity concerts for Nelson Mandela, once in 2004 and again in 2018. It borders on appropriation to use a culture’s history and not even perform for them. You know who has played in Africa? Rihanna, Justin Bieber, Ed Sheeran, Katy Perry, Elton John, Lady Gaga and One Direction. All titanic acts and on par with Beyonce’s popularity. So, there is an audience willing to pay for top tier talent, but for some reason, Beyonce hasn’t gone to the continent she borrows so much from.

Another motivation is as plain as day. Money. In “Formation,” she sings, “Always stay gracious, the best revenge is your paper.” In the “Flawless” remix, she lets us know s— goes down when there’s a billion dollars on an elevator. And recently, Beyonce and Jay-Z encouraged their fans to go vegan, something very expensive, especially for the millions of Black Americans who cannot afford a vegan diet based on the racist practices that have created food deserts around the United States. Why is her talking about her money so problematic? The reality for many Black Americans and people of color is that they have had their wealth stolen over hundreds of years by a capitalist system that sees them as less-than. There is power in money and there are few Black Americans who have enough money to insulate themselves from the difficulties of being Black in America. Beyonce, Jay-Z, Diddy, Michael Jordan, Oprah and Dr. Dre are all immensely wealthy Black Americans who do not have to worry about their own lives in terms of money, nor will several generations of their families. That security is rare and allows them to speak out against the evils that plague their communities. Does Beyonce make a point to use her power to speak out against these issues? Sometimes. In very specific instances, she has used her money to help a cause, but only when it maximizes her positive publicity. Bailing out protestors, funding a few students to go to college or getting the first Black photographer to shoot a Vogue cover are great things, but for what she could be doing, it’s minimal. There is a responsibility of powerful Black Americans to use their position to uplift their community. Beyonce does enough to keep a good public image without doing real substantial work.

I say these things not out of anger or resentment, but out of disappointment. She is an icon around the world and will be remembered fondly by her fan base for generations. But there is so much more she can and should be doing since she has made a career on the support of Black people. There is a long history of people sacrificing their lives and livelihood for the advancement of the rights of Black people around the world, and few others have enjoyed the security and opportunity that Beyonce has today and that grows daily. If Beyonce and her wealthy friends want to truly show that they care about the lives of their fans, then they need to use their immense money to the betterment of others. But since they don’t, they don’t care about Black people, and that includes you Queen Bee.

Counterpoint: Beyonce cares about Black people