Beyoncé released a new single called “Bow Down/I Been On” on her website without any warning or explanation. Like everything else she does, it stirred controversy. The record did endorse a vulgar and rather cocky side of Beyoncé.
Why is the song causing such a big uproar? Beyoncé stated in her recent documentary “Life is But a Dream” that in the years to come, she did not want to sing about the same things over and over again. Every artist should be able to display an edgy side and promote a style of music that they have never recorded. Beyoncé is widely known for her heart-wrenching ballads and women empowerment hits.
Beyoncé has put significant amounts of time and effort into her illustrious career. She deserves to be afforded the liberty of stepping outside the box, especially after all of the backlash and scrutiny the media lashes out towards her for every move she makes.
For instance, Beyoncé received backlash after lipsyncing over a track during the national anthem. She is often compared to other artists like Rihanna. She has even been categorized into an underworld cult, so ultimately, I believe she deserves the right to make a mischievous track. “Bow Down” is a track to remind everyone exactly who she is. She is not Rihanna or any other artist for that matter, and is also not just Jay-Z’s wife.
The media wanted to say she did her documentary because she needed the publicity and to acknowledge the fact that she does not need anyone’s hype or permission to do anything.
Beyoncé also surprised people with her repetitive use of the B-word and several other curse words.
The world is not accustomed to this Beyoncé. I believe what shocked everyone most is that she did not follow the sweet and innocent script everyone expected from her. The general public was so caught up in the phrase “Bow Down” that they overlooked the main point of the song.
The song was not to glorify herself. It was an ode to her hometown of Houston, TX. In the song, she reminisces about her Houston days, even talking about the different artists she listened to when she was younger.
It is evident that the track is hip-hop oriented. Within the hip-hop arena there are plenty of artist that often say they are the best rapper alive. In today’s world, just about every current artist curses in every other sentence using the B-word frequently. No one thinks twice about it. So when Beyoncé says, “don’t get it twisted, it’s my (expletive),” what is the difference?
Because it is Beyoncé and she typically does not use vulgar language in her songs and rarely shows the “hood” side of herself, the track sent everyone into complete shellshock.
Beyoncé owes us no apology for making this song. She is not the first artist to release a self-centered song, and surely will not be the last. The world needs to loosen up when it comes to Queen Bey, and let her live.
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- Amanda Rhoda, Contributor