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Beyoncé performed at the Super Bowl’s halftime show. It is one of the most viewed events in the United States. This year, about 112 million people watched the game. Beyoncé used the opportunity to make a big statement. The responses have varied from agreement and praise to anger and criticism.
It all started the day before
The diva surprised her fans by releasing a video for her song “Formation.” The video immediately sparked controversy for several reasons. The song contains lyrics that reference the singer’s culture and heritage such as:
“My daddy Alabama/Momma Louisiana/You mix that Negro with that Creole/Make a Texas bamma” and “I like my baby hair, with baby hair and afros/I like my Negro nose with Jackson Five nostrils.”
The imagery pays tribute to New Orleans – particularly to the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. There is also a scene that seems to reference Trayvon Martin’s death: a young black man wearing a hoodie is before a line of police officers. “Stop shooting us” is written on the wall, which was seen as Beyoncé aligning herself with the #BlackLivesMatter movement. Some interpreted the video as an attack against police officers and started the hashtag #BoycottBeyonce, urging others not to watch her halftime performance.
An explosive performance
Beyoncé did not shy away from the controversy. Instead, she embraced it in her performance. The singer and her dancers were dressed in leather and black berets, which was a reference to the Black Panther Party. The Black Panthers is a black nationalist and socialist group; it was known to arm its members and fight against police brutality. Beyoncé’s dancers also formed an X on the field, which was interpreted as a nod to legendary civil rights activist Malcolm X. They all had their fists up in a way that mirrored the black power salute.
Backlash and protests
Beyoncé’s fans, nicknamed the BeyHive, and activists loved the statement she made. Others were quite critical. Former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani said:
“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.” Republican Congressman Peter King had similar feelings. “I found the entire show objectionable. It was extolling the Black Panthers who were a terrorist organization, killing police officers in the 60s and 70s,” he said.
A group of people organized a protest in New York. The anti-BeyHive will be outside of the NFL’s headquarters on February 16th. The event’s page proclaims “Let’s tell the NFL we don’t want hate speech & racism at the Superbowl ever again!” Beyoncé has not responded to the critics yet.
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