Jay Z's grandmother the inspiration for Beyoncé's new album Lemonade
CBC Arts' Exhibitionists host Amanda Parris talks about the messaging behind Beyoncé's new album
At a recent birthday party, surrounded by friends and family, Jay Z's grandmother stood up and reflected on her 90 years, making a statement that would become the basis of Beyoncé's new album.
"I was served lemons but I made lemonade," Hattie White said.
For Amanda Parris, host of CBC Arts Exhibitionists, that statement reflects the experience of many black women, something to which she says Beyoncé's album Lemonade pays tribute.
Parris sat down with Metro Morning host Matt Galloway Tuesday to talk about what Beyoncé's new album means to her as a black woman.
"It's very specifically curated to say, 'I'm speaking about a personal experience but I'm going to connect it beyond myself to this story of black womanhood and black women.'"
Beyoncé made waves in February when she delivered a Super Bowl halftime performance of the final track on the album, Formation, featuring lyrics celebrating black culture.
Clad in a black, military-inspired costume, Knowles delivered a set that clearly referenced the Black Panthers and included the black power salute. Her small army of female dancers at one point formed an X-shape behind her and sported afro-style hair and berets reminiscent of the Black Panthers aesthetic.
"Beyoncé has had this incredibly perfectly constructed image for so many years and you think that she would be free of all the sorts of the criticisms that the average black woman would be served," Parris said.
But the moment sparked a firestorm of controversy, nevertheless.
Still, Lemonade is unapologetic. Its third-last track, Freedom, specifically shines a spotlight on the struggles that black women face and their resilience, quoting directly from civil rights activist Malcolm X.
"To me it's another anthem that she's contributed to a larger movement celebrating black lives," Parris said, "making sure that these lives do matter."