If you live under a rock, you are unaware of the historical performance Beyoncé gave Coachella Music Festival goers and those that tuned into the live stream Saturday night. Queen Bey is the first Black woman to headline the festival.
During her nearly two-hour set, Beyoncé thanked the crowd and said,
Thank you Coachella for allowing me to be the first Black woman to headline Coachella… ain’t that bout a bitch.
This performance was a lot more than the belting of classic Beyoncé and Destiny’s Child discography. Bey displayed Black collegiate culture on such an important platform. In a sea of non-Black faces, Beyoncé put Black culture on the forefront and let the world know how magical and dynamic Black people are. Bey’s entire performance, from the majorette dancing to the Greek-like insignia, mimics life at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). There is no denying that Black culture is commodified and exploited by non-Black celebrities and fashion design houses. Where Beyoncé differs is simply she’s Black so she can do this. It is beautiful when powerful figures put forth positive representations of Black culture. Bey also showed appreciation for the history of Black culture by embedding quotes from Nina Simone, Malcolm X and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.
I just knew at the end of the performance Beyoncé was going to say she was graduating from [insert any HBCU]. While I did not attend a HBCU, I had my fair share of Spelhouse Homecomings which exposed me to the magnificence that is Black collegiate culture. The performance was inspiring and had me ready to relive my college days. Hopefully, it can also inspire the youth to want to attend HBCUs, or any college, so they too can be a part of the drumline, the majorette team, or join a sorority or fraternity.
Beyoncé sang Lift Every Voice, which is deemed the Black national anthem, swag surfed, which is sacred to Black people, and held a probate on stage! She put forth all these Black cultural references that more than half of the audience would have no idea about and still performed it with grace and style.
Thank you Beyoncé
I thank Beyoncé for being unapologetically Black in all that she does. We, the public, constantly beg public figures, entertainers, sports players, etc. to take political stances. While I don’t expect them to be on the front lines, I do expect them to present the most AUTHENTIC representation of Black culture. Bey did just that! In all the details, it is apparent that Beyoncé studied a realm that is foreign to her (since she did not go to college) and presented it in the best and most positive fashion (including the SUCK MY BALLS chant that I’ll be reciting for the rest of the year).
Beyoncé’s Coachella Weekend 1 Full Set
If you happened to miss the set, you can watch the full thing below (thanks to Mr. World Premiere)
