#BlackGirlMagic took over the screen in front of 114.4 million viewers at the Super Bowl this past weekend. Beyoncé’s political performance commemorating the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Black Panthers at Super Bowl 50 was a huge step for black empowerment and liberation.
Her powerful “Formation” performance voicing racial inequality, police brutality toward the black community while also embracing black femininity put black America center stage.
Twitterverse proudly exploded quoting her lyrics such as: “I like my baby hair with baby hair and afros. I like my negro nose with Jackson Five nostrils.” Many have applauded Beyoncé on using her stardom to bring forth a huge platform and unapologetic message to the masses.
This isn’t the first time that Beyoncé has spoken out in solidarity with Black Lives Matter. She and her husband Jay Z, wired tens of thousands of dollars to bail protesters out in Baltimore and Ferguson. Jay Z, along with Roc Nation, also just recently donated $1.5 million from Tidal to Black Lives Matter and other social justice organizations. This donation was made on Feb. 5, the day Trayvon Martin would have turned 21.
After the performance, some of her dancers dressed in Black Panther-style berets and in black leather were pictured raising their fists again holding a piece of paper that read “Justice 4 Mario Woods.” This was in solidarity with about 200 protesters that were protesting in Super Bowl City for Woods. Woods was a black man shot 15 times by by five San Francisco police officers during a confrontation in San Francisco, Calif., last December.
As social media has exploded praising the artist, many have also criticized Beyoncé’s performance.
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And yet she just announced that she will be going to perform in apartheid Israel. smh.