As we discussed yesterday, Beyonce dropped her Lemonade and spilled the tea all over the place. The first half of Lemonade was Rage Beyonce, Distrustful Beyonce, Burn-Him-To-Ground Beyonce. And it was glorious. Beyonce’s open-word on “Apathy” was:
“So what are you gonna say at my funeral now that you’ve killed me? Here lies the body of the love of my life whose heart I broke without a gun to my head. Here lies the mother of my children both living and dead. Rest in peace my true love, who I took for granted. Most bomb p–sy, who because of me sleep evaded. Her shroud is loneliness, her god was listening. Her heaven will be a love without betrayal. Ashes to ashes, dust to side chicks.”
Then the song began and Beyonce dropped the blind item clue: “he better call Becky with the good hair.” No one really believed Jay-Z was fooling around with someone called Becky or Rebecca. We all knew that “Becky” was a stand-in name for one (or several) of Jay-Z’s side chicks. The Beyhive even had a name for one of them, and it all came back to that night in the elevator. That night of the Met Gala in 2014. When Solange went HAM on Jay-Z. As many theorized at the time, there was a belief that Solange lost her sh-t on Jay because of something involving Rachel Roy. Even People Magazine claimed that Solange and Rachel got into it earlier that night at the Met Gala.
So what did Rachel Roy do after the premiere of Lemonade? She Instagrammed this.
“Good hair don’t care, but we will take good lighting, for selfies, or self truths, always. live in the light #nodramaqueens.” You in danger, girl. The Beyhive came for Becky and when the comments got crazy, Rachel made her IG private. A few hours later, on Sunday, she tweeted this:
I respect love, marriages, families and strength. What shouldn't be tolerated by anyone, no matter what, is bullying, of any kind.
— Rachel Roy (@Rachel_Roy) April 24, 2016
Sure. But then why were Instagramming about your good hair, Becky?
Photos courtesy of Instagram, WENN.
Why do they always do that after being called out for doing something stupid? “I believe in love and not bullying others”
Cuz people started sending her threats after her thirsty message.
I don’t think Rachel Roy was a side chick. I do think JayZ flirted with her at the ball in front of Solange.
What is more insane is people tweeting threats to her and her children.
Lisa2, thats the internets solution to everything: threats.
She did used to hook up with Jay-Z back in the day when she worked for him and Damon Dash. Plus apparently she has been trying to nose her way into their relationship for years. Shady comments and behaviour.
Even if that happened, Solange’s reaction seemed over the top, no? I wouldn’t start hitting my brother-in-law for simply flirting with another woman.
@WTW,
Solange is prone to outbursts. It is said she beat down her father too. However, when I say flirt ” I mean brooklyn flirt” which is more like…. Jay Z said something like you are looking good as he liked his lips and squeezed her waist.
It is all kind of sad. Beyonce is thought of as a joke by the women in her circle. She is hanging on to a man that is a habitual cheater.
Rachel was laughing at the whole thing because Bey doesn’t even know who her husband is actually banging. I am sure Rachel Roy will not post something like that again.
Especially when it involves the Beyhive. Girl, don’t put yourself in that position.
How’s the saying go? “Give people enough rope, and they will hang themselves.”
These celebs and their PR trickery…. Still not caring about Tidal. Utter rubbish.
Yawn…………..all contrived BS for sales.
They all got what they wanted. Rachel and Beyonce got publicity and JayZ got money.
Only THIS one time, just to see what THE hype was,mi just bing-ed (iT) and listend to THE whole THING for free.
I dont know WHY People pay, iTS their $$$
Bi ng.co m
‘Girls from Antwerp, are THE best’!!😂😂😂😂😂😘😘
Truth!
Werd.
Right on the money! This is PR gold! If Jay-Z cheats with Rachel, then she must be getting some serious top-ups out of that hook-up because she is no young dumb bimbo! She is a mother of two and aged 42! What’s her kickback to being a “side-piece”? All of them thirsty for publicity and the BeyHive just gullible for eating that nonsense!
Note to every Becky with the good hair/bad hair/no hair at all out there: if you feel particularly thirsty, go grab a drink of water, stay away from social media.
Seriously. What kind of idiot would even take the chance of trying to be coy online?
She’s not an idiot. The world is talking about her today. That’s what a thirsty girl wants.
Forget about thirsty Rachel Roy ,I am concerned about Rachel Ray.I had to correct about dozen people who thought Rachel Ray was Rachel Roy.It got ugly 😂
Lmao, I can’t decide if Rachel Ray will be mad like, “I’m not even the woman you’re talking about!” or flattered for 5 seconds like “You guys thought ‘I’ could get Jay-Z away from BEYONCE.”
Ray thinks about it and starts playing ‘Feelin Myself’ on her iPod.
@Sarah(too) – my thoughts exactly!
This is the best gossip since the elevator incident!
–TheRealPinky
Really, this gossip is making me feel dumb. Maybe it’s because I’m pushing 40, and I’m just too old to know so much about this type of stuff. I feel like finishing the Tolstoy book I started a couple of months ago and didn’t complete. I’m embracing the idea that maybe it’s okay to be old and out-of-touch rather than know about this beef or the Amber Rose-Wiz-Kanye beef. I know this is a gossip site, but there’s some gossip even I’m ashamed to know about.
I’m with you WTW! I need to read more. I’m really starting to think that the joke’s on us anyway. Is this BS even true? Or is it all some media plan orchestrated by some PR people that know the public will eat it up? Ugh. My brain is turning to mush.
Might I add that I’m embarrassed for Bey at this point. Airing all her dirty laundry when she’s supposed to be so private. What will Blue Ivy think when she’s old enough to understand? This whole story is just gross. I miss the old Beyonce and her music, the new Rihanna wanna-be version is boring to me.
@MANDYPURR agree 100%!
WTW and Mandypurr: I couldn’t agree more! And calling this Rachel woman (I have never heard of her before) thirsty when Beyonce is Queen Thirst with this approach.
WTW and Mandypurr: I couldn’t agree more! And calling this Rachel woman (I have never heard of her before) thirsty when Beyonce is Queen Thirst with this approach.
I’m not sure what to think about this whole thing. Part of me thinks you shouldn’t air your marriage’s dirty laundry publicly, especially when you have a child.
Then again, cheating is an issue many couples deal with, and many couples make the decision to stay together and work through it. I have never been able to recover in a relationship after cheating. To me, cheating ends a relationship. But I know that’s not true for everyone, and here Bey is setting an example of how she dealt with it through the stages of grief. That’s a positive thing and will surely help other people who are deciding to stay in a relationship and try to heal it.
And I don’t even know who Rachel Roy is but she sure seemed excited to jump on the opportunity to get her name in the press. Thirsty?
I was watching it and thinking “so few artists talk about this anymore”. Especially ones of her level and impact. It was so good to hear about a couple that suffered, came close, and worked to make it to the other side.
Also, I seriously thought it was about Rihanna but what do I know.
Roland Orzabal of Tears for Fears in the mid ’90s wrote an album and on it he addressed being caught cheating on his wife in several of the songs and the aftermath, one literally documenting as he is coming home knowing she knows and facing losing all that he has with her and they had two small boys.
They survived and are inseparable as a couple and have been together for going on 30 years or so married and longer because they were together since they were teens and he’s in his 50s now.
That sounds utterly beautiful, I’ll have to check that out.
@The Eternal Side-Eye, the two songs are” I Choose You”, a piano ballad, where it appears he was off making saying he was working out or something but he didn’t take the shoes, or something clued her in, and it was a long way home to face her, and the love for her and choosing her. Another song called “Secrets,” which is a stunning song in honesty.
The other is Me and My Big Ideas, a duet with the ah-mazing Oleta Adams, which is a wistful and poignant song, “Me and my big ideas won’t wash away your tears,” and about the darkness in his mind leading him to cheat and the damage done to his relationship.
It was off of his ’96 album Raoul & The Kings of Spain. People can come back from infidelity.
Me and My Big Ideas.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SopbB6Txbo
Damn that sounds breathtaking. I love stuff like that, when singers dig deep and get down to the selfishness and insecurity at the heart of the human condition.
What I don’t get is Beyonce putting it out there that she is this empowered (“who run the world?”), militant , woman when she is such a doormat. The only thing that got worked out is that he is still sleeping with a bunch of other women and she lets him.
I believe this is just all PR crap to sell albums. Jay knew what Bey was doing and probably gave the go ahead. This just makes me believe what others have said about their marriage being a business deal. They are a brand.
@V4Real – I agree. I can barely muster any interest in Beyonce because she takes herself so seriously and I find her ‘mysteriousness’ so contrived. It’s harder to fact check someone who selectively shows their life, so she can make up any narrative she wants publicly, whether its accurate of not.
That being said, one of Lainey’s bloggers has a really interesting take on how Beyonce is bringing respect to black women (her words, as a woman of colour, and she used them purposefully). I appreciated the perspective and hope it helps bring forward the issue of fidelity and men staying active in their family’s lives in the black community if it as much of an issue as it has been represented (I’m speaking from a middle class anglo person in a middle class anglo community, so I want to be cautious not to stereotype).
They always say follow the money. Who’s making the money? Jay-Z. She’s not putting him on blast, she’s lining his/their pockets.
I felt the same way. Not really sure what to think except this. If my husband cheats it will be he that I go after & not mean girl his trollop. He’s the adulterer. He broke his promises.
But this? It’s about money
Nah, I don’t think Rachel Roy is that *dumb.* IMO, it was one of two things:
1) Marketing Conspiracy: The whole Twitter thing was planned, to the point where Jay and Bey may have even asked RR to do it.
2) Rachel Roy was simply snapping back about the “Good Hair” comment on a broader scale.
The more I think about it, the more I think RR isn’t *Becky.* For many of us, Lemonade was about a LOT MORE than some stupid cheating scandal (I was a little annoyed that the patina of the cheating scandal was added….but hey, not my art; not my choice…), and yeah, the good hair thing may have stung RR on a more macro level and she snapped back.
Nah, Roy has done it before. She tweeted about ‘Beach is Better’ after the elevator video leaked which is one of Jay’s songs and Beyoncé afterwards wore an Aaliyah shirt. Aaliyah the woman who Dame Dash was sleeping with while being with Roy.
Also during Lemonade, Kim K (who is best friends with Rachel) was trying to grab the attention by posting sexual pictures, like she didn’t even caption some.
If Roy didn’t post what she posted, it would have gone unnoticed but all the history and ‘coincidences’ with lyrics and friends trying to steal the attention, they were definitely SHOOK. Roy tried to play it off when the Beyhive stung but she caused the drama and wasn’t ready for the clapback. Beyoncé nor Jay never named names or a reason behind their marital woes, Roy should’ve not said one word and nobody would’ve known.
I thought it was the other way around, that Dash was sleeping with Roy when he was publicly with Aaliyah?
This is all so stupid for grown adults to act. Planning on wearing a shirt to “get back” at someone via the media?
How about you blame your husband and find out why he keeps cheating all through your marriage because I find it hard to believe he only cheated with Rachel and thats it. You married a thug, and wanted to rise to super fame with him/because of him so please, she will never divorce him unless it will make her even more rich and famous.
This is a money grab and people are falling for it, getting all upset ( I am going to say nasty things on Rachels twitter, then I am going after her kids — which is VERY low to me).
They all need to grow up, and people need to stop falling for all this media crap celebs dole out for — fame and money.
People really need to get off that misogynistic “he made her” tip. She was barely out of her teens when she got with him and her connection to a rapper with a drug dealing past could have destroyed her pop star image. Getting with him was huge career gamble and still she hid that relationship for years. She never confirmed they were couple and besides the collaborations together there was no photo evidence they were together. Until Blue Ivy was born they were extremely careful to keep their brands separate, the day she actually thanked him during an awards speech by name was a huge milestone for them.
Beyonce was always going to be a mega star. Her fans didnt glom onto her because of Jay Z.
Thank you Artemis/ this keeps being alluded to but I didn’t understand the history or the Kim thing
Yeah this was weird. No one was thinking about RR. Bey fans were caught up in the million things to love about the new album and suddenly this chick is getting coy and shady on IG. I remember she did that previously with the Beach song too. It’s puzzling. Who wants to out themselves as the side chick? ? Anyway it was silly and detracts from a great album so in the words of Bey: dust to side chicks. Gurl bye.
I am 50% sure this is true to life and 50% sure this is completely (or mostly) made up to sell the music and art.
Beyonce knows that people want to be in deep with celebrities personal lives and she knows how to sell it so maybe she created (or let her fans and the outside world create) this narrative of cheating in a marriage and her as the cheat-ee and is making BANK off of it with everyone involved on board, knowing they’re a part of this larger artistic statement about relationships, forgiveness, strength, etc.
sidenote: I have yet to sit down and watch the whole thing. I’m a fan of Beyonce (and I still think she’s sometimes full of sh*t and lives in her own perfect bubble, but damn is that woman an hustler, hard-worker and real artist with stuff to say and things to share) so I need to really carve out the perfect hour of my day to absorb all that is Lemonade.
THIS.
No Artemis, Roy was sleeping around with Dash while he was engaged to Aaliyah. And just like @missmerry, I think Beyoncé did some major embellishments. Here’s what Wendy Williams said caused the elevator beatdown, Solange saw her former friend, basically family, and Jay flirting, mainly on Rachel’s part. And she told her to back it up, and Jay smart-mouthed her(solange) which gave the impression he was into it and that was why she went HAM on his ass in the elevator. After Wendy said this, Rachel posted the beach is better lyrics which basically nobody took notice of. Then this happened. She wasn’t mentioned but she found a way to insert herself in the equation. I repeat, she had it coming especially as this is your friend’s husband you were creeping with. I would feel worse if my husband flirted with my friend as opposed to a complete stranger who I don’t know. Based on her history with taken men, never ever have I seen someone so eager to be the side chick. I know Dame Dash is broke and isn’t paying child support and business is probably not good.
@MME I thought that was the case – when Aaliyah died Dash was publicly front and center as her boyfriend, with nary a mention of Roy.
I’m confused- do you mind explaining to me why “good hair” would sting Rachel? Is it because rachel doesn’t have the body ? I don’t get it..
@Fiorella — The term *Good hair* explained, from wikipedia:
Good hair is a colloquial phrase used within the African-American community to generally describe African-American hair (or the hair texture belonging to those of other ethnicities who fit the same description) that most closely resembles the hair of non-Black people (straight or curly), especially those images of hair popularly presented in society, and as contrasted with the appearance of natural Afro-textured hair.
Its usage has such a potent history within the African-American community that Chris Rock created a documentary entitled Good Hair, which made a wider audience more aware of the importance of the term within the Black community. Its circulation within the Black community in North America has an unspecified origin, predating Rock’s documentary. Depending on the context, “good hair” can connote and evoke both communal laughter and pain. Therefore, the phrase requires a more nuanced explanation for its complicated usages.
Also, I think Bey is doing a bit of a throw-back with “Becky,” as in “OMG, Becky, look at her big butt.” (Sir Mix-a-Lot)
@circleitnow: That was my first thought too.
I mean everyone here is pathetic. Beyoncé you are wasting your gloriousness on a man that treats you like dirt? RR you are instigating the beehive to what end?? And where is Jay-Z probably somewhere with yet another side chick.
This. 100% this. I cannot believe we are talking about the potential other woman and not the scumbag husband cheating on his wife. Beyonce loses points with me by even mentioning the other women – the blame is on her husband. Not the other woman or women.
Completely agree!
Not to mention how pathetic so many of Beyonce’s fans are. Who gives a crap about Rachel Roy? She’s an idiot. I care more about all the harassment they’re giving Rachael Ray. It’s disgusting what her fans are writing on her Instagram. They should all be ashamed of themselves, and maybe learn to read usernames.
These Beehives fans or with name they go by, exhale. If B is with him, then its done, if he’s gonna cheat, guess what, hell cheat no matter what,who or how he wants too.let’s not pretend that he won’t ever do it again. Funny that while this album is now, her tour with him was all lovey dovey, so what happened between then n now, he cheated again? Blaming the othergirl is so childish, a dozen girls can throw tthemselves at our man, its up to him to say no. This chick does not have a magic hoohaa, the cheater is too blame unless the side piece is a friend or family member, keep her out of it. And if our gonna do an album on jayz effing up,forgiving him, its not empowering, its another woman taking back a serial cheater.
You missed the point. Beyonce created an album as part of her healing. She not only named no names, she also did not confirm it was entirely autobiographical. In fact until this thirsty woman popped her head into the mix, I was sure that Beyonce wouldnt put out an album inspired by real life events AND somehow convince a proud hiphop artist like Jay Z to appear in the videos.
This Rachel person who we now know had inserted herself into another womans marriage then decided to insert herself into the wifes healing process who, just to reiterate, had not confirmed the album to be autobiographical or given clues as to the mistresses identity. We were pissed when Leann pulled similar unapologetic bullshit even though the marriage between Eddie and Brandi was over. Why wouldnt we be more pissed when the couple in this case are working it out?
Thank you.
I remember when music didn’t need to be purely autobiographical and tbh I don’t really give a damn if Jay Z cheated or didn’t. It’s not my marriage or my bed at night. The only thing that interests me is the music that comes out of it and if it’s any good then hell yeah share that! I don’t care whether they’re kissy kissy in public or private.
As for Rachel, like my mother used to say “Some people don’t like to sleep at night.” The only person you can control in life is yourself and she reached into a viper pit for no reason.
The “hive” still needs to find their sanity because threatening a woman and her child is wrong! And really this has nothing to do with them. People need to get a grip.
Beyoncé’s dad cheated on her mom. Her mom later married and is reportedly very happy in her second marriage. Her dad continues to behave questionably. It is entirely possible that this is Beyoncé’s way of processing her parents’ breakup.
I haven’t watched it yet, but reading those words, I really want to now! She is pulling no more punches. I like this bold Beyonce.
I’m loving this new Beyonce, bitch got balls, bigger ones than I’d ever have! I admire her so much for airing this. I don’t blame Bee for standing by her man, he’s her baby daddy, you don’t just rip a family apart. I’m not saying Jay Z by any means is excused or perfect, but it takes a strong woman to put up with $_it. Her music is on fire now, there’s a raw honesty that I love. Rachel/Becky the good hair instagram comment, she looks like a dimwit popular girl at school who finally loses her power and people turn against her. That picture of her in the car with her little friend doing the selfie with the good hair, ‘gag me with a spoon’.
She was publicly taunting the wife, I mean that is generally enough to get you dragged as Leann Rimes can testify and before she outed herself people were focused on Jay Z. She deserves to reap the whirl wind for inserting herself.
To borrow from the immortal words of Nene Leakes, close your legs to married men ya thirsty heifer.
Cause the man can’t help himself if her legs are open?
Let’s start placing the blame where it belongs, shall we? On the married half of the equation.
Why can’t we blame both? Genuine question.
I know the women tend to get more grief and I don’t approve of that, but I’ve never been able to bring myself to respect a woman or man who knowingly cheats and then suffers consequences whatever they may be.
It’s a measure of basic human decency which the person failed at. Put bad karma out into the world, get bad karma back.
The blame belongs to both of them. Jay Z was trending on twitter immediately after the special because he was getting dragged. Then this cow decided to out herself because she was thirsty for attention
If you sleep with married men you should get dragged by the weave right back to hell. As should the guy. We are focused on Rachel because she decided to mock the injured party which is unacceptable by any standards of human decency.
“close your legs to married men ya thirsty heifer.”
LOL okay I just had to comment that line is really, really funny! hahahahaha
Wendy will be happy. Her commentary on this incident, specifically naming RR got her show plenty of attention.
‘Cause Wendy was the only one really speculating about it and putting the pieces together. The Daily Beast even wrote about her talking about it. And they’ve got a few more articles up now about this mess. I didn’t know Rachel Roy from a hole in the wall pre-yesterday and ubiquitous Internet social media. She could’ve stayed anonymous, but she outed herself and is reaping what she sowed. Sowed be it.
–TheRealPinky
Sowed be it? Fortunately, I like bad puns on a Monday.
Rachel knew what she was doing. I don’t know why practically announcing that you had an affair she’s was shocked at being attacked.
i can’t imagine why either of them want him
AMEN!
Isn’t it a Baby Got Back reference?
Not at all. Lol.
@embertine Lol that’s the first thing I thought too.
“Oh, my, God Becky, look at her butt
It is so big, she looks like
One of those rap guys’ girlfriends.
But, ya know, who understands those rap guys?
They only talk to her, because,
She looks like a total prostitute, ‘kay?
I mean, her butt, is just so big
I can’t believe it’s just so round, it’s like out there
I mean gross, look
She’s just so, black”
It is. It’s code for white girl.
I haven’t watched Lemonade so I have been putting things together with youtube, Kaiser’s reports, and the comments here. I am a little confused by the whole thing. My understanding is that Beyonce’s new album, Lemonade, has dropped on Tidal (I still ain’t subscribing). Beyonce released a mini movie/vignettes of the songs, and through the whole thing Beyonce lets it all out about her marriage, her political views, her feelings towards her family, etc. What I am most confused about, though, is the stuff with Jay Z. Basically, she is saying that she isn’t going to leave him, but she knows, and he knows she knows? Is that correct? What confuses me though is that Jay Z is a control freak too, not just Beyonce. So isn’t it reasonable to believe that he has had a say in all of this. Do some think that she told him, Look, I am going to do it this way and if you try to stop me, I am going to divorce your ass and things will be told a whole lot differently?
I’m wondering if the infidelity stuff isn’t all about Jay though….could some of it be about her father & mother?
perhaps, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it was both.
I thought that too. I don’t really think it’s about Jay heating on her. I thinks it’s about the journey of a wife going from anger for her husband cheating to forgiveness. The fact that it’s exclusively on Tidal means she and Jay are profiting significantly from this. I honestly think they’re both trolling us.
Here’s what I got watching Lemonade with one eye to my tiny phone screen while dealing with a toddler (i.e. many many pauses):
B suspects Jay is cheating
B confirms it and is pissed
Nobody is more put on than a black woman
B leaves him and takes Blue Ivy
Jay calls her crying
Jay “shows her his scars” (ummm…I think this is some sort of emotionally honest moment)
They make up, she chooses love
Formation, women
May have missed a few plot points there
I love the Jack White song, Sorry song, baseball bat song and the daddy/shoot song. That was a great album.
Yeah, I have never bought a whole Beyonce album before but I think I may get this one (I still buy CDs).
Lemonade is on I Tunes
Here is my take. She basically threatened to leave him, but he begged her to stay. She agreed to stay on one condition, that she gets to process his betrayal in whatever way she needed to and he was going to have to suck it up. So her exposing what he did and going through all of the stages in the process of healing is what this album is about. This was her therapy and his penance. I also think that what she ultimately says is that in the larger context, her problems are nothing compared to those of mothers who have had their children murdered (all the moms of the boys killed by cops in her video).
Very interesting…
Okay-that makes sense. I was wondering how in the world he was okay with her putting it out there.
Maybe.
@HappyMom I am assuming a lot. But if he wanted to keep his family, he did not have much choice and might later regret it. Oh well. Should have kept it in his pants.
Beyonce’s Lemonade is a wonderful expression of art, she took all the shit life served her and she put it in her creation.
We all feel enraged, hurt or betrayed but we don’t all have the skills to put everything into songs or movies or poems. But when someone is this gifted, it’s wonderful.
I don’t see the point of Beyonce engaging in any of this real life drama. She obviously sees and feels it all, she memorizes everything and then lets it all out on her timeline, the way she wants it.
Beyonce’s form of expressing anger in these songs is better than Solange’s kicking and screaming. It’s also a lot more powerful.
Same and tbh while I was a little tickled by the drama of Rachel and Becky I’d be sad if a musical expression of the struggle of not just Beyonce but women as a whole, black women as a whole, gets ignored in favor of figuring out who the unimportant woman is.
This can work as her story or a metaphor and the ugliness of others trying to steal the spotlight on that is pitiful.
Exactly, That is delicious sweet tea and all ( BTW lovelymissjj in Twitter is setting up a shit storm saying for Months before this cd that it was and been Rita Ora) But this was an extremely profound ass sh!t she delivered to Black women at large and to the Black Experience, the New Yorker round Table said this is a love letter to Black women and that truly is what it felt like and I say this as someone that before this cd and Untitled would Grudgingly give her “She has a good Voice but I hate her corny Music ” This is A LOT of levels to unpack, if she does NOTHING else this is what lands her in the pantheon of the greats ( if you really wanted to discount everything else in her output
My thoughts exactly. Say what you will but Beyonce is an incredibly talented, disciplined and hard working artist. She put it out there as part of HER healing process, that’s what artists do. At the same time, it’s completely relatable to anyone who has struggled with infidelity from a partner they deeply care about. Just because it’s commercially successful doesn’t make it any less impactful. Loved every minute of it and I’m not normally part of the Beyhive.
I think it’s wonderful. I gotta tell you though, it’s pissing me off to read critique and commentary on it. So much misogyny.
Like, for instance, over on hiphopheads on reddit, those a-holes who never shut the F up about Kanye and what a genius he is, they full on have their head up his a$$…all his producers, all his features, all his ghostwriters…they’ll defend all that up and down, even straight out saying that most of their fave moments/lyrics aren’t even his, but still calling him genius because in their minds, it takes genius to pull all that together and to know which writers, rappers to bring on, but then they are dissecting the hell out of Beyonce’s writers and producers and calling her talentless for having the same level of collaboration, and honestly, less collaboration.
I’m sure these are the same twats who will argue that women can’t be funny.
+1. It was definitely interesting, and not the same-old same-old that we’re used to seeing from most pop stars.
Thanks for covering this, Kaiser.
RR is not Becky but she’s definitely THIRSTY (She’s BFF with Kim Kardashian and Chrissy Teigen, people).
In my blackity black neighborhood, Becky with the good hair is a throwaway term for that woman( mainly white) black men tend to leave their wives for when they feel they’ve made it. You know how they grind with black woman and then when they become successful, find a trophy (white) model, that’s Becky. Becky always have good hair.
2) This isn’t the first time that Rachel Roy have thrown shade at Bey over this. After Solange whooped Jay’s ass in the elevator and Wendy Williams theorized that it was over Rachel, she threw one of those “I’m the side chick” shade on Beyoncé on Instagram using Jayz’s Beach is Better Lyrics. her page is private now and I can’t see it anymore.
3) I think she deserves to be dragged and to be honest, I wouldn’t call it bullying. I’m sorry I won’t. Beyoncé put out an album basically airing her husband out, not once did she go after you, she took it all out on her husband and father and you were thirsty enough to want some attention at that moment when it’s possibly not even about you. She had it coming. Maybe her line is not doing so well but she really asked for it.
I know Jayz is the one that took the vows( and boy did the beyhive drag him properly for it. His mentions is a mess right now and his friends are asking the last time anyone saw him alive) But let’s not act like the side chick is also not culpable especially since she was friends with Beyoncé and Solange till shortly before the elevator beat down. You don’t brag about being a side chick especially when you were basically family with the man’s wife, so she should just take her L in peace nd not talk about being bullied.
And let’s not forget how Kim wasn’t posting very intimate pictures of her and Kanye immediately Lemonade started airing. Thirsty Bunch
Agreed with every single world you said!
Rachel wanted this attention, now she got it. No one was even looking at her.
Similarly with Kim Kardashian who started posting pics at 8:59 but the clapbacks to her on Twitter were good enough to remind her of her value to society.
Those Kim K pictures were so sad and desperate!
So airing your dirty laundry for profit isn’t thirsty either? Come on that is bullshit. Beyoncé is selling an album and using personal videos to do it. Most people work their relationship issues in private or with therapists. She has been super private about most things but suddenly airs it out in an album that happens to be exclusive to Tidal where Jay Z gets to profit?
All of them are thirsty. They all want fame and attention and just because Beyoncé may be a better singer than the other two doesn’t mean she isn’t as thirsty for fame as the other two.
Most people work their relationship issues in private? Have you listened to pop music in the last 50 years? All song writers do this, it is par for the course.
And yes, they want fame and attention. Again, this is what musicians etc. do. Isn’t that why were reading this blog?
I don’t see it that way. Just like I don’t see Tori Amos singing about her rape as selling rape for profit. Artists use their art to process and heal. It is powerful and raw, which is why we feel she is stronger for it.
THANK YOU MINE this is Generic Bland White, Many would call her biffle Gwynneth A Becky, for example
also This is how you know Rachael Roy is a BIRD ASS BIRD Cause let’s say it was about her, which I dont even think it was, YOU COULDNT TAKE YOUR L QUIETLY WITH YOUR HEAD DOWN LIKE A NORMAL SIDE PIECE?!?!? you HAD just HAD to start with the Sh!ts on the ‘gram and then once people got you entirely out the paint you want to feel a way about it??! Dear Heart NO ONE sent for you!
“BIRD ASS BIRD” 😂
QQ I live for when you go off, too much truth comes out.
I’ve never understood the goals and dreams of a side piece but if that’s the career path you’ve chosen then you need to take a refresher coarse on “Keep that shit quiet” because right here? This isn’t the old days when you had to wait for someone to die, their kids find their old private love letters and a tell-all book gets written ten years after the fact.
Nope! Things happen live and in living color immediately. I’ll be praying for her mentions for the next…month or so.
How will Rachel have Good Hair when all her Edges are gone, pray tell, Eternal??
BIRD ASS BIRD is now my new favorite insult.
I don’t understand Rachel Roy. No one deserves death threats. BUT! Even if she’s in this for the PR, she HAD to know what level sh!tstorm was heading her way when she inserted herself into the conversation like this – and it WAS deliberate on her part. What kind of moron puts herself in that line of fire on purpose. SMDH
Yeah it seemed like she wanted attention because…frankly I’ve never heard “Becky” used to mean just any non-white woman, it means a white woman specifically. So nobody but nobody would be thinking it was Rachel Roy unless she drew attention to herself. SMH
She “had it coming”, “really asked for it”, and deserves what she got? How sad that you really believe that she deserved death threats. Wow.
Beyonce’s lunatic fans have been bombarding Roy’s teenage daughter with hate and rape/death threats since Roy made her account private. It’s seriously about time Beyonce spoke up and told her fans they’re terrible people. They do this kind of thing all the time, often to young black women, and she implicitly condones it by never speaking up and telling them she doesn’t want this vileness done in her name.
+1
She has spoken up before and told them to stop, it didn’t work.
So what should she do now as a single person unable to control millions of other people?
Keep saying it. Say it everyday if you have to (she’d be far from the first to have to do this). Keep re-iterating that anyone behaving in this way disgusts her and is not a fan. Block them from her own social media. Support the completely innocent, non-famous people who get death threats for making innocuous comments about not loving her latest song.
Most other pop stars at her level actually talk to fans on social media, and jump in when things go too far. It doesn’t stop all abuse, but it stops a lot of it. What you’re left with is the actually insane fans, and the non-fans who just like any excuse to troll. When people start getting death threats it’s a lot easier for authorities to deal with when it’s just a few hundred crazies vs. a few hundred crazies mixed in with tens of thousands of Beyonce fans who think they’re being good fans by ‘defending’ her.
“Most other pop stars at her level actually talk to fans on social media, and jump in when things go too far. It doesn’t stop all abuse, but it stops a lot of it.”
Which pop stars? Because I can’t think of an example like that of a celebrity stopping an online fight between people from any of her contemporaries. Beyonce doesn’t respond to ANYONE on social media but she does say it during interviews when the topic comes up.
Tbh, I don’t blame her for what her fans do. Her telling them to stop won’t do a thing to change it either (look at the lunacy that is the One Direction fanbase). When you see people that obsessed it’s no longer even about the specific celebrity, her normal fans don’t take it to that level, just a very vocal minority.
Any other celeb would get DRAGGED on this site if they didn’t issue a statement telling their fans to back off a child. Why should Beyonce get a pass now? Imagine if another celeb’s fan base started attacking Blue Ivy online and they decided to stay quiet the entire time. The amount of outrage that would ensue would be astronomical.
Sorry but Beyonce is not getting a pass from me. She needs to tell her rabid fans to back off of a child before something horrible happens.
Oh that’s awful. I don’t think anyone should ever be threatened, and it’s gross if people are dragging an innocent kid into this mess. And especially said since RR jumped into it herself and caused a lot of this attention.
I really respect it when these people call their rabid fans and other people out on online misogyny, threats, and other shitty behavior. I never will get these crazy stans who think they’re doing their female celeb faves some Great Act of Loyalty as a fan by flinging misogyny and threats at other people. You assume most of them have to be 9-17-year-olds, but (scarily) many of them are adults too. It’s disgusting that people are threatening RR and her kids over this. But I don’t expect Beyoncé or any other celebrity or politician to jump in every time their supporters decide to resort to hate and online threats either. It’s just too big of a problem. It would be nice if Beyoncé spoke about it again, but I doubt it would have strong enough effects. It’s not like this is just one or two friends or relatives of Beyoncé’s doing this on twitter or instagram. That, I think she could put a stop to. And remember, not everyone attacking Rachel online over this is a Beyoncé stan either. Some of the misogyny will be from people who regularly spend their time online saying these kinds of things about women who have affairs/ do anything else they see as a wrong sexual thing anyway. A lot of those kinds of people spend time on celebrity gossip sites and places like twitter/instagram.
If you hate Tidal and don’t want to get it there, it’s out on iTunes now. It’s a beautiful album and the critics already loved it. Considering they gave her an 84 on meta critic ( Tied with Mariah Carey for the highest rated pop album) I’m sure this one will score higher. It’s already climbing on iTunes as we speak
THANK YOU!!!! Have been waiting for it become available on iTunes forevah! (or at least it felt like it)
I downloaded Tidal today and haven’t had time to look at it closely but my first impression was its surprisingly good? Like a good app.
Ok, something I was thinking about: after Trayvon Martin/Mike Brown, I kept thinking there is going to be a second Civil Rights movement with a Malcolm X figure. And you have all these powerful black entertainers now–surely one of them can pull it off. I was thinking Jay Z, and then maybe Kanye with Yeezus. And Black Skinhead seemed to be it–the song that could be a movement. But idk, his misogyny. It’s just so unimaginative. I’m not into it at all. It’s holding him back from being a social icon.
So listening to Lemonade, I thought: I think Beyoncé is it. I mean, she has put an anthem album together for black women. There is a movement that’s emerged from all of the police brutality but it’s almost less about civil rights and more about feminism. Someday when I have time, I need to sit and think through all of this.
When you do finish thinking about it please do share! It sounds intriguing.
Tidal is actually a great site and has a great app for it. I joined it for the free trial but decided to stay on. I don’t know if it’s just in my mind, but the sound is great on Tidal and seems better than Spotify.
Agreed.
I did the trial for this and I’m actually liking it more than Spotify. I don’t pay for Spotify but I might keep Tidal. We’ll see.
Actually Tidal’s main selling point is that they have the best quality sound of any streaming service. A girlfriend of mine subscribes and she let me use her account to listen and I was impressed too…might sign up
I guess if she wants to be known as the Becky, whatever makes her happy. She’s not white though.
Isn’t Becky what other races refer to white women as? I’m pretty sure ive read that on urban sites, not to mention my non white friends use this term as well.
I just googled this, seems to be true.
Isn’t Becky a derogatory term- offensive, like someone saying “Ray Ray and shaniqua” (that’s what the shorthand on urban sites usually is)? If so, why is this ok to freely say by her? Would we all be as comfortable about a white artist saying Maria about any Latina (as is also done on urban sites)? It doesn’t sit well with me.
I agree! It’s a rude term! I believe the impression is that white people are unaware of this. For that reason alone, I will not listen to her new music. To me this is a new modern day slur.
Don’t worry Bey, I’m sure Jay doesn’t discriminate & cheats with a variety of women & races. But they aren’t mentioned lol
Also why can see walk around in full-on traditional-looking Native American garb?
Is she part native?
Is that appropriation?
It wasn’t even stuff that looked somewhat like Native American dress, it seemed to be one of those pieces that Native American’s wear to dance.
Me either. Seems pretty racist. But of course no one will call her out on THAT.
Yeah I find it derogatory
PinaColada: Yep. I commented on that early this morning. A Becky in the urban dictionary anyway is a white girl who prefers a certain type of sex act. I found this to be offensive. She can drink her lemonade, she’s very thirsty.
I don’t think it’s comparable simply because “Becky” is directed at a group in power, whereas racial slurs directed at blacks are degrading a marginalized group. More importantly, I think it was intended in a broader context – “whiter” women who are held as a beauty standard over black women, and the underlying racial betrayal that is inevitably felt when a black partner cheats with a lighter skinned partner.
Veronica: A Becky is a specific name for a white woman who does a specific act on a man. I have no idea to whom she was speaking, nor do I care, but I do think she was quite aware only a certain element of those listening would realize what a Becky was. Not cool Beyoncé.
Honestly this whole entire thread makes me laugh. Like could you blow your dog whistles any louder 😂
Nancy –
I’m aware it’s associated with blowjobs. It is also associated with lighter skinned women, particularly white women. Of course it has sexual undertones. The point that I’m emphasizing is that it’s an indictment of the underlying racial implications of infidelity in black men with lighter skinned partners. It’s not just a betrayal of a woman by a man, it’s the betrayal of a BLACK woman by a man with a partner who represents a beauty ideal by which black women are degraded or made to feel inferior. I don’t know how I can further get this across to you. This is not some pointed attack on whites but against the dominant white culture and internalized racism that forcefully politicizes black relationships in the social context. White women don’t have a “Becky” because their identity isn’t tied to a whole host of racial constructs. Our betrayals get to be betrayals of us as individuals. Black women don’t necessarily have that privilege.
I’m a Becky, and I have good hair 😜
I’m not white, I’m Latin American…..I had No idea that my name was in urban dictionary and associated with a sex act! Oh my!!!
You guys may want to do a little research into the “Native garb” you think she was wearing . Please check out the Mardi Gras Indian costumes. Beyonce’s mom is from Louisiana, and so much of the video was weaved from that area.
I don’t get why Beyonce or anyone would put this stuff in a song. She and Jay have a daughter that will learn if this one day. I find it all a bit much. Especially if it is true and you have made the choice to stay with the man. Why go this route and let the world know about it and influence how your daughter will view her father one day; as well as the outside world that you just invited into your marriage.
This is what my friend said too. But I disagreed because first, it’s already all out there in the news. I mean, there will be a video of solange beating Jay in an elevator for their daughter to see.
Second, artists have been making art from their life experiences since forever. What else are you supposed to mine for emotional content?
Third, Taylor swift does this all the time. And she does takedown songs. Beyoncé at least used some subtlety so there was a question as to whether she was talking about her spouse or her father. And she put it in this lush unified concept album that has larger themes to impart— unlike Swifty’s work, which simply reads as petty and flat like her voice.
And in the end, she’s just one in a long long line of singers singing about their marital woes. You might not know now who was singing about what in 1955 but it was probably pretty scandalous then.
I really just like seeing a woman take control of the narrative around her. Women have always had to grin and bear it. I know Beyoncé doesn’t, but she speaks for a lot of women who have.
Because different people have different ways of expressing themselves and artists are the last people to keep everything bottled up and buried.
Furthermore I find it kinda funny you’re worried Blue Ivy will find out ‘one day’ when she lives with them, she’s their daughter, she likely knows more about their marriage now in a childish way than that album could contain and we’ll ever know.
Celebrity life is different and personally I applaud her for singing about some real shit, don’t even care what’s going on in her personal life, this anthem can effect so many women who’ve experienced these struggles.
Their daughter already knows something happened with mommy and daddy. Kids, even sheltered ones, sense when there are problems. This gives their daughter the answers, the healing and the closure. I think this is a wonderful thing for a grown Blue Ivy to have from her parents. It is honest and real.
Versus what the kid sees suggested in media on a regular basis? I think it’s inevitable that a celebrity’s child is going to see less flattering facets of their parents than most of us will at a younger age. I can understand why a parent might decide that controlling the message was better than just letting it remain ambiguous.
It’s kind of funny how most of the Blue Ivy criticism is about “What will Blue Ivy think when she’s older and finds out from Mommy’s art that Daddy (and Gramps) cheated” and not “what will Blue Ivy think when she finds out from Daddy’s own behavior (which has been both documented and probably dramatized by the tabloids and gossip sites. Blue Ivy will have easy access to what everybody has said about her parents once she either reaches the age where she’s regularly on the internet, or once kids at school bring it up to her). And that’s if we’re taking the angle that the cheating story in Lemonade is about Jay Z cheating specifically (which isn’t hard to believe, but it didn’t seem to just be about him). To me, the fact that Blue Ivy will learn about Daddy’s proclivities is on Jay Z. I’ve always disagreed with the idea that artists and performers should be expected to not share ‘too much’ in videos, music, photoshoots, and performances for the sake of what their kids will think at 12 or 13, just like I don’t agree artists should be expected hold back because of what their parents may or may not think. And as far as the affair goes, how many of us actually stopped loving a parent or grandparent because we found out about an affair? Do you think it’s better for families to just not express these things?
Honestly if there is anyone who knows how do a album roll spectacle its Beyonce.. Let’s hope all this loud out there amount to huge Adele type sells numbers
To me, it’s very hypocritical to go to RR ig, vandalize it and then subscribe to tidal and fill JZ with billions of dollars. This dude will always be shadier than any side piece and probably RR wasn’t the only one he has cheated with. Come to think of it, it’s kind of unfair to let people go after one easy target, although I think Rachel should have given a second thought before replying in such a desatruous way.
you nailed it with this comment. AMEN
Not a Beyonce fan, but I saw a bit of Lemonade and was well done. However, the release of Lemonade strentghens my opinion that Their marriage is a business arrangement.
Well, I don’t know if it was really unfortunate timing, or if it was on purpose, but in that world, anything is possible.
Beyoncé didn’t name names, she aired our her OWN dirty laundry and shows us that she dealt with it, with her husband, and not with *Becky*. And I wholeheartedly agree with this. If the guy cheats, go sort it out with him, not with the girl. IF you give her that much attention, chances are she’s going to try harder to wreck your marriage/relationship because she’ll know she mattered.
The fact that she was friends with the family makes it even worse, but still.
Good hair Becky. Just no. Fail fail fail.
I’m so disappointed in Rachel Roy. First, to cheat with a married man is so selfish and stupid. Of course, the man is the one who is breaking his vows, but I just can’t stand women who justify their part in it somehow. But to mock Beyoncé’s pain that way is beyond cruel. I thought she was nice, but I have lost all respect for her.
Am I the only one who took her IG post not as mocking Beyoncé, but as mocking her fan base who assume that Becky with the good hair is Roy?
Even if we assume that Rachel Roy messed around with Jay Z (which I’m not convinced of), I seriously doubt she’d be dumb enough willfully engage with the most venomous fan base alive.
Then again, I’m not at all invested in this story so maybe I’m completely off-base in my thinking.
Could be, I suppose. When she said “good hair don’t care,” I assumed she was admitting it was her, but I tend to take things very literally and sometimes miss nuances of what people are actually saying.
Apparently she’s done it before referencing herself as a side piece with lyrics to Jay Z’s song.
I’m with you GNAT. I have shoes and some earrings from Roy and while I didn’t know her I had a general respect for her but what a tacky way to live life. Just waiting for a few moments here and there to proudly proclaim you were the other woman while your name has never been uttered by a single person in Beyonce’s camp (and we all know she could have gone the full Taylor Swift route).
No one was thinking about Roy until she outed herself. I don’t think the song was about her as I doubt she was Jay’s only side piece but she was anxious for attention. This isn’t the first time she’s tried get attention on social media be referring to their lyrics. She WANTS this out there and now that it is she wants to play the victim. Two years later and she’s still bitter about Solange thwarting her efforts to get closer to Jay. That’s a lot of resentment to carry around.
This was my take too, Kitten. I’m not sure any of it is true vs. constructed for PR etc.
If she did, she picked an awfully ambiguous and foolish way to state it. Beyond that, it was pretty ridiculous for her to turn the conversation in her direction rather than letting people interpret the work by itself – which is a shame because there’s a lot of thought-provoking stuff about the black female experience in there.
I don’t know. Not thrilled with the term “Becky.”
My theory: it’s either Rachel and or Rita Ora.
There are way too many photos of Rita looking TOO CLOSE for comfort with Jay Z, so close that it can’t be characterized as a friendship or a business relationship. No one hugs their friends the way Rita hugged Jay.. Then there are photos of Jay, Bey, and Rita that are tense as hell..
Messsyyyy.
EDIT: Plus the picture of the lemon bra thing that Rita was wearing COULD have possibly been shade, but she deleted it.
You know, if Roy wouldn’t have said anything I would have just assumed she was talking about RiRi.
And no, I think Jay deserved had his ass served like that because it’s always easier to roll up women and then get away with it. He messed up, now it’s fair to eat it in a very public way. And if they are raising the girl to be open minded and forgiving, she’ll understand that people do make mistakes, and it’s possible to see some light after the storm.
This! People keep saying that everyone is attacking RR, but giving Jay a pass, when the opposite is true. This is his penance and boy, he has to take it like a big boy. She did not name the woman, because it is not about the woman. It is about her marriage and what her husband did. It was RR who made it about herself. Plus, she was so glib!! Yeah, I am not for bullying and certainly not of anyone’s children. But RR wanted attention and now she gets to deal with it.
All three are terrible. Jay Z for being a cheater, Beyoncé for making it more public, and Rachel Roy for stoking the fire. I feel bad for their children. Roy’s daughter is getting a lot of hate right now on social media and that is not acceptable regardless of what her mother may have done.
Agree about Rachel’s daughter – that’s terrible. But I disagree about Beyoncé. First of all, she’s an artist, and I think that this was healing for her. If it causes him embarrassment, too bad. My first husband cheated on me and I left him, but if I had stayed, he would have had to walk through whatever fire I lit around him with his big mouth shut. I think that’s a good lesson for Blue Ivy. Better than Beyoncé being the good little wife who just takes it. If you cheat, there will be consequences. Serious consequences. I might forgive you if you are sincerely sorry (my husband wasn’t) but you will have to do whatever it takes to make me ok. This is your fault, and I will talk about it as long as I need to to whomever I need to and you will keep saying you’re sorry until I don’t need to hear it anymore or there’s the door.
Sorry to hear about your first marriage GNAT, but good for you for getting out. ITA with you the lesson Blue Ivy will take from this. She’ll learn forgiveness, but also self worth. Beyoncé stayed because her mother did, but Bey made JayZ grovel and work to regain her love and trust. He had to make some changes to get her back and in the meantime, she threw that middle finger in the air and said deuces. She stopped being silent.
completely agree @GNAT, and you know what, Being a musician is mainly a form of expression. If she doesn’t use her artistry to express herself, her emotions and her experiences in Life, how else can she do it? By being quiet?
But she is the good little wife who just takes it. He’s cheated on her since day one, he has kids with other women and sketchily dead girlfriends all over the place. His lyrics are vile and his treatment of women is vile. Frankly the actual cheating is the least problematic thing he’s done. She’s still completely ignoring the worst parts of him.
Talking a good game about how you’ll leave is entirely worthless if you won’t actually leave. Any woman with a hint of self respect wouldn’t have ever married a man with his history in the first place. The stories of how he and his entourage treated video girls would make your blood curdle, but she’ll grind with him on stage while he sexualises her idol’s abuse…neither of them have any good lessons for their daughter.
GNAT: Your first husband didn’t deserve the time of day. But now you have your forever man. Sorry you had to endure the worst to get to the best. In 48 hours your test will be over. Yay!
Agree again GNAT.
Agree @Pepper.
Wait she’s terrible for making it more public??
I’m glad you found a way to blame the wife for something her husband did.
Last I checked Rachel was the one who brought the thunder on her head and that in turn directed it to her daughter. It’s not right that the daughter is getting the comments she did but Rachel KNEW she would stir up controversy and get this attention. She should apologize to her daughter for that.
Wait, are you now victim blaming Rachel Roy saying that she KNEW her own daughter would get death threats from crazed beyonce stans and that she should apologize to her own daughter? What?
Everyone, their momma, their 2nd cousin twice removed and their aunty from Calabascas knows what the Beyhive are like. It’s a long running pop culture topic of how rabid and aggressive the fanbase can be. I don’t think she expected the target would turn to her daughter but I don’t believe for a second she didn’t expect this outcome in terms of the drama and talking.
She made her post for a reason when Beyonce didn’t mention, name or even drop any hints about her. Why she wanted that attention I don’t know but since she did choose to put herself as the other woman she should probably apologize to her daughter for exposing her to the attacks as well.
@GNAT
I feel if a person is going to stay with a cheater, then they should only do so if they forgive. But forgiveness doesn’t involve constantly bringing up the past. A person either forgives or they don’t. If you can’t forgive, then it is time to end the relationship. Wanting to live and uncomfortable life with the cheater walking on eggshells seems like a recipe for unhappiness for all involved.
If Beyoncé had left Jay Z, then released this album, I would be more okay with these lyrics. But she has had lyrics referencing him cheating since before they married. At a certain point it just looks like a business partnership now, despite neither of them needing the other one for success.
@Merritt:
Forgiveness is whatever the two people in the marriage decide it to be. If B felt that she needed to heal through her art and he had to do penance in her art for all of them to move past it, then in this case, that is forgiveness.
@Merritt
Ohhhh no. Have you ever been cheated on in a marriage? The anger is so overwhelming, along with the shame, the sorrow, the humiliation, the grief, the huge sense of loss – of your “best friend,” your safe place, your life as you know it, everything you held dear and believed in – your whole world shifts beneath your feet and you can’t even look back at happy memories without wondering if they were lies, too. And you expect someone to just “forgive” and never bring it up again? No. If you are ever going to forgive, if you are ever going to get past it and move forward in the relationship, you need the man who did it to listen to you burn it to the ground. He needs to know how much he hurt you, and he needs to hear it as long as you need to say it. He needs to feel your pain. Make him uncomfortable? Uncomfortable?? Really, after he shredded your heart and your soul into a thousand pieces, he better be fricking uncomfortable. Until I’m comfortable again. If it’s not worth that to him, then he doesn’t really want me and he’s not really sorry. He wants to know what he can do to “make it right?” He can listen. He can hear my pain. That’s the very least he can do. Of course it can’t go on forever, but if you don’t feel that he suffered any consequences for his behavior, that anger will never be resolved, and there will always be a lack of trust. For me, anyway.
*quietly reaches over GNAT’s shoulder and drops a mic*
@GNAT
That is not what I’m saying at all. But someone who is deserving of forgiveness, shouldn’t need their feet held to the fire all the time. They should take it upon themselves to be deserving of forgiveness and if they can’t do it, then they didn’t deserve to be forgiven. Jay Z has been cheating for years, it has been mentioned in lyrics for years, and yet she is still with him despite him proving unworthy of forgiveness.
@The Enternal
pick up the mic
I have mixed feelings about it, but I’m actually coming down more on the side of Beyonce on this one. Kathleen’s thoughtful commentary over at Lainey Gossip is well worth a read. She points out – Who else in this society is telling black men to better and be better than black women? Who else is giving black families any sort of chance if blacks aren’t? The American narrative is that black families are broken – therefore, fidelity is the black household becomes as political as it is individual. And in that case, does it become necessary for a woman like Beyonce to make the personal public? Does it empower other black women to hear her say, “Even my affluence couldn’t save me from betrayal, and the only power I had was whether to forgive him or not”? It’s a very vulnerable choice for her to air that publicly, and in a way, maybe that’s important. Black women are expected to be so strong even with the weight of a racist and misogynistic society. Maybe it’s a relief to hear somebody like Beyonce say, “Yes, it hurts.”
Very insightful and now I’m off to read that too.
For many people Beyonce has a questionable history when it comes to race. There are some really sketchy stories from the Destiny’s Child days and how some former members were treated and colorism involved.
Merritt – And that’s a perfectly acceptable line of criticism. I’m not in a position to tell black women how they should feel about representations of their culture in media. This being said, Beyonce’s recent evolution as an artist suggests that race is becoming increasingly at the forefront of her thinking as an artist. Perhaps she is coming to terms with her own internalized insecurities borne of living in a racist culture, but I’m not her nor am I black, so I can’t speak for what is her ultimate motivation.
I think this is unimpressive; really low class
+1 I agree. It undermines what otherwise had the potential to be great, innovative work.
WORD.
Entirely too self-serving. Regarding the cheating part. Extra as usual.
I believe she’s Becky (or one of several Beckies). I remember the gossip surrounding her from the elevator incident. I think it’s true because she is barely famous otherwise.
The Beyhive went in on her, and I have to say as silly as it was I laughed out loud when the Beyhive defaced Roy’s Wikipedia page. Like belly laughed.
I’m not a member of the Beyhive by ANY means (I think Beyonce is talented… but not that amazing – sorry!) but Rachel Roy is and IDIOT. That’s not even a good picture… like why even do that? What did she expect to happen? She got exactly the reaction she asked for.
I know I’ll get in trouble for saying this and I really don’t mean to come off as preachy, especially since I love Lemonade, but how do you explain something like this to your child? Like, how are they going to make this OK for Blue Ivy? She’ll basically have an hour long proof of her mother publicly dragging her father for being a cheating POS. Of course, if it’s all (or in part) a PR trick or not autobiographical, it’s a different story/different explanation, but still…
…Blue Ivy lives with them.
I’m not understanding how people think the small child that lives with them is somehow clueless to what happens behind closed doors with her parents. She may not know the specifics but I’m sure she’s seen a fight or two or heard some yelling (like nearly every other kid on the planet). The video will basically confirm with logic what she’s already seen and heard growing up.
Children do not exist in a bubble away from their parents.
Yeah, just like I lived with my father, a colossal A-hole and an unrepentant serial cheater and my mum, a strong-willed slightly unhinged woman who dedicated almost 4 decades of her life to force my father to stop cheating on her.
It’s not that I think small children are unaware of what goes on between their parent. It’s just that I’m all too familiar with what it looks like. So maybe I’m just projecting, but I know how these situations can look like. One of my earliest memories, I was about 4-5, was my parents screaming for me to come down from my room and referee one of their shouting matches after my mum caught onto one of his affairs.
That being said, knowing that the whole world knows what goes on in your home (or in my case, my/our entire social environment), does add a particular kind of salt to the wound and it does make it more painful, regardless of how much we know that kind of judgement shouldn’t really matter. I’m now in my mid-30s and some of the people I meet still know me by my mum’s antic/revenges that followed after every affair dad ever had – like her hiring a private investigator to follow them, photograph them having a jolly, and then plastering my dad’s office building with the printed material. Since my dad and the other woman worked together as public servants, you can just imagine the shit storm that followed. And it’s definitely something I could’ve lived without.
Thank you for sharing that Leo (I’m not being sarcastic) your initial comment made me believe you were referencing Blue Ivy knowing anything was wrong at all which is why I thought that was unrealistic but yes I can see a different aspect of it with your second comment.
I always just tell myself celebrity life is different. Blue Ivy was born into a world where people will follow her with a camera because of who her mother is, where if her hair is slightly natural then she’ll be bashed for being nappy, and where if her mother cuts her hair thousands of other women and girls rush out to copy her. It’s a weird existance. With that good comes the bad, you don’t have to go too far to see negative stories about Jay Z or Beyonce. There’s a whole industry towards tearing them down, so that makes things different for Blue.
I’ve heard it said as a celebrity the best thing you can do is get your side of a story out and empathize your POV, as an artist Beyonce and Jay Z were always going to mention their relationships and use their private lives as inspiration for their art, and we all know they have enough money for an army of therapists if needed.
So I think deep down Blue will be fine. It will be a struggle but it’s a struggle whenever you realize your parent is a flawed person and not the hero we all want to believe.
I just said the same thing in another comment. Do people really think that children don’t know what is going on in their family? Even if they don’t understand why it is happening, they still know it is. If anything, this gives Blue the answers to the “why” when she is an adult. It is honest and she can see that her father tried to make up for the betrayal.
I think it’s better than taking it lying down, frankly. Her mother is standing up for herself, maybe not in a way that most people think is appropriate (to which I say f*ck appropriate, it’s her decision). Everyone has their own moral compass and approach to these things. She did something not many women do. Stay with her husband but talk about it, openly. Okay, more openly than most could. I don’t see how that’s setting a bad example.
Again, just from my personal experience, my mother never took anything lying down, especially not my dad’s cheating. She made him grovel like there’s no tomorrow, one time nearly ruined his career, proceeded to tell anyone who she deemed important about his affairs and talked those people into publicly shaming him and on several occasions even physically attacked him in a fit of rage.
He never stopped fooling around (just became more secretive and timed the affairs more wisely) and the only thing I learned from the whole mess is that men just cannot say no to other women and that the wife giving them hell for it is just a regular part of a long marriage.
I think it is very disrespectful for you to suggest that you would know the situation better fr what would be suitable for Blue Ivy than her own mother. It is a full produced album and not some post she made on an impulse. She must have obviously thought about it.
I honestly didn’t mean to be disrespectful. I’m just thinking out-loud from a perspective of a child who had to deal with their parent’s not-so-wise-choices.
Oh for the love of God! If Bey knew best what was suitable for her child, she wouldn’t have had a child with JayZ in the first place…as if just being a mother makes a woman know anything. And yes, Leo is 100% correct that airing dirty laundry for a kid to see/learn/read/hear about later is beyond selfish and wrong. All this crap is just trashy. Just goes to show money can’t buy class….or smarts.
Last night side chicks were coming out of the woodwork quoting lemonade lyrics. Btw the hive went after jay z too on twitter as it was airing
Are we all just going to assume that everything Beyonce said/sang is true and autobiographical?
Apparently, I think folks like the drama/gossip.
and thats’ why she made it and isn’t saying anything, she’s letting US say things.
it’s what shes planned all along, and she’s sleeping on a bed of money because of it.
beyonce wins.
That’s what I was thinking.
I’ll tell you what though all the talk about Lemonade has piqued my interest to the point where I think I’m going to buy the album on iTunes.
And if this turns out to be part PR strategy but I get to listen to some good music out of the deal, I don’t care.
…you can’t, though. You can only get it on Tidal. THAT’s how effective her strategy is.
Taylor swift needs to take notes on how to be honset and raw about being screwed over without actually naming names or hiding clies in her songs about who, what, where, when, and how.
Taylor Swift’s fans are mostly tween girls though aren’t they? Something like Lemonade could cause trauma to their psyche, they couldn’t handle it! Her bubblegum pop with model friends is more G-rated friendly.
That’s rather unfair. Taylor is younger than Beyoncé and was never in love with any of her exes (no, not even Jake- I believe she thought she was in love with him.) they have different life experiences and cater to different audiences.
Ok one she was stupid for putting the comment out there because everyone knows Bey’s fans are INSANE, and can’t control themselves. So of course they are going to see this and go wild and attack.
That being said as stupid as it was to do, and as much as she should have seen it coming. That doesn’t mean this is ok. It is inexcusable that people attack like this it is bullying, it is public shaming and let’s be real we don’t know anything. Also Beyoncé wouldn’t do the same so let’s everyone get your reality in check. If this woman is a side piece if Jay then Bey can attack her, Solange can shade her but the general public doesn’t know anything and should just mind their business.
I would really like to know when we decided we have the right to attack people.
+1
I’m halfway thru it currently and after that “Daddy” song, I think another overall theme for this album and film has to do with women of color (I take that from her clip about “the most disrespected person in america is the black woman”) (and, in the end, all women) tolerating what they shouldn’t anymore in terms of how they’re treated by the men in their lives – lovers and fathers.
That line about being a slave to the back of their heads, that’s powerful stuff in my opinion.
Having that feeling that, as the woman, tolerate it, keep trying, keep letting him do whatever while worrying what other people will think of your reactions to him not treating you as well as you deserve.
I feel that maybe Beyonce feels that she tolerated, some behavior that men are ‘known’ for and are used to being tolerated by the women they date and marry. Like she thought “I need to tolerate this, I need to change, then it’ll be better, it’s probably my fault.” when really she ends up with the idea of “No, I’m not going to tolerate this, I deserve better, this guy can do better and it’s OK that I expect and deserve and demand more”.
A woman not tolerating that behavior is her being ‘jealous and crazy’ in our culture it seems, and now it doesn’t fly with Beyonce anymore, and she doesn’t think it should fly with any woman anymore. Maybe she hopes women and girls listening will take that to heart and it will give them strength to not tolerate being disrespected, thrown away, cheated on, etc.
And Beyonce is saying, maybe: “women, you don’t have to forgive, but if you do, you’re strong and we shouldn’t, as humans, find you to be weak because of it. It’s OK to believe in love and its OK to find the strength to know when to leave. You can expect more and not be a bitch for it.” and “men, be better. you can be.”
Find me a woman who can’t relate to all of this; ITA that this is an album for women. Lately, I’ve been finding these messages about women taking ownership over their own lives inspiring.
“I’m halfway thru it currently and after that “Daddy” song, I think another overall theme for this album and film has to do with women of color”
THANK YOU. Jesus Christ This.
I see so many metaphors here about the struggle of black women and yes how were taught that since society has made our men broken we have to support and be loyal to them above all else even when they’re wrong and hurt us. I hear SO MANY TIMES how a woman is wrong for not hiding the faults of a black man or respecting him even as he does terrible things and abey once put that in a song! It’s beautiful.
I think I saw on Twitter someone saying that this entire album is a love letter to the Black Woman and anyone else are merely spectators in this exchange and I honestly could not agree more.
+1.
BOOM. I watched it this afternoon and my God, Beyonce is taking down way, way more than Jay-Z. She is laying so much of what happened with her father out on the line, and beyond the autobiographical portion of the lyrics, she is giving voice to women who are pushed down and told so many negative things.
Rachel Roy should have stayed out of this. Let people speculate she was “Becky”, instead of confirming she’s a Becky. Foolish. But she was thirsty for that attention and she got it in spades. I don’t agree with going after her kid, though. Totally out of bounds and gross. She had nothing to do with her mother’s choices.
Poor Rachel Ray she got dragged into this too.
Ha! For a minute I thought it said Rachel Ray and I thought they seemed an unlikely couple.
Apparently, the Beyhive were attacking Rachel Ray, mixing up the names on twitter, also
The Rachel Ray thing made me laugh so hard. Beyonce fans are out of control, but seeing all those little lemon emojis posted on Ray’s Instagram is too funny.
I was dying at those comments. She posted a picture of a sandwich and BAM. Lemons everywhere.
I have to admit when the story first broke my brain didn’t even conjure Rachel Roy and I was legit caf thinking “Jay Z and Rachel RAY?!” Just picturing her raspy voice telling him to come over and ice her cupcakes wearing nothing but an apron.
Needless to say I needed more sleep.
Lol, me, too! I was all indignant, I thought she was better than that, isn’t she married, too? Oh. Rachel Roy. I see. Never mind.
The Beyhive are lunatics. When i say Beyhive, i dont include normal sane Beyonce fans who like and respect her and her music. Beyonce along with Lady Gaga need to condem their fans terrible behaviour.
Peoples lives and twitter do not stop because Beyonce is launching something, so all the hate towards Kim kardashian is ridiculous because that is what Kim does 24/7, why should she or anybody else stop.
I love Beyonce and think she is a phenomenal artist, and by all accounts a really lovely girl. The Beyhive do her no justice.
Ugggh, agreed. The Beyhive, Gaga’s Little Monsters, Swifties, and Cumberbitches are freakin nuts. Beyonce (and Gaga and Taylor and Benedict) doesn’t give a shit about you, but you’re going to spend a good chunk of your time online defending her? Or, more accurately, going on the offensive for her. It’d be sad if it weren’t so terrifying.
Smh, Rachel in your time spent hiding away from all this drama and mess maybe you can look up Fela Kuti.
“When Trouble Sleep,
Yanga go wake am”
Or as my mother liked to put it, “Some people don’t like to sleep at night.”
She better sleep with one eye open.
Rachel Roy is a fool. Didn’t she know that the Beyhive (or whatever they call themselves) are a law unto themselves and shut down Kid Rock’s website for a long time?? She needed to leave those buzzing marauders alone because now, they’re going to be in her face forever.
The biggest tragedy in all of this is that poor Rachael Ray is being bombarded with threats and insults because the beyhive can’t read.
“Spill the tea” & “thirsty” need to be retired cuz they’re tired.
Anyone who refers to them as a Bey Stan or part of the Beyhive is part of the problem. Everyone’s getting so worked up like it personally makes a difference in their lives. Like nooo, it’s not that serious.
It’s pretty telling that Beyonce hasn’t come to RR’s defense. Either it’s a PR stunt or RR is one of the side pieces.
I think it says something horrible absolutely horrible about Bey that she hasn’t come to Rachel RAY’s defense. The woman is getting death threats and attached and has done nothing, has said nothing and my guess doesn’t know them.
At some point Bey has to apologize and condem these freaks. She has to say that she is appalled that a tv chef and child were sent DEATH threats because of a song!
What way to derail the conversation. Lemonade brought up a lot of weighty topics about blackness, and what it means to be a woman of color in our society…and now most of the coverage is focused on RR.
The more I think about it, the more pissed off it makes me.
agreed. there is a lot to think about in what her character in the album is going through (i say that because I’m not sure this wan’t all set up just to make money, they are celebrities after all).
+1
Thank you, Samtha.
I assume that will pass however, and more important things will be discussed.
Rachel Roy is the kind of person to be “all publicity is good publicity” so I definitely think that she did it on purpose. Have you guys seen that Rita Ora tried to get into this as well with a picture on instagram? Some celebrities are just plain thirsty. Aren’t “Beckys” usually white girls?
And I think that the poetry you quoted is from Warsan Shire. She’s an amazing Somali poet, check her out.
Rita Ora is white.
Really?? I thought she was biracial all this time. Whoa!
Samtha, weird as hell right? But no Rita is white, Google old pics with her family.
I thought she was biracial or Hispanic too before it came out.
Her family is from Albania.
@cynthia ^^^^^
Warsaw Shire did the poetry for Lemonade
Why does everything with B have to be so cryptic and complicated? Why is every crappy song padded with an army of dancers and a thousand videos? Her every step is so calculated I can’t stand it. Go away.
First, “Lemonade” was so much more than a jab at a Rachel Roy (and any other Becky). It was about the struggles of being a black woman, being a human, being hurt and lied to by the men in your life you trusted. It was also asking questions that need answers. How do we teach our children? How do we move through this world? How do we heal our own pain and come out stronger? Bey gave us her own answers and experiences. But the great thing about “Lemonade” is that it’s asking YOU “what would you do”? What has someone done to hurt you”? “How did you get through it”? Most of us have had our own Becky. Some of us have been a Becky. I am riveted by this work she has out out. I’m caught like a fish on a line. It has me thinking about so much. As for some people saying “Why so public” and “what are they going to tell Blue Ivy”? Ha. I would say that Beyonce is going to tell her the truth. I called my niece, who is 18, and told her to watch it. If I had a daughter, I would have watched this with her. (Age appropriate) After seeing this, I feel empowered and exposed and somehow a part of a huge sisterhood. Mission accomplished Beyonce. I hope this amazing thing you put out brings you peace.
Is Rachel a “Becky” though? She’s not white. She’s half Black, half Indian.
I thought she was half Dutch and half Indian-not black at all.
Oops my bad, she is half Dutch, half Indian. Either way, I don’t think anyone would consider her a “Becky” for all it’s worth.
I know I will get a lot of slack for this, but I think Beyonce used the name Becky as a generic symbol for a white woman. Hence the use of description of “good hair”. Inherently, she is a racist woman scorned by her envy and jealousy. It is fine if you wanna be the face of a victimized black women, but don’t do it at the expense of others. She wants empowerment while slut-shaming other single women. Way to go feminist Beyonce! She thinks highly of herself and that is fine, but maybe selling all that “sexual” vibe doesn’t really translate in real life. She never struck me as someone who is authentic, but rather someone who articulates herself through images(hearing her talk is like being stuck with a 10 year old) and therefore manufactures authenticity through that medium for the sake of perfection forced upon oneself. Musically, she peaked 10 years ago and her appeal is becoming more and more selective. Her music is not played nearly as much as the music of pop giants like Adele, Bieber, Weekend, Taylor, Rihanna….and it’s simply because it is not what it used to be.
You are white ?
Purple
I’m white as milk, and “Lemonade” is burned into my brain with love. I don’t know what @Bellagio is attempting to say or accomplish, but it’s not worth the time thinking about it. “Lemonade” isn’t about a black woman as a “scorned victim” it’s about a black woman who is winning. She just showed you her battles, and how she won her war. That is the definition of “feminist”. I know that this is an ode to black women, and that is a beuatiful thing. It is as it should be. I will raise a glass of lemonade as a feminist. And I will raise that glass up in a toast. Here’s to triumph.
@Bellagio That just speaks more about why you feel this way than anything else you can say
@kri Oh i do not doubt that a lot of white people liked the album but I keep seeing so many whites having such petty problems with the album like keep being so transparent i guess
I honestly think if you can’t hear what a solid work this is–and I’m conservative by profession–you are living in an impoverished world. If you think Adele offered something more, I question your grasp of depth. If you think she’s somehow not artist enough for you, I don’t think I’m interested in what you think is great music. You’re like the Twi-Hard who can’t see why everyone else thinks Catcher in the Rye is worth reading.
Good to know that you internalized your work to the point where it defines how you listen and understand music. What is a Twi-Hard? If you think Beyonce is “Catcher in the Rye” , you are insulting my intelligence.
Thank you! I really wish people would educate themselves even slightly when it comes to Beyonce as an artist. Even if you want to believe every rumour and conspiracy theory on the songwriting, I implore people to check out her credits. She is known for vocal producing her work and is a genius with arrangements. Every producer she’s worked with talks about her creativity and artistry in studio. The information isn’t hard to find. Yeah she may not play 57 instruments but neither does she simply show up at the studio and sing what’s in front of her. Watch her live performances and you’ll see her artistry unfolding in ways the average pop star can only dream off. I will never get over her doing I Care live and mimicking the guitar while she she sings. I know the popular joke is that she’s just a puppet but the truth is far from it. She is very musically talented beyond just singing.
What @CornyBlue said.
For what it’s worth, I’ve seen some comments that suggest that ‘Becky’ is not only a generic term for a white woman but can specifically refer those who date black men – in the Key and Peele sketch about an exclusively black town, there’s a bit where some women sing that they are going there to find ‘strong black men’ because there are ‘no white bitches to take them away’. The impression I get is that the idea of ‘Becky’ actually ties into racism against black women more strongly, as the most attractive black men are ‘snatched up’ by white women, perpetuating a cultural narrative in which black women are worth less than white women.
Also, I don’t think you can claim Beyonce is ‘slut-shaming other single women’. I think she’s shaming women who knowingly participate in affairs with married men, which is a very different thing.
As for your comments on her artistic expression, is it a bad thing that she obviously thrives producing a musical and visual piece of art? Her visual albums are stunning, LEMONADE in particular. There’s nothing wrong with being attracted to the visual side of art as well as the musical – would you accuse Picasso or Modigliani of ‘manufacturing authenticity through that medium’? I would also disagree that ‘musically, she peaked ten years ago’; are the parameters of success commercial or artistic? Beyonce’s style has clearly developed and matured since 2006, but she is still commercially successful and LEMONADE has received some rave reviews.
Her pop music isn’t played nearly as much? I know your feelings are all hurt but don’t let your emotions blind you to reality and that’s that Beyonce (whether we like it or not) is HUGE and is heard around the world.
As for the Becky thing, it pales in comparison to comments made about Black women. I don’t think Becky is as hurtful as the way many non-Blacks (and even some Blacks) refer to Black women.
Yes, as a white woman, the words “good hair” pierced me to my soul and made me cry. How could you, Beyoncé? Your racist assumption that I have good hair has hurt me to the core. Next.
@GoodNamesAllTaken
I HOPE you are being sarcastic.
“Lemonade” is the truth of Beyonce’s – a black woman’s – pain woven into art.
A white listener’s “hurt” feelings about “racist” language…?!?!?!
Honey, that is the definition of…NEXT.
Shiba, I believe GNAT was being sarcastic.
Oh gosh shiba I can’t believe you couldn’t tell that was sarcasm! Although maybe it was obvious to me because I’m familiar with gnats posts here
Becky is meant as a derogatory term in this context there is no walking away from that and i say that as a black woman.
If you honestly think that she peaked musically 10 years ago then your taste is just off. No nice way to say it but go and compare B’day to Lemonade…Bday isn’t even in the same ballpark. Her first three albums are complete child’s play to what she’s bringing now.
It has to be said again, just mentioning the fact that two people were in a cheating relationship is not slut-shaming or anti-feminist. If Beyoncé had directed all of the criticism at the other woman and little or none at the cheating husband, said some of the things that the people who are attacking Rachel Roy and her daughter on the internet were saying, or maybe if she had named names, the “Beyoncé is slut-shaming and being anti-feminist” criticism would be more valid. And ‘giving off a sexual vibe’ in her career but having negative feelings about her husband cheating aren’t hypocritical. Just because someone dresses or dances a certain way and is okay with other people doing it to doesn’t mean they think it’s perfectly fine for people of any gender to hook up with/have affairs with other people’s spouses. I don’t think the cheating theme was just about Jay Z or just about Beyoncé’s experiences though.
I feel bad for her daughter getting dragged into it but definitely not her. She was either flagrantly mocking the woman whose husband she was having an affair with, or she was going out of the way to make herself part of the conversation (and therefore relevant) in the dumbest way possible. People went overboard, sure, but what the hell was she thinking?
I’ll just add this thought here – when I listened to this album, I saw Becky as much a symbolic reference as a concrete one. She was meant to represent the faceless entity through which a husband betrays a wife in the most ordinary way possible, and furthermore, as the unreachable ideal to which black women are upheld and stripped of their uniqueness. The “good hair” reference is SO historically and socially charged and speaks a lot on its own.
Sorry…I’m being entirely petty and silly this morning…
And I do think this rachel person is quite lovely…really…
But I kept coming back to this particular pic of her on this post because I couldn’t figure out who she reminded me of…
Then, it clicked…
The Cat in the Hat!
Damn you, you made me laugh out loud in a doctor’s office.
LMAOOO.
😂
I don’t think Rachel Roy is the “Becky with good hair,” but she wants to be, and that’s the problem.
First off, Beyonce is a hypocrite – she plain and simple used this heartbreak of hers as a selling device for her album. If she actually cared, she wouldn’t stay with this guy. Please, making herself out to be this strong woman who takes no shit from anyone? It’s all business to her 🙂
Second, how come everyone talks about the Other Woman instead of talking about what the husband has done? The Other Woman has no emotional obligation to anyone but her own partner. Jay Z, on the other hand, cheated on the wife he promised to be faithful to. And yet, all the fury has gone to Roy, LMAO.
So sick of the double standards.
First of all, you don’t know her motives. You may be right, but you really have no idea. None of us know what’s in the heart of another person. And motives are not always simple.
I agree with you that the cheating husband is the one who is responsible for the cheating and for his own marriage. But that doesn’t mean that a woman who knowingly sleeps with a married man is a person I respect. I couldn’t do that to another person or to myself.
Rachel already denied it. Leave her alone. Let’s not assassinate her character based on speculation. This is bullsh*t. What I have to say was hilarious was A LOT of the beyhive started attacking Rachel Ray (the chef) on twitter not realizing they had mistaken the name ! Hilarious, my God some of that beyhive is either super young or super dumb !
Agreed. Although Roy denying it does not mean that she wasn’t involved, I think the fact that Beyonce left literally no identifying clues beyond ‘Becky with the good hair’ (which implies the woman is white, but not much else) suggests that she isn’t interested in publicly shaming the other woman as much as her husband. It was only Roy’s IG post that led people to assume it was definitely her (apart from a more general sense that she was involved with the Met Gala incident).
Good points.
Very good points.
Roy is white? No, she isn’t.
The fact that everyone started to gang up on her means that she was indeed involved b/c it could’ve been any other woman then. Why did she post that stupid hashtag obviously points at her vanity. Well, she wanted to get involved – she did, too late now.
This is all so trashy. I don’t see what is strong about staying with a cheater who is or will continue to cheat. If a woman cheated on is still so angry with the other women but okay with the man who cheated on her, that doesn’t seem like anything has been worked out. That’s simply denial like the other women made poor helpless Jay do something he didn’t want to do.
Bey was famous before she got with JayZ but he took her fame to another level and they became a corporation. She wouldn’t be going to the White House for dinners or get the love for Blue Ivy if she weren’t JayZ’s. He definitely elevated her career, her fame, and the public’s perception of her/them. She knew exactly what he was all about when she hooked up with him, but she thought it would be different with her….like all women think who hook up with known cheaters. Bey has a good work ethic. Other than that, she sold her soul a long time ago. She is not strong and she is not a good role model b/c she’s setting her daughter up to accept the same disrespect from the men in her future.
Personally, I’m really over people judging Beyonce for staying with Jay-Z through his infidelity, and claiming that she’s attacking the other woman and not him.
For the latter – listen to/watch LEMONADE again. As I said above, Beyonce left no identifying clue as to who the other woman was, suggesting she wasn’t interested in publicly shaming her. Similarly, there aren’t actually that many lyrics expressing anger at the other woman at all. In contrast, it’s pretty obvious that she’s coming for Jay-Z about his infidelity. Where does she excuse his behaviour because ‘the other women made poor helpless Jay do something he didn’t want to do’? Nowhere.
In terms of the former, I’m really struggling to understand why staying with someone who cheated on you suddenly means you’re not a strong person any more. None of us know what went down or how or when, and none of us know how Beyonce and Jay-Z reconciled. There are definitely cases where the couple can reconcile and becomes stronger for that rocky patch, and someone cheating once does not mean they will go on to cheat again. Every relationship is different and not every affair is simply because the man is a dog and can’t restrain himself. If you look up Ester Perel, she has an interesting TED talk about infidelity and how it doesn’t necessarily have to be the death knell for a relationship.
To judge someone’s strength of character based on a deeply personal situation you really don’t know about is kind of sad, in my opinion. Would anyone say that Hillary Clinton isn’t a strong person because she stayed with Bill through the Lewinsky scandal? I think what Beyonce has done in making such a bold artistic statement that’s so unabashed about her feelings is the biggest evidence for strength of character.
Yeah, I find this idea that “staying with a cheating partner” is a sign of weakness – particularly in women – to be really gross. Sometimes it can be, sure. Other times, it may be a decision made after a lot of consideration for the circumstances and behaviors that led to the situation in the first place. There is so much that can influence the investment a person has in their marriage – emotions (are you still in love with them?), children, finances, prestige, faith/religion, social ideals, family. That’s a lot to give up for some people, and I think it’s up to the individual to weigh what’s important to them and decide if divorce is the right choice for them. Divorce might have been your choice, but it wasn’t Beyonce’s, and we shouldn’t presume she’s helpless or stupid for it.
People who cheat with married folks are still gross and I do think they bear some level of shame, just not as much as the married person who broke vows. I do agree that it’s the married couple’s decision how they handle infidelity which is why I refuse to judge any couple that decides to tough it out.
However, I’m super-amused by some of the same commenters who repeatedly sh*t on Jen Garner for staying with Affleck all but heralding Beyoncé for doing the same thing.
@Kitten Strangely I was thinking about this dichotomy myself as I ran errands today. It’s the same really. Couples choose their dynamic and they have to live it, not us.
@Kitten, Magnoliarose,
I think that’s apples to oranges. I see Ben as having an addict personality or something that really won’t ever change and anyone who thinks they can change that is just asking for trouble. I also don’t think he was ever as into Jen as much as she was into him.
But I see Jay Z as someone who probably needs to overcome the insecurities carried forward of his childhood–growing up poor and without a father figure, not the handsome movie-star type–more than anything else. And I kinda like what Beyonce was saying about choosing restoration as a way to create change in the black (American) community, within which the family structure was historically dismantled.
I’m not reading any parallels to Bennifer.
I think there is strength in forgiveness. To forgive is one of the hardest things in the world to do. I don’t know why she stayed, or what her motives are, but if she believes he will stop cheating and she wants to work on their marriage, I don’t think that’s weak. I chose to leave but my husband just kept denying he did anything “that bad” and I was crazy and no wonder, etc. I don’t know if I could have forgiven him if he was truly sorry, but if I had kids I might try. I think it’s up to the person.
It’s kind of funny when people who say we shouldn’t criticize a woman for choosing to be in an old-school submissive relationship with her husband think it’s perfectly fine for us to shame a woman for choosing to forgive her husband, partner for more than a decade, and father of her child for cheating. Just sayin’. It’s also interesting how it’s socially acceptable and encouraged for people to forgive and continue relationships with other types of family and friends who wrong them- sometimes in awful or even abusive ways- but whenever it’s a woman choosing to forgive and continue a relationship with a cheating spouse/partner (or something similar), it’s suddenly “How could she do this/Something must be terribly wrong with this woman/she’s a bad role model/setting women back/No True feminist, yadda yadda”. I think part of the issue is that we’re kind of socialized to quickly judge women as trash/less than us the moment she doesn’t revoke a man’s ‘access’ (not necessarily just sexual access, but any type of relationship) immediately after he’s done something wrong, because after all, that’s how men’s behavior is supposed to be ‘regulated’ in just about every area in life, right? Part of it may be about always wanting to point to what the wommenz are doing wrong when a man does something bad, part of it is genuine concern about what kind of relationship someone is staying in, and part of it is about wanting people to know, “Well you wouldn’t find ME in that situation.”
Jay-Z owns enough of TIdal that he controls what they will release.
Both he and Beyonce will make millions of dollars from this album.
It was carefully orchestrated by both of them for one of two things:
a) Monetize/profit from an upcoming divorce
b) Monetize/profit from an upcoming reconciliation (i.e. LOVE album)
Absolutely. It’s all and only ever about the $$$s for these two,
When I see this coming from them, I cannot stop thinking that they are somehow like the Kardashians, Profiting from their manufactured story lines.
I like some of their songs, but the adoration I cannot understand. They really seem to think of themselves or to embellish their image as if they were royals or something.
Urban Dictionary has several definitions for “becky.”
i’m a white woman who grew up during the civil rights movement. where i’m from in Canada there isn’t much Black culture but i can read. i’m horrified that this is still being discussed. when will people just accept each other.
it makes me cry when i read about the police brutality to Black people because of racism. how do Mother’s ever let their children out of sight.
i’m loving the evolution of Beyonce as a strong Black woman who is proud of her culture. she is sharing her vision and her journey, good and bad. to see her standing with the Mother’s of slain Black men is a strong message.
non of this is anti-police, it is anti-racism. i hope i live to see the day the MLK talked about.
The death and rape threats are batsh!t crazy and scary AF. But I must confess, when I realized HOW MANY PEOPLE were confusing Rachel Roy with Rachael Ray, I laughed so hard I had to sit down.
For those focusing on the gossipy part of Lemonade, you’re missing the depth and complexity of Beyonce’s art. This isn’t a Taylor Swift song y’all.
http://www.vox.com/2016/4/25/11501584/beyonce-lemonade-poetry-art-beyhive
Art???? lmao. As if
You’re obviously entitled to your opinion–Art, after all is in the eye of the beholder, but you should probably watch it before drawing a conclusion. Lemonade has Beyonce’s name front and center–but many many incredibly talented artists beyond Beyonce collaborated on it. Start with Warsan Shire and work your way from there.
I haven’t gotten through the whole video (girl it’s an hour), but I have thoughts INTERENET and I must share them with someone other than my cats.
1) While the poetry is fantastic, I mean really well done. It is so very dark. I hope she got a healing cathartic release because if not, Bae see somebody and talk to them.
2) I take issue with the queens of social media creating an environment or an issue where their ‘followers’ or fans go full Norman Bates on people online. It’s not Bey’s fault per se, but she has to take some onerous for the weight she pulls in these people’s minds. Because that is crazy. Full crazy. I love music, but I can’t imagine going to some woman’s Instagram and going nuts? Over what happened in someone’s personal life? Like you know you don’t actually know Beyonce, right y’all?
My last thought is, Jay Z must be scarrrrrrred.
It’s real art. If she wrote the
sings it’s a great album of betrayal and forgiveness. He just better not cheat again listen to her.
Isn’t it interesting Bey is considered the embodiment of feminism when she get cheated and stays ..
Right. Because a person can’t believe in equality for women while also choosing to work things out with an unfaithful spouse. Got it.
Thank you. Working things thru with an unfaithful spouse has absolutely nothing to do with feminism. I thought that was obvious. Guess not.
+1 AlmondJoy
Last I checked, feminism was about choice. If Beyonce chooses to work it out with her husband, because she still loves him/he expresses regret/they have a child, that doesn’t make her any less of a feminist.
Lemonade is an appropriate name for this album/scandal/cultural event because everyone involved has some mega-thirst.
+1 ALMONDJOY
I think the whole idea of “Lemonade” and “Becky with the good hair” is about Rita Ora, and the photo of her wearing a bikini top with lemons on it a “J” necklace. Just google all the photos of her with Jay Z, the knowing looks are pretty obvious.
A feminist won’t let a man treat her like shit nor get scared of being a single mother.
Only a fool who thinks her life depends on a man by her side will stay.
Beyonce is nothing but an attention seeker.
NB: I’m not her Becky nor even want to listen to her song since single ladies.
A feminist wants equality for women. Simple as that. This is not a hard concept to understand. Whether she gets cheated on a chooses to stay is a completely separate issue.