​Beyoncé's ACT II: Cowboy Carter has consumed my head space lately. It's one-year anniversary recently passed on March 29th, and I'm gearing up for the fast-approaching tour. Is she going to drop a dress code or what? My barrage of thoughts have ranged from "I don't think certain songs mean what most folks think they do" to "She almost missed Best Country Album; where was she?" I jotted down everything that ran across my brain and tried to condense them for this article. It still has some miles. For your convenience, here are the sections, and you can pick your poison (shout-out to those who caught that Beyoncé pun):
 
-The Cowboy Carter Character Seeks Vicarious Revenge by Whoring
-Beyoncé Feels Conflicted
-The Replay Value Isn’t That High
-Why the Album of the Year (AOTY) Grammy Win Means So Much
-Randomry (If Beyoncé Can Make Up Words Like “Bootylicious” So Can I)
 
The Cowboy Carter Character Seeks Vicarious Revenge by Whoring
 
By now, most people probably know that Cowboy Carter was born out of the negative, racially charged experience Beyoncé had at the 2016 Country Music Association awards (CMAs) performing with The Chicks. She was subsequently moved to do a project paying homage to her southern roots and the black originators of country, and to challenge ideals about Americana and who should be in what genre. Of course these topics were at the forefront of album discussion, leaving others behind. Many may not realize that Cowboy Carter isn’t just an on-brand moniker; she’s a character with her own [scandalous] storyline across eight songs. Hear me out: I believe Ms. C.C. is a woman who’s been betrayed one too many times by her cheating mate. It’s not enough to retaliate against him with infidelity and violence. She wants to get inside the minds of mistresses and cause others to ache like she does. Transforming herself into a vixen, she’s a poster child for “Hurt people, hurt people.”
 
It starts with “Bodyguard,” where there’s hints of jealousy and relationship discontent (ex. “You make me cry, you make me happy…I don't like the way she's lookin' at you”). When the infamous seductress “Jolene” shows up, it seems Ms. C.C. and her man will put up a united front. The teamwork is a figment of her imagination though. The male vocals echo and sound distant, as if they’re part of a dream. If he actually promised to “stand by her,” he broke that vow. Why else would she resort to beating Jolene bloody and contemplate murdering him on “Daughter?:” “How long can he hold his breath before his death?” The Italian lyrics of “Caro Mio Ben (My Dear Beloved)” in the bridge contain pleas for a “cruel” lover to stop their mistreatment. Beyoncé and Ms. C.C. interestingly intersect at “Jolene” and “Daughter.” The former’s interlude has Dolly Parton referring to 'Becky,' the foil of Beyoncé’s vulnerable adultery album Lemonade (2016). The latter has a quip about Bey using her notoriety to gain access to ‘Jolene.’
 
Despite the events, Ms. C.C.’s beau doesn’t change his ways. On “Alligator Tears,” she ribs herself for remaining excessively and unhealthily dedicated, and expresses frustration that her faithfulness goes unreciprocated. The tone of “Think about leaving? Hell no! Squeeze every ounce of love from my body, yeahhhh” is wonderfully sardonic. This is where she steps further to the bad side (Yes, that was a DreamGirls reference). “Riiverdance” finds Ms. C.C. conceding to the idea that her relationship is one of eternal hardship and mutual destruction. You can’t realistically run through a river. Trying to do so will be laborious…and futile. Yet, she can’t bring herself to ever let go of the guy. So, she decides to *Texas Hold ‘Em voice* stick around and try to comfort herself by dishing out what she’s taken. “Lies are hidden in her kisses.”
 
Ms. C.C. wrestles with her conscience throughout “II Hands to Heaven,” uttering prayers and chugging [Sir Davis] whiskey to cope. She views herself as someone who was once pure (ex. “Lost virgin”), but darkened in spirit after receiving “toxic roses” and being “chased by wolves and carnivores.” Yeah, that includes you, Jolene. This is reiterated with chorus parallels of horses and coyotes running wild; one is a threat to the other. She hopes to eventually “re-grow” her “broken wings,” but for now, she’ll offer fleeting, but exhilarating moments to those who can intrigue her (ex. Verse two). For a night, or maybe a few, she’ll see “your goals, your glow, your inner being.” The second half of “Hands” is widely interpreted as an uber romantic celebration of commitment, but I think it’s Ms. C.C. beguiling her latest paramour. Earlier in the song, there’s a mention of a summer fling who could play “the good guy,” and they’ll see “the best” in each other. Not only do her targets get a temporary utopia and perfect lover, she does too.
 
“Tyrant” lays it all out plainly in summation as the last cut in Ms. C.C.’s tale. We hear Dolly once more, calling the character by name and appropriately circling us back to “Jolene.” Ms. C.C. interviews her former nemesis about “how not cry” while enticing attached men. She needn’t ask about bedroom techniques, as she evidently excels there. She even has a signature—the cowgirl position (how fitting), which was centered in “Riiverdance” (i.e. “Bounce on that shit, no hands”). Nowhere near re-growing her wings, it appears she’s added being a fugitive to her repertoire. Shooting up bars, lying to law enforcement, and trying to get away are among her current activities. It’s safe to assume she isn’t with her main guy anymore. “I don’t want him back, but I can’t let go,” could just mean she still has the previous situation on her mind. Ms. C.C. leaves us haunted by a past that’s dictating her present, and we don’t know if she’ll be healed and redeemed in the future. It’s quite sad.

​Beyoncé Feels Conflicted
 
Ms. CC has her songs, and Beyoncé has hers. Over “16 Carriages,” “Protector,” “Just for Fun,” and “Flamenco,” she reflects on her life and career with mixed feelings. Reckoning with a forgone adolescence and memories of family strife, she reminds herself the reward for the sacrifice is having a lasting legacy (i.e. “Carriages”). Her children benefiting from the fruits of her labor is affirming (ex. “An apricot picked right off a giving tree, I gave water to the soil and now it feeds me..there you are, shaded underneath it all, I feel proud of who I am because you need me” on “Protector”).
 
“Just for Fun” and “Flamenco” indicate that alas, there’s unshakable grief from various losses. With a lack of privacy, swarming manipulative forces (ex. “Coyotes cry”), and loved ones exiting, she continues to question if it was all worth it (“I came here for a reason, but I don't know the purpose”). She relies on her faith and what/who stands to soothe her. These two cuts and several others have religious/spiritual symbolism, usually within the context of needing strength and/or deliverance (ex. “American Requiem,” “Daughter,” “YA YA”). 2022’s ACT I: Renaissance has these as well. I bet we’ll be uncovering Cowboy Carter’s B-plots for years.
 
Sidebar: The subtle ways the record’s A-plots are reinforced show how much thought went into making it conceptually rich. For instance, it’s well emphasized that country isn’t without its influences and the genre universe is very interconnected. Tracks like “Bodyguard” and “II Most Wanted” have fluid streams of rock and pop, and manage to fit alongside hip-hop-based ones (ex. “Spaghettii”). Americana is evoked in both sound (ex. “YA YA” could’ve been done on American Bandstand) and imagery (Levi’s jeans; an iconic American brand). The reoccurring ancestral theme ropes together the elements of national history, racism, and personal origin (ex. “Ameriican Requiem”). Consistently hearing wagon bell, belt snap, and horse rein effects keep you in Beyoncé’s ‘Wild West’ atmosphere.
 
Having a thesis statement or objective supported by sonic threads, narratives, and/or intimate dialogue is what makes an album more than a collection of songs. Beyoncé checked off all three boxes on Cowboy Carter. Working with intention can create a bigger, enduring conversation. This is what can set one solid project apart from another in an Album of the Year award category, but I’ll get to that.
 
The Replay Value Isn’t That High
 
In my commentary piece for Renaissance, I described it as an esoteric acquired taste that didn’t have the flexibility for a variety of settings. Moreover, it was lyrically weak and de-prioritized vocals. In spite of its faults, it was addictive once your ears warmed up to it. Cowboy Carter has a lot of the same issues, but with the added pot-hole of a much lower replay value. It isn’t a “no skips” album, as the kids say, nor is it one for an instant repeat.
 
It’s a requisite in country to focus on instrumentation and songwriting. When Beyoncé wants to accentuate such components (including vocals), she tends to scale things down—sometimes too much. This often results in material not being as "hooking" as it could be. The majority of Cowboy Carter’s tunes are mid-tempo at most and produced with a ton of restraint. “Possessing” isn’t an adjective I’d use for it. Couple this with the content being emotionally heavy, and it can be a long listen. A side effect is the interludes (which beautifully serve the thesis) landing as distracting fillers that only extend the journey.

Part of why Renaissance was habit-forming was its transitions. Some were tasty enough to stand on their own. The tracks were so dependent on each other, they were like Pringles chips—you couldn’t have just one. It was easy to cycle through the LP right over again. Cowboy Carter’s segue ways, when they exist, aren’t as smooth and attractive. The worst is between “YA YA” and “Oh Louisiana.” It’s ham-fisted in. You can’t finish and enjoy Bey’s fantastic closing wail on “YA YA” without going to the next interlude. The shift is abrupt, doesn’t gel, and isn’t pleasing to the ear.

​Beyoncé’s core fan-base probably doesn’t listen to country frequently as it is, and that’s without the aforementioned points involved. That said, their patience and desire to re-spin the entirety of Cowboy Carter was thin. If you think I’m exaggerating about the replay value, consider the record’s performance on the Billboard 200 chart. It left the top 10 two months after release, and the top 50 in a little less than four months. It wasn’t on the chart at all by the tail-end of October, and didn’t return until four weeks later. From November 2024 through mid-February 2025, the LP exited the list four more times. During that period, it was in the top 100 once. Beyoncé’s historic Grammy victory put it in the top 20 for the first time since mid-July 2024. The rebound was short lived; Cowboy Carter was off the Billboard 200 by its first anniversary. While Renaissance was a grower, Cowboy Carter is more static. It attends to lyrics and vocals far better than its predecessor, but it has less auditory excitement. It’ll be interesting to see how responses to it in this regard will change over the tour.

Why the Album of the Year (AOTY) Grammy Win Means So Much
 
Before I address the title of this section, let me take y’all through my Mariah Carey “Emotions” the night of February 2, 2025 really quick. I fully expected Beyoncé to go home nearly, if not completely, empty handed (particularly in the three major categories of song, record, and album of the year). The ceremony politics were as stiff as her competition. Somehow, I kept the faith of a mustard seed I was wrong. I felt torn when she received Best Country Album. It was a surprising feat, but artists don’t usually get "the big daddy" if they win in their nominated genre. I rapidly grew incensed, thinking, “They’re never going to give it (i.e. AOTY) to her, are they? They’ll keep being condescending and patronizing her.” I couldn’t bask in the accomplishment. It was a familiar sensation; Beyoncé attaining the most trophies ever in 2023 was sort of tainted to me. I wondered if I was being ungrateful, but Cynthia Erivo sharing and perfectly wording my sentiments told me I wasn’t alone then.
 
I almost turned the 2025 broadcast off, but my instincts said “Hang on.” Los Angeles wildfire heroes Chief Anthony Marrone and Captain Sheila Kelliher Berkoh presented Album of the Year. I should’ve known Bey nabbed it when the captain adorably gasped and pressed the envelope to her heart. I always pictured I’d jump up and scream, but I was frozen. I stared at the screen in disbelief, with my mouth agape and my hands on my chest. I was breathing briskly and deeply. My brain yelled “Hey! It’s finally happening! Hurry, connect to your body and take this in! You can’t get these nanoseconds back!” It wasn’t registering (I still can’t process it). The show credits rolled, and I paced the floor in a fog. A throat lump developed, as I thought about Beyoncé’s professional ride. It became tears upon seeing a tender X post.
 
Grammy host Trevor Noah explained the audience’s electric jubilance on his podcast What Now?: “It’s her personal journey…It was amazing that the underdog won. It’s wild to say that Beyoncé was an underdog, but that’s what it felt like in the room…People were like, “Damn, she did it!" And I know people are like “Yeah, but it’s Beyoncé,”…no, no, no…we’ve been on this journey…it was just a magical, real moment to be a part of (in full circle, an elated Erivo was there).”
 
Folks think Beyoncé supporters have griped about the Grammys simply because their favorite artist hadn’t prevailed. No. It wasn’t only the disappointment of the losses, but the reasons behind them. Beginning in 2009, Beyoncé’s had a total of five shots at AOTY. Five. The selected projects were nuanced, eclectic, and culturally-specific. Discourse about their social and political meanings surrounded them, and they struck a profound chord with their intended audience. Again, things that should give you an edge in a Grammy race, but no dice. Adele was baffled her LP 25 trumped Lemonade in 2017, and rhetorically asked the backstage press, “What the f**k does she have to do to win album of the year?” 

For 16 years, Beyoncé watched artists that were in grade school when she rose to fame snag the prize repeatedly. The difference between her and them? Most notably, her race/ethnicity. It’s hard to convince some there’s a problem when she’s so lauded, but that’s just it—does it make logical sense the person with the most Grammys was without the pinnacle award? Is that not fishy? Jay-Z pointed out this absurdity while accepting his own Global Impact honor in 2024. His speech concentrated on biases that led to significant works being overlooked, and Bey was an example.
 
In the Grammy’s 67-year history, 12 black artists have obtained Album of the Year. Four of those were women; the last was Lauryn Hill in 1999. Hill was also the first hip-hop performer (a predominantly black genre) to win it. That’s striking. For Beyoncé specifically, it’s telling what categories she’s been acknowledged in. The role of race/ethnicity was apparent in the Lemonade era. She submitted the applicable “Daddy Lessons” and “Don’t Hurt Yourself” for consideration in the country and rock fields respectively. Committee members accused her of deliberately recording the songs to “run the table” on nominations. When white artists explore genres, it’s praised, called “innovative,” and they get nods. In 2023, Grammy voters didn’t pick her because she’s “already won” and “every time she does something new, it’s a big event and everyone’s supposed to quake in their shoes — it’s a little too portentous.” Clearly, they had no objection to handing others multiple recognitions. And why is having buzz and enthusiastic reception an indictment? It’s as if AOTY was withheld to humble her. Who do you think you are, black woman? *Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie voice* You can have our adulation, but not too much adulation. You’ll go as far as we decide. You’ll drive in the lanes we say you can. Know your place.

Beyoncé has a demure and unaffected demeanor, but I think it bothered her. The Lemonade loss likely stung the most, given its emotional weight. She sent writer Myles E. Johnson yellow flowers with a lemon slice base for his op-ed “What Beyoncé Won Was Bigger Than a Grammy.” In it, he details how the album was a love letter to black women, and why the Recording Academy wouldn’t reward it. She raps “AOTY, I ain’t win, I ain’t stuntin’ ‘bout them” on Cowboy Carter’s “Sweet Honey Buckin’.” However, she states “The rejection came…plant my bare feet on solid ground for years, they don’t know how hard I had to fight for this when I sing my song” on “Ameriican Requiem.” Beyoncé is understandably angry, insulted, and sad she’s been refused a seat at the table and at the notion she hadn’t earned her spot.
 
It may be salt in the wound that it arguably took inclusion initiatives to turn the tide. The Grammy’s first black president and CEO Harvey Mason Jr. announced in the telecast that the academy increased its overall voters to 13,000. In that number was a surge of younger individuals, women, and people of color. This could be why the Best Country Album scoop happened as well. Representation matters, and now supposedly, people were in the room that cared “Daddy Lessons” was arbitrarily dismissed by prior committees and Cowboy Carter was snubbed by country music award entities. The CMAs replied to being called out by Cowboy Carter and its media coverage by doubling down. The LP met eligibility criteria, but it didn’t garner a single nomination. The Academy of Country Music awards had the same energy. This, after a lengthy season of racist social media attacks and country radio ignoring Beyoncé’s cuts. Singer Luke Bryan had the nerve to say on Andy Cohen Live, “If you’re gonna make country albums, come into our world and be country with us a little bit.” As if she isn’t a proud Texan who was mistreated being in “their world.”
 
These things in mind, it’s apposite Cowboy Carter was the one to secure Album of the Year. Its subjects of racism and genre constructs are part of what blocked Beyoncé from a win. With this project and its triumph, she was able to get a bit of justice—both for herself and the black country talents she sought to highlight. Akin to Lemonade, she took her pain and used it to exalt others. Linda Martell was unsung as the first black woman to perform at the Grand Ole Opry, and later quit the business partially because of racism. She now will have a Grammy certificate. Current acts Shaboozey, Brittney Spencer, Reyna Roberts, Tanner Adell, Tiera Kennedy, and Willie Jones will too. They’ve reportedly seen an uptick in streams in the last year. What’s more, Beyoncé becoming the first black artist to have Best Country Album was a stunning way to start Black History Month. Her 13-year-old daughter Blue Ivy being a witness made it sweeter. BHM 2024, the doting mother was named the first black artist to have a #1 song on Billboard’s Hot County chart (i.e. “Texas Hold ‘Em”).
 
Beyoncé’s peregrination to an Album of the Year Grammy hurts and is bittersweet, but it’s also glorious. In the hours after the ceremony, I kept thinking of the “Blackbird” lyric “You were only waiting for this moment to arise.” So did Beyoncé; I cried all over again when I saw she used it in an exultant reel. 16 years and "16 Carriages"…how apt is it that a song about her hard work and legacy was used for her Grammy visualizer and audio? Before I wrap this section up, let me say it was a nice touch (and a great giveaway) that Taylor Swift presented Best Country Album. She and Beyoncé dominated 2023 with their tours and concert films, and were relentlessly compared. Furthermore, Swift had her own musical transition from country to pop.

​Randomry (If Beyoncé Can Make Up Words Like “Bootylicious” So Can I)
 
1-What are my favorite songs? I’m so glad you asked! “II Most Wanted,” “YA YA,” “Tyrant” (why does everyone “sleep on it” like Danity Kane? It’s so hot and lusty) “16 Carriages,” “Bodyguard,” and “Alligator Tears.”
 
2-“Ameriican Requiem” is debatably Beyoncé’s best album opener. You need a breather after listening to it. The psychedelic/stadium anthem rock backdrop conjures visuals of 1960’s protests. It’s perfect for the poetic lyrical history lesson on black American life. The musical build and wide vocal palette are everything. I’m especially obsessed with the lower harmonies at the beginning. So many peaks, valleys, and different textures throughout.
 
3- “16 Carriages” and “Texas Hold ‘Em” were excellent choices for debut singles, as
they showed both sides of the country coin. “Carriages” had the quintessential poignant songwriting, while “Texas” gave us the banjos, sing-along chanting backgrounds, bars and cards, and line dance vibes. I love how “Texas” has a syrupy, sultry switch to R&B at the end.
 
4-Folks don’t talk about “Bodyguard” enough for me. Is it related to “II Most Wanted?” They both mention shotguns and have a “road trip with the top down” feel. Also, is that Taylor Allison Swift I hear doing the opening “aahs?”
 
5-I understand why some wanted Beyoncé to cover “Jolene” as is, but her begging post-Lemonade would sound degrading. Besides, the new lyrics fit her better, and involving the man in the narrative was an interesting twist. The “I raised that man” line was cringe-worthy though. Male arrested development and partner/mother duality is a problematic phenomena. Anyhow, the faded harmonica, claps, and voice yelling “Jolene” gives the cut a cool and ominous western face-off aura.
 
6- The strings on “Daughter” are so dynamic! They’re menacing one minute, anguished and sympathetic the next. It helps portray Ms. C.C.’s internal conflict. Against Beyoncé’s operatic vocals, it deliciously dramatic. It gives Phantom of the Opera. Christine! “Daughter” and “II Hands to Heaven” are connected musically by the same whining string instrument.

​7-Fans have a theory “Alligator Tears” is about the burden of assimilating to white cultural standards to no avail. Furthermore, how emotional manipulation is exacted to utilize white privilege. I’m inclined to agree, in addition to its function in Ms. C.C.’s story.
 
8-“Just for Fun’s” wonderful tonal contrasts subliminally covert it into a hymn, which fits its religious symbolism. Heavenly strings offset a dark piano. The vocals go from grounded and solemn, to light and uplifting with gorgeous harmonies and a choir. I adore Willie Jones’ huskiness. The “Born in the darkness, who brings light” lyric makes me wonder if it’s supposed to sync with “Blackbird.” I’ve gradually fallen more enamored with this track.
 
9-I think “II Most Wanted” is the most radio friendly tune. I’m completely smitten with that crying pedal steel guitar at the very beginning. Of the featured artists, I was most excited to learn about Miley and Dolly. I was pleasantly surprised at how well Miley and Beyoncé’s voices complimented each other. I heard a beautiful AI duet of “16 Carriages,” by the way. “I know we’re jumping the gun and we’re both still young, but one day we won’t be” activated an existential crisis. Am I wasting what's left of my youth? Am I running out of time? Am I living?
 
10-“Levii’s Jeans” grew on me after Netflix’s Beyoncé Bowl (yes ma’am). I get as hype and giddy as Post Malone did when I reach “Baby, let me rattle that snake with my venom, denim on denim, on denim, on denim.” Its doo-wop chic is endearing. The “God light” lyric may be stitched to “Blackbird” and “Just for Fun’s” references to illumination. I always smile at “You’re my renaissance.” I posit that Post Malone and Miley were asked to be contributors to represent genre-bending. They have both been in country, but are known for pop, pop-rock, and rap.
 
11-It’s ironic “YA YA” is so engaging and infectious when it has no chorus. A welcome shakeup in the track order, it’s the only song with its level of energy. I’m having flashbacks to when I side-eyed Bey for letting “Cuff It” be a bright and melodious standalone on Renaissance. Another paradoxical quality of “YA YA” is how it’s vibrant, but has intensely socio-political lyrics (I love juxtapositions like that). The unforgettable “My family lived and died in America, good ol' USA, whole lotta’ red in that white and blue, history can't be erased” is 1,000 pounds by itself. The production returns again to the 1960’s (with sample assistance from The Beach Boys and Nancy Sinatra), when Rock N' Roll was “controversial” and ferocious teen spirit countered the status quo. She gives fun winks to this by listing dance crazes (ex. The swim and the jerk) and distorting her voice like a Little Richard or Jerry Lee Louis-type would (ex. The inflection on “All the way down to New York City”). Her channeling of Tina Turner, her idol, makes me teary eyed. Since this album was recorded in 2019, I tell myself Turner heard “YA YA” and beamed.
 
12-It’s a crime against humanity that the sexy “Desert Eagle” and its Chaka Khan-ness is as short as it is.
 
13-The mix and match of a fiddle being against the EDM specs of “Riiverdance” is highly amusing to me.
14-I’m able to hear other people on the background vocals more than ever before. Is it just me? It’s a strange feeling.
 
15-Some don’t believe that Cowboy Carter was originally Act I, but I buy it. It makes sense, as “Ameriican Requiem” declares the reclaiming and examination of appropriated genres. Plus, there’s the EDM and rock hints, and “II Hands to Heaven” is the sister of “Virgo’s Groove.”
 
16-The production is smashingly cinematic and visual-inducing. You picture farms, an open highway with a desert landscape, hay bales, and golden sunsets as you listen. You can feel the comforting summer breeze of “Protector.”
 
17-Isn’t it wild Beyoncé got Dolly Parton and Willie Nelson to be on Cowboy Carter? Epic. They were suitable picks to underscore the LP’s message because they’re revered legends who have reputations for being inclusive. Too bad it didn’t spare Beyoncé any hate. I was pretty disappointed neither artist sung. I’m curious if that was by design, and if so, why?
 
18-I was hoping there would be something like the duet version of “Daddy Lessons” with The Chicks. The Louisiana big-band flavoring would liven up Cowboy Carter.
 
19-It’s noticeable Linda Martell only appears to introduce rap and rock songs. I’m guessing there’s a meaning to that.
 
20-Remembering how country media treated Beyoncé makes the radio interludes hit harder.
 
21-R&B was sparingly utilized. Cowboy Carter is certainly a departure from Bey’s M.O.
 
22-Let's see how she changes "AOTY, I ain't win" on tour. I hope she does, and we can have a second to commemorate the Grammy success with her and each other.
 
22-As I stated before, Cowboy Carter has a wide vocal palette where Beyoncé’s layered textures are showcased. She isn’t a "backseat baby" like she was on Renaissance. I’m infatuated with her rock-style, animalistic roars and howls (ex. “Ameriican Requiem,” “YA YA”) and the depths of her range. The last “How’s it feel…to be…adored?” on “Alligator Tears” is insane. Sometimes it takes me aback it’s same person delivering the celestial and plumose moments (ex. The aria on “Daughter”).
 
If you’ve come this far, I thank you and applaud your endurance to “git ‘er done.” We’re going on tour y’all! See you there!

February 17th marked the 20th anniversary of Destiny's Child's self-titled debut record. The date was definitely on my mental calendar because 'D.C.' was/is my heart, but I didn't really expect it to be on anyone else's radar. I was pleasantly surprised when I saw there was enough online conversation that the occasion was a "Twitter moment", and several commemorative articles were in circulation. Once I started combing through the fanfare, however, I felt a little dejected. Many of the tweets were from people who said they were infants or toddlers when the album came out. Thus, their 'reflections' were in hindsight or second-hand. So-called 'tribute' pieces barely discussed the actual project itself, focusing instead on the best-selling group's overall impact, or on Beyoncé as its cynosure. *Rolls eyes* Additionally, the editorials were written in this unaccustomed, passive tone that gave the authors away as D.C./Beyoncé novices. Some of the better (and more relevant) posts read like present-day reviews. Multiple mentioned they could understand why the LP performed only moderately well and received a mixed response from critics. They agreed with the consensus in 1998 that it was antiquated, a bit dull, inappropriate for a teenage act, and did nothing to separate the then quartet from other groups. I thought "I'm going to weigh in eventually. The crowds still have this album all wrong; it's so misunderstood and underrated."  The evaluations even got to Beyoncé herself, who said in 2006, "The first record was successful, but not hugely...It was a neo-soul record and we were 15-years-old [during recording]. It was way too mature for us."
 
From my perspective, the things that supposedly make the debut a misstep are what render it a golden, indispensable part of D.C.'s discography. One of the reasons the Jackson 5's "Who's Lovin' You" is so remarkable is that Michael Jackson was able to convey the anguish of a broken, grown man at age 11. The "too mature" material and "antiquated" musical production of Destiny's Child allowed the foursome to give a similarly impressive first testament to their ability. It commences with what I've jokingly described as 'the gates of Rock N' Roll heaven opening up' on "Second Nature." A declarative bluesy guitar riffs, before celestial harmonies enter over the rolls of a harp (or a piano, haha). Pointed plucks and percussion accentuate the sample of The Isley Brothers' "Make Me Say it Again" (1975), as Beyoncé questions, "Why does love always seem so very hard?" On top of this classic groove, she convincingly sings about serial relationship stumbles, instinctual devotion and giving all of herself, as if she knew something about any of it. The track is hypnotic and succulent until the very last drop. Like a chocolate with secret filling, the remaining 30 seconds unexpectedly wanders away from the main layout. Twinkling cymbals and piano take precedence over the guitar, then it beautifully fades to black. It's easily my favorite; it hits the spot.
 
Save for the 'designed for radio' singles "No, No, No Part 2" and "With Me Part 1," "Second Nature" sets the tone for the rest of the album. It's buttery musical and vocal arrangements (ex. "No, No, No Part 1"), vintage inspirations (ex. "Birthday"), and believable sung performance are heard throughout. D.C.'s execution of The Commodores' "Sail On" (1979) is nothing short of extraordinary. Their mellifluous and tender delivery expresses the romantic disillusionment of the verses, while their detectable confidence portrays the resilient attitude of the chorus. They sway between the two postures with consummate fluidity; there's isn't anything 'freshman' about it. Absolutely heart-tugging, their  R&B-converting cover did more to capture the song's premise than the unaffected, country-farcing original ever did.
 
On the immersing "Killing Time," the youngster's ghostly and pained voicing helps sell the adult despondency that comes when a troubled loved one pushes you away. Like "Second Nature," a solo soulful guitar is the initiator. A whispering flute follows, leading to D.C. and a taunting 'tick' that persists to the end. Tranquil, yet ornate strings further dramatize the air. Usually, emotive peaks are placed at the bridge, and room is left for a cool down. Beyoncé pushes the benchmark well past that, with cogent and heady work that keeps the track touchy through the close (she does the same on the stirring "My Time Has Come"). She eventually gives a defeated sigh, as the 'clock' ticks on and the strings quiet. I get completely lost in it; it's so gorgeous. The tune is technically D.C.'s first single, appearing on the July 1997 Men in Black soundtrack.
 
D.C. didn't abundantly sing in such a careful, impassioned manner again until 2004's Destiny Fulfilled. Beyoncé in particular altered or ceased to do a number of things stylistically. Part of what makes her a joy to take in are the varying shades of her voice. I'm in love with her warmer and lower tones, of which there's a higher concentration on Destiny's Child. There's also this deliberate enunciation and phrasing she uses that emphasizes feeling or adds character to wording. The tactic remained a signature of hers, but it's commonly applied in all its glory on stage. My favorite example is the playful and cutesy way she says "Sugah, sugah"  at the end of "Bridges'" first verse (another go-to cut for me). Going forward, some would say her standard delivery was excessively premeditated and technical, and subsequently missing emotion.

​Not only did D.C.'s introducing content prove they could hang with the big girls, it demonstrated their uniqueness (contrary to critic's beliefs). The sound wasn't just unconventional because it was done by a new and underage group. It was arguably indefinable; it couldn't be easily categorized. Anything that wasn't explicitly mainstream R&B was considered neo-soul then, but the album wasn't exactly 'twinning' with other releases in the sub-genre. It may not have been textbook 90's, but it wasn't stock 80's, 70's or 60's either. For lack of a better term, the unfixed-ness of it all inadvertently ensured the girls would have something to call their own. They couldn't be fairly accused of being karaoke knockoffs, or not bringing anything distinguishing to the table. Howbeit, 2018 write-ups described Destiny's Child as a one-off that didn't lay a foundation. The ground for the female empowerment platform that later defined them (and Beyoncé as a solo artist) hadn't been broken, but other seals were established. Their famous speedy, staccato singing on up-tempos started with "No, No, No Part 2." Including alternate versions of songs continued with "Independent Women" and "Dangerously in Love" ("With Me Part 2" was so unneeded, by the way). The tradition of concluding records with a beauteous, uplifting ballad began with the wonderfully written "My Time Has Come." The Writing's on the Wall's "Sweet Sixteen" (1999) and Survivor's "Emotion" (2001) followed in the 'upgraded cover' footsteps of "Sail On." The originals were done by Jody Watley in 1998 and Samantha Sang with The Bee Gees in 1977, respectively. "Sixteen" was also a take on Mahogany's "Do You Know Where You're Going To?" (1975).
 
This idea that D.C. moved on to greener, commercial pastures and never looked back couldn't be further from the truth. As briefly mentioned earlier, their genesis was the entire basis for their final curtain, Destiny Fulfilled. It was a sister project through and through, from the luscious 70's references and balmy atmosphere, to the duo of radio singles that deviated from the tracklist (i.e."Lose My Breath" and "Soldier"). Having increasing songwriting and producing agency since Writings, the ladies were able to make enhancements to their fundamental blueprint. The former themes of staunch dedication and loss were adapted into a more inspiriting, unfolding story about identity and post-breakup healing (Beyoncé and Michelle's siblings, Solange and Erron, co-wrote "Bad Habit" and "Love," correspondingly). Instead of Beyoncé having the lion's share of the lead vocals, they were evenly distributed (akin to Survivor). The change highlighted the group's blending skills and asserted that they were in fact a collective effort. In hearing every member vividly, it was observable how they contributed to and were essential in engineering the D.C. tone. Each distinctive voice was necessary in complimenting and balancing the other. What they generate as a whole, both sonically and in presence, they can't easily replicate individually. Hence, me having hunger pains for a studio reunion and/or tour, but I digress. Musically on Fulfilled, they were unapologetic about their not so mainstream roots. The adjustments from the prior design were minor, with just a thin coat of current rhythmic taste and clearer production. Destiny's Child had this muffled film over it, which might've been a factor in why it was perceived as dated. Cloudiness is typically a symptom of a low budget or someone taking a shortcut, but the haze boosted the album's charm ("With Me Part 2" sounded the cheapest; go figure).
 
D.C.'s omega being an improved companion to their alpha was an excellent way to remind listeners of their core and illustrate their ample growth. Progression, or regression for that matter, can be quite evident when two comparable models are side-by-side. D.C. fulfilled the promise they displayed at onset (pun totally intended), and teased what they could bring in the future. 

Despite Fulfilled's similar yesteryear influences and mature subject matter, the reception was more embracing than it was with Destiny's Child. One negative adjective from 1998 that didn't resurface in 2004 was "inappropriate." Early 20-somethings imparting the life clarity of women twice their age is definitely hard to believe. However, it's much easier to digest than teenagers singing about things like knowing how to get and keep a man (i.e. "With Me;" that song keeps coming up). Ever see the video for "No, No, No Part 1?" D.C.'s 17-year-old members were covered in makeup (specifically 'night' looks) and wearing skin baring threads, while sultrily performing in a lounge setting. "Your friends can't do what I can for you," cooed YoungOncé. It was a lot. The sophomore Writing's was musically contemporary and upped the ante on scandalous adult topics, but ironically, it was dubbed childish by some reviewers. A great philosopher once said "You can't win chile', you can't break even and you can't get out of the game." Fulfilled escaped adjectives such as "unfashionable," likely because it fit better into its surrounding landscape. Some hits from the period include Alicia Keys' "You Don't Know My Name," R. Kelly's "Step in the Name of Love" and Anthony Hamilton's "Charlene." What was deemed anachronistic just six years before was now in vogue. This suggests that maybe Destiny's Child wasn't an "antiquated one-off," but ahead of its age and more influential than realized. Perhaps it evaded the concept of time altogether. 

A few of today's writers admitted that, regardless of whatever perceived 'faults,' Destiny's Child had sustained well and had a timeless quality. This is the album's best feature, in my opinion (that goes for its sibling, Destiny Fulfilled too). It was upbraided for its neutrality between old and new school, but that's what enabled it to withstand two decades flexibly. The millennium chic of successors The Writing's on the Wall and Survivor helped them to be top-sellers, but that's the very thing that weighs them down in a retrospective. Its noisy and cacophonous production that's 'so 2000's' has them beholden to their era. Frame of reference or a certain mood may be required to fully appreciate them. Not so much with Destiny's Child. It was pliable then and now. Then: I didn't have my copy an hour, before my father--an 'out of demographic' listener--scooped it for his own enjoyment. Now: the record was favored by my 90's-born friend when he first heard D.C.'s pre-Fulfilled catalog. Though Survivor was released during the prime of his childhood, he said, "It's terrible music; I don't understand why it was so popular." The attractive forces of the uncontrived and understated endure, and Destiny's Child is both of those. Its quieting command permits you to linger and indulge in its richness. You have the space to concentrate on and absorb the beauty of D.C.'s ripe and untouched talent. Debut albums are generally cherished for that purpose: the artist is in a one-time, rare form that they'd never be heard in again. For me as a long-term fan, listening to it is grounding...centering...resetting. That's why it's my foremost selection when I'm ready to go back to Titanic, haha. Also, it reminds me of a simpler day, when the purported 'fan-base' wasn't so superficial and convoluted. All these aspects heighten the record's agelessness.
 
Beyoncé may have her misgivings about D.C.'s premiere, but it gave way to her obsession with musical immortality. In many an interview and behind-the-scenes filming, she explained 'timelessness' was the target for her solo launch, Dangerously in Love (2003). She told one reporter, "I'm not interested in the moment. I'm interested in how this is going to sound in 30 years' time." The LP too relied on 70's and 80's notes, which executives allegedly contested. She presumably leaned into their expectations, with B'Day (2006) and I Am...Sasha Fierce (2008) being more updated. She later implied these records weren't "classic" and comprehensive bodies of work, and that 2011's 4 would aspire to be so. Since then, she's focused on surprise "visual albums." Packaged with symbolic images and film, the goal of these is to revive the 360 listening experience. She's definitely not going for 'temporary.'
 
Those penning Destiny's Child anniversary articles didn't consider this possible connection, or any others. For them, the milestone was merely an excuse to post something related to the trendy topic of Beyoncé and get website hits. So, they regurgitated ideas from 20 years ago, slapped on some shallow observations, and called it a night. I think I've thoroughly explicated just how off-base those vecenarian ideas were, but I have a cherry to put on top. 1998's critics cast D.C. aside as an unremarkable act to be forgotten. Yet, they outlasted and outdid their contemporaries. To this day, they're one of the top five best-selling female groups of all-time. Having built a shining legacy, the public's desire for them hasn't waned. A Time magazine infographic from June 2011 ("Destiny's Portfolio") reported that they sold 25,000 albums so far that year, which was long after their disbandment. Whether it's an internet challenge or a live performance, the ladies cause a frenzy each time they share oxygen. Their reunions at the 2013 Superbowl and this April's Coachella festival triggered colossal sales increases. Their continued marketability and past history-making status often have them on "Best" lists by music and record-keeping entities. The traits most discussed are their garish outfits, trademark sound, and positive, pro-woman messages. The girl-group wave has calmed since the 2000's, but those who stand now nod to D.C. On their single "That's My Girl," post-2012 troop Fifth Harmony reminds, "Destiny said it, you got to get up and get it, get mad independent and don't you ever forget it." So much for being unmemorable, huh?
 
People want to pretend that D.C.'s whole story is Survivor or that Beyoncé invented herself, but facts are facts. All that they were and are rests on a little ole' self-titled diamond in the rough. Destiny's Child is where they "went from a dream, to the young Supremes," as said on "Illusion." Though that's the only track that harkens back to D.C.'s childhood start as the rapping/singing Girls Tyme, I always skip it. Am I the only one? Haha.
 
Related Reading:
-Bey's Wax: The Discography Analyzed (2012)
-10th Anniversary: Destiny Fulfilled (2014)

​For a die-hard fan of Beyoncé (also known as a BeyHive member), attending her concerts is communion. It's a rare instance that comes once about every 3 years where we can sit in an arena full of people just like us; gone are the judgments, criticisms, questions and antagonisms of those who think we're strange or idiotic for our fandom. Finally, we're around others who can air-drum and sing-along with us through Bey's ad-libs and quirky vocal/verbal twitches because they too have seen a million recorded performances and have memorized the live versions (if I got a dollar every time I said "Whoadie" while listening to "Countdown" and those around me were confused, I'd be rich). There's a collective gasping and freaking out when unofficial or rarely done songs come up, and inside jokes are understood. Our applause at the end of a dance break or musician's solo is genuine because we know the crew. If Beyoncé does a tribute or a mash-up with another artist's track, we know the reasoning behind it. When she goes into a sermon, tells a story or plays a personal video clip, we know the context and can connect with her. Especially for long-time attendees (I've been lucky enough to see every tour since "Ladies First" in 2004--except "On the Run;" I have my reasons for not going), seeing Bey is like reuniting with an old friend. You are hers, and she is yours. The fellowship is part of what makes the live experience the climatic thing that it is, and why some go to multiple dates on the same tour. So, imagine how downhearted I must have felt walking away from the "Formation World Tour" thinking those days were over.
 
As I worked my way through the bustling crowd at Nashville's Nissan Stadium to get to my seat, I already began to detect a difference. Demographic groups I'd previously seen in smaller portions were substantially larger, necking up with Bey's primary audience of black women in their 20 and 30's. The most notable additions were children (which is interesting because Beyoncé's music hasn't been kid-friendly since 2013), older black women and white men. I thought "Humm...this is interesting," and quickly got back to focusing on locating my section. Once there, I began chatting up the woman next to me. Usually when I do this, it results in a fun stan-session and they're my BFF for the next few hours. This time, I was dealing with someone who described themselves as "a big fan," but only had the Lemonade album, and on stream at that (which is not ownership). Sigh. When Chime for Change ads and music videos for Montina Cooper, Sophie Beem and sister-duo Chloe & Halle started to play, I heard people ask "What's Chime for Change? Who are these singers?" I had to explain that Beyoncé was a co-founder of a fund-raising organization for women, Cooper was one of her background singers, and that the other artists were those she's signed to her record label. "Beyoncé has her own label?," inquires a woman wearing a shirt that reads "'Cause I Slay," a lyric from the single "Formation." Double sigh.
 
A couple of numbers in, the opening chords of "Me, Myself & I" (my favorite ever) slowly ring out. I identify it instantly and jump down the stairway. I couldn't contain myself. It was last on the set-list in 2007 for "The Beyoncé Experience;" hands were up and amen's were shouted like it was a church service then. At this venue though, I apparently was the only one prepared for the deliverance. No one in my area seemed to recognize the song (I was pretty darn close on the side too). Bey talked about how it came from her first solo album and thanked everyone for riding with her since Destiny's Child arrived 20 years ago. I grumbled under my breath, "Too bad most of the people over here don't know anything about that." Later, footage of her talking to a camera at age 16 comes across the screen. I smile warmly. It came with DC's debut, back when there were CD-ROM bonus features. I reminisced about how impressed I was with Bey's focus and spirituality. I related to her perspective and found her adorably endearing. When material like this is pulled out of the vault for the stage, it's precious. A flood of memories rush over; you recall your life at the time, the significance of that piece and where your favorite artist (who's likely reflecting back with you) was in their career. It creates a nostalgic nirvana that's overcoming, particularly when it's happening at mass. Watching that tape threw me into thinking about how I have practically grown up with this woman (we're close in age) and the mark that she's made on me. Additionally, as a music nerd, it's such an honor to have bared witness to an artist's development from the early stages and be able to testify to it. You get to carve "I was here" in the door. However, as with "Me, Myself & I," my near-nirvana was abruptly interrupted when someone said, "Whoa, where'd that come from?" 

​All of these beautiful, little recollections that once bonded me to others, now isolated me. *Deena Jones voice* I wasn't at home in my own home. *Judy Garland voice* I wasn't in Kansas anymore, Toto. Scratch Toto--I didn't even have a Toto. I was alone. Where were my people? These strangers didn't appear to even know Lemonade. Outside of singles like "Sorry" and "Hold Up," there wasn't much of a choral raucous. I noticed that some of the most thunderous cheering came during "Drunk in Love," "Survivor," "Crazy in Love," and when they thought Beyoncé was about to do "Independent Women." "Question?" went over the loud speakers and they lost their darn minds. I shook my head. That confirmed my suspicions of the type of "fans" I was surrounded by. In this moment, I'm reminded of 2 atrocious things I saw from ticket-holders just before my show: 1) A registered, certified, licensed wasp was online talking about how a TV performance made them curious to see the tour, so they got tickets. When I say "wasp," I don't mean a white, Anglo-Saxon Protestant. It's BeyHive slang for someone who has a feverish, unadulterated dislike (to put it lightly) of Beyoncé.  2) A week prior, one person was asking Hive members if they had downloaded a copy of Lemonade so they could get one. First of all, we aren't downloading a thing--we are spending coin and getting a physical copy. Fans don't function without tangibles. Second, they thought the HIVE was going to assist them in their faux-support of our queen?!!  That was both laughable and appalling. Third, Lemonade had been out for almost 6 months then. 6 months. These were the kind of people who came to the concert: self-professed haters and folks who were so unmoved and passive in their "interest," they couldn't be bothered to hear and/or purchase the material (that she poured everything into, by the way). I suppose the jokes on them because they spent a probable minimum of $100 per ticket on someone they truly don't care about, but I started to get pissed off because it felt so disrespectful. Beyoncé was expressing gratitude to and breaking a literal sweat for them. Several of those who authentically support, venerate and appreciate Bey's journey and hard work either had to sit in the nosebleed section or didn't get tickets at all partly because of these people. I know someone who had to break down and get an expensive VIP package to guarantee a seat.
 
Radio Rachels, Bandwagon Beckys and Yellow-Jacket Yanceys (another BeyHive term; yellow-jackets are people who wear their fandom like a jacket) have always trickled in, but never in volume like now. Honestly, I started to see a shift in atmosphere at the 2009 "I Am...World Tour" (i.e. the "Single Ladies" era), but I didn't mind it because, A)it wasn't as seismic and B) I excitedly thought these new faces were going to invest in the brand. Fast-forward to 2016, it's clear the larvae never became bees, and I'm snickering because "Single Ladies" wasn't on the set-list. I inadvertently and vicariously got revenge; you know the Fair-weather Fanny's were salivating and waitin' for that song. I may have entered the stadium with some pep in my step, but I was lowkey sulking through the exit. I found myself buying more merchandise than intended to compensate for feeling like I didn't have an exclusive experience. No lie, the first thought I had leaving my chair was "She's gotten too big. It's official." Every stan eagerly waits for their fave to reach an elevated status because they want the world to realize how much they offer. The expectation is that once others get a whiff, they'll see why you're a believer and join you. Oh, expectations; such troublesome little things they are. It's not that I figured all would convert to the gospel of Beysus (don't @ me; I don't care if you find that blasphemous), but I didn't anticipate being a "Stranger in Moscow" either (yes, that was a MJ reference *smiles*). It was once a family reunion, but now everyone's in the yard fixin' them a plate and they ain't put no money in the contribution jar. Who told Ray-Ray next door he could get a neck-bone?
 
There was about 8 minutes where I was able to successfully tune everyone out: when Beyoncé performed "1+1" and Prince's "The Beautiful Ones" behind each other. CHILE...... 1) "1+1" is in my personal top 5, 2) Bey cuts up when she does it live, 3) This 2-pack had me shook when she originally did it in 2011, and 4) "TBO" is one of my favorite Prince tracks. It was transporting to hear her voice fill the air and burst through the night sky. That THX sound certification was worth every dollar, haha. When I told my friend about this, she said "See, that's what you came for. That feeling right there. You didn't come for everyone else." This is true, but for me, a key feature was missing. I guess I'm going to have to stack my dough for one of those VIP packages, wait for an "intimate performance," struggle to see on the floor (I'm tiny) or go with one of my honeycomb partners. Anything to keep Becky from interrupting my stanning.

I remember when I received notice that Destiny’s Child was releasing Destiny Fulfilled. I was in the library staring at the computer in complete shock and overwhelmed with excitement. “It’s actually happening,” I kept repeating to myself. After 2001’s Survivor, Beyonce`, Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams announced they would temporarily separate to do solo projects. Pop history had many (including me) taking their vow to regroup lightly, but they were following through. I almost caused my roommate to have a car accident when I suddenly shrieked and turned the radio way up to hear the launch of 1st single, “Lose My Breath.” Back then, it wasn’t easily accessible mass knowledge when something going to radio. I made a schedule of their upcoming television appearances and taped them all. Yes, taped. On VHS. I feel old. Anyway, it had only been 3 years since their last LP, but it felt like a lifetime. Media and retail went a flutter with anticipation. Press, promotional photos and the now marked album cover with a seemingly nude and makeup-less DC were everywhere. Walmart had banners every so many feet in stores and filmed a holiday commercial with the ladies and their respective family members. The pictorials signified what we would hear on the record. Many were high glamour with a touch of classic Hollywood, sophisticatedly sexy and elegant with a sleek sense of power. Gone were the girlish, teeny bopper nuances; destiny’s children had become women. Fulfilled hit the United States market on November 16, 2004.

The tremendous amount of maturity and artistic growth displayed (especially over a 3 year period) was staggering. Knocking down the proverbial “fourth wall,” they wrote their most guttural and connected album yet, telling a progressing story of the deterioration and reconstruction of a woman’s spirit while loving another person more than herself. It was therapy on wax, as most of the songs described the psychology of a woman whose acquisition of love is unhealthy. It boldly confronted the backwards practice of using the heart, mind and body as a bargaining chip; offering it all instantly in a hopeful exchange for affection, instead of a gift given after it is earned. The various layers of this are explored—1) rejection and competition, 2) bitterness, 3) susceptibility to emotional manipulations, 4) forfeiting trueness to and development of the self to become someone else’s ideal, 5) rationalizing mistreatment and abuse and 6) forcing yourself to accept things you honestly dislike to get whatever attachment you can from a potential mate. A few of the tracks tackle multiple layers; “Through with Love” nearly took on the whole enchilada: “I gave up my friends…threw out my dreams if you said you didn't approve…compromised my life just to see I'd find you were trying hold me back, slowly throwing me off my track…there you go comparing me to every little model on the TV screen…my esteem has gone down…you make me feel dumb and alone…paralyzed my growth for you, I gave you control, felt so helpless without you…I have given so much in the past for a love I never had…through with love, I'm finally giving it up.”

“Is She the Reason” bluntly hits layer 6 on the nail while addressing the epidemic of ‘giving the milk for free:’ “…remember we were different…I was cool with no commitment, let me take that back, it was you, so I was with it.” “Reason,” along with the Japanese bonus track “Why You Actin’,” tells what usually happens after the milk’s been taken. With no titles, you’re not entitled. The person has the freedom to leave, so they do and you’re left feeling inadequate, foolish and emotionally bankrupt after a bad investment into someone with no credit.

Concession is discussed even to the point of spiritual confliction and revelation. Rumored eliminated song “Have Your Way” was likely on the chopping block for its melodic dryness, but its saddening tale was a familiar one and a powerful statement: “I changed my life for you and all that you could do is betray me…Lord I'm trying to do what pleasing in your sight, but I'm in love; right now I'm caught up. Instead of leaving, I know you’ll be right by my side and you'll make a way… I've spent too much time playing wife...O Lord forgive me, I thought by now we'd be married… you've shown no commitment to me… I cannot blame you for using me if I continue to let this be, ‘cause shacking with a man just ain't me.” Faith-based values are rarely approached in secular music; it shows how much DC looked within to make this album (the members have a religious background). Lines in “Bad Habit” and “Through” compensate in “Way’s” absence. In fact, “Through’s” conclusion is finding resolve in spiritual love. It completes Fulfilled’s closing “reconstruction” trifecta that includes my favorites, “If” and the inner peace anthem “Free.” I love “If” partly for the same reason I love Beyoncé’s “Irreplaceable:” they musically seem sweet and gentle, but have a feisty message. 

To get into the record’s overall sound, DC went back to their roots, giving soulful vocals and vintage R&B. Touching friendship chant “Girl,” “Reason,” “If” and “Game Over” (another Japanese bonus track) sampled 70’s cuts from The Dramatics, Melba Moore, Natalie Cole and Dee Dee Sharp. An interesting tidbit, with the exception of Cole’s 1975 “Inseparable,” all the samples were from 1977. Considering their major pop crossover, returning to foundation was risky, but it was another sign of how determined the group was to have a definitive work that was a testament to who they were as an act. This was crucial as Fulfilled was their intended final record, as they declared during their subsequent tour. It’s a shame because they were just getting good. I strongly feel even greater material was to come. It was like a freshly bloomed flower was immediately cut. I know they had commercial and cultural success- they’re in the top 3 biggest selling girl-groups of all-time-I’m speaking on artistic terms. 1 could suggest listening to their solo albums to hear how their development might have unfolded, but any fan knows it’s not the same. Their solo gear is great, but there’s nothing like what they create together. Their special vocal brew was the perfect mix. Kelly’s silky, honeyed voice was a beautiful counterpart to the growling, gusty power of Beyonce` and Michelle’s distinctive tone and gospel flavor capped things off. Many of my favorite parts on Fulfilled are Williams’ bridges and climaxes (ex. “Girl,” “Actin’” & “Through”). Their trademark speed-singing (ex. DC4 hits “No, No, No” & “BugaBoo”) and gorgeous harmonies (Oh, the harmonies!) are the stuff of legend. Even live there’s a difference; Beyonce` seems more relaxed and not as calculated when on stage with her girls. It’s ironic that Fulfilled is substantially more mature than her latest album, even though she’s older and now a wife and mother.

Destiny Fulfilled’s sensitive and inspiring narrative, classic appeal and vocal performance made it an enduring R&B record and Destiny’s Child’s best. With just 11 songs on the standard edition, it left you wanting more. I remember thinking “Hey! This is your last album and we only got 11 songs? Not fair!” Haha.  The trio got together for “You Changed,” featured on Rowland’s Talk a Good Game last year. I was like Rose from Titanic; I could still smell the fresh paint. It sounded like it came right off of Fulfilled! It was as if no time had passed; the chemistry was still intact. It made me crave a reunion that much more. If Destiny Fulfilled is what was they came up with after some independent life experience, a project now would be complete slayage.

I’ve had some new observations about this decade old (I really can’t believe it’s been that long) CD. I wonder if “Cater 2 U” was secretly about over-extending yourself to be the perfect mate. Kelly’s verse always stuck out to me: “I know whatever I'm not fulfilling another woman is willing...I'll keep it tight, I'll keep my figure right, I'll keep my hair fixed, keep rocking the hottest outfits. When you come home late, tap me on my shoulder, I'll roll over, baby I heard you, I'm here to serve you.” Given the themes in the rest of the songs, I just wonder, particularly since we end up at “This time is for me, you’ve been doing you, I'm going to do me…I lived and breathed you and all your needs, let me speak, it's best I do what's best for me” on “Free.” I wasn’t the only 1 who thought about this; a friend said: “The entire project was cyclical. It starts with the vanity of finding a sexual partner [“Lose My Breath], then looking for a bad-boy [“Soldier”] and by “Cater 2 U,” she’s saying “My life would be purposeless without you” and over-investing in this man she barely knows.”

“Bad Habit” is where the central character finally finds the strength to leave the careening relationship, but seems to feel remorseful about it: “It's not the fact that I don't love you no more, but I got to break this bad habit.” Again, the lyrics get into psychology. It wasn’t until my own bad habit that I understood how you can still care about sparing the feelings of someone who has damaged you. Some actually thought Fulfilled was too vulnerable; but I think its depictions of healing through self-love, bonds and divinity after brokenness made it complete and empowering. The 1 observation fans collectively had was that the video for “Girl” may literally have been about, Kelly, its lead. Rowland detailed on Game single “Dirty Laundry” that she was in an abusive relationship “Post-Survivor…almost been a decade” with someone who tried to drive a wedge between her and Beyonce`: “He said, ‘Don't nobody love you but me, not your mama, not your daddy and especially not Bey.’ He turned me against my sister; I missed you.” Clearly, homeboy wasn’t successful, thank goodness. Maybe the whole album was about Kelly’s experience…maybe not. Nevertheless, the lessons of Destiny Fulfilled are abundant and play on.

Thank you, Destiny’s Child.

Shout out to “Gots My Own” (Japanese edition); it goes. “You’re heavy in your game, but I’m saturated; tryna’ figure me out, but you just can’t figure me out.”

 After helping a potential bee binge on Beyonce` videos, I decided make a list of my top 20 favorites. Despite releasing anthologies for 2 of her solo albums (“B’Day” &“BEYONCE`”), King B isn’t known for pop-culture crazing videos outside of “Single Ladies” and I think I know why. A good number of her videos are “pretty posey,” where all you get are shots and close-ups of Beyonce` posing pretty in various costumes, with no theme or storyline (videos are one area where her contemporary, Britney Spears, has her beat). This is particularly annoying when the song gives all the plot needed and it’s not utilized; case in point, the most disappointing “Best Thing I Never Had,” where she spent majority of the video singing into a flower decked in lingerie and running around a grassy knoll in an (epic) wedding dress. There’s nothing wrong with an occasional premise-less video, some are on this list, but the emphasis needs to be on “occasional.” That acknowledged, it wasn’t too hard to pick just 20 videos, but I did have a few outliers that I hated excluding, so those honorable mentions are under the list at the bottom. The omission most likely to shock is “Crazy in Love.” Yes, I love the song, it was her debut, the Versace was amazing, it had the “uh-oh” dance  and it’s hard to beat her strutting in those red heels and perfect, curve hugging jean shorts and white tank, but…it’s not my favorite video to watch beyond the opening and closing moments. I’m sorry. If it made the list, it’s because I thought it was creative, just plain love it, it was a great memory for me, or a combination. The ranking was based on what I’d likely watch 1st. Enjoy and let me know if you agree.

20. Haunted (from “BEYONCE`,” directed by Jonas Akerlund)
This clip is very different from anything else in Beyoncé’s videography. It was dark. It was creepy. It was fantastic! Most pop videos with strange or abstract visuals have such without much context or theme consistency, causing them to come off like they were “trying too hard” to be unique or profound. “Haunted’s” interpretation is open, but it’s still simple and (mostly) sensible. The song is called “Haunted” and mentions ghosts, so we’re going to give you Beyonce` walking through a vintage hotel seeing freakshow and eerie figures that may not actually be there. It was like a music video for “American Horror Story.” Wait! There’s more! We’re going to be really relevant to the song and add images that have to do with sexuality. Wow! Figurative and concrete representations! My other favorite thing about Haunted: Bey’s classic Hollywood fashions and sultry makeup-it was dusky-emo done right. I’m obsessed with it. Oh, and I was happy to see that B’Day-era logo on her luggage. Get “Haunted” here.

19. Run the World (Girls) (from “4,” directed by Francis Lawrence)
The song was kind of hard to melodically catch onto, but the video was much easier to chew on. For those who love the version of Beyonce` that’s militant and fierce, “Run the World” is where it’s at: she’s riding horses (in an awesome outfit), blowing stuff up and marching, with her face painted on the walls and iconic, eye-catching insignia-anyone know where I can get one of those red “B” flags? I still want one. I loved the choreography, I loved the clothes (the Givenchy dress was to die for), it was a Beyonce` revolution and I was joining with a hair toss and shoulder bounce.

18. XO (from “BEYONCE`,” directed by Terry Richardson)
The 1st time I heard “XO,” I had happy Peter Pan thoughts; memories of when I smiled on the inside and fell in love. I pictured innocence and carnivals, so when I saw the video, I said “Oh, this is PERFECT.” Beyonce` aimlessly ran around Coney Island with a camera crew and it was the best thing ever. She’s impromptu dancing with visitors, filming with TMZ paparazzi, waving at fans, riding roller-coasters with her friend and stylist, Ty Hunter, and it was great. She seemed so darn gleeful and for any bee, the King’s smile is like a warm hug on Christmas morning. Seeing her happily drive a bumper car was everything I needed and more; and it was written all over my face. Wasn’t she beautiful, too? “everyday girl” never look so good.

17. Heaven (from “BEYONCE`,” directed by Todd Tourso)
Although this video has a sad outcome (it’s implied that someone has died), it paints a beautiful picture of friendship. How gorgeous is Ashley Everett (Beyoncé’s background dancer who plays her best friend)? Given the subject matter, I feel a little uncomfortable making a style remark, but the black Dolce & Gabbana dress and Eugenia Kim hat was fabulous. Fun fact: when pictures of the wedding scene leaked online, a rumor was spread that it was Beyonce` attending John Legend’s ceremony.  Watch “Heaven” here.

16. Why Don’t You Love Me? (from “I Am…Sasha Fierce,” directed by Melina Matsoukas & Beyonce`)
“B.B. Homemaker” shows that even if you do EVERYTHING well, including fixing a car in heels, some guys are still too dumb to recognize your awesomeness. “Why Don’t You Love Me?” is a funny and cute nod to 50’s film strips, pinup girls and TV housewives. Anyone who’s been driven up the wall by an ill-reciprocating lover can relate to this image. The best part? Beyonce` kissing off the world by dusting off her 5011 Grammys; just in case you were uncertain of her status as a boss. 

15. Destiny’s Child-Lose My Breath (from “Destiny Fulfilled,” directed by Alan Smithee)
Yes, this is a Destiny’s Child video and not from Beyoncé’s solo work, but whatever, this is my list. I’m a grown woman and I can do whatever I want. Three versions of Destiny’s Child having a dance-off? I don’t think I have to explain why this is one is a fave any further.

14. Dance for You (from “4,” directed by Alan Ferguson & Beyonce`)
I don’t think my love for this one needs explaining either, but “Dance for You” is the definition of sexy and illustrates the art of seduction. Anyone can arouse by showing skin, nudity or overly suggestive movements, but it takes skill to entice by presence whilst clothed. Beyonce` has given over to the more typical ways of video sexy as of late, but she was on point here, channeling 1940’s detective flicks.

13. Party (from “4,” directed by Alan Ferguson & Beyonce`)
Living up to its namesake, “Party” is *Tamar Braxton voice* funners, all smiles, colorful, tickles my summer feels and features the fam (Kelly Rowland and Beyoncé’s sister, Solange). Beyonce` looked extra delicious, especially in the kitchen scene; hi-five to the makeup and hair team. The only minuses were this video was dropped in the fall and there was no Andre` 3000.

12. Destiny’s Child-Emotion (from “Survivor,” directed by Darren Grant)
There are so many things to love here for me. 1) Destiny’s Child. 2) The split screen. 3) The plot involved all 3 girls and cleverly connected the song to each of their stories. Kelly says goodbye to a relocating boyfriend, Beyonce` catches her guy cheating and Michelle’s relative is passing away. Kelly and Beyonce` dry up their tears long enough to support Michelle, where the video closes. It was so sweet. Aww. “Emotion” is even accidentally amusing: Bey’s side pony-tail was something else and Kelly’s kiss wasn’t very convincing.

11. Check on It (from “The Pink Panther” Soundtrack, directed by Hype Williams)
Naughty Girl (from “Dangerously in Love,” directed by Jake Nava)
I couldn’t part with either one of these, so I have a tie. Did you know the black Barbie doll had a music video? It’s called “Check on It,” haha. This cut conjures thoughts of all things yummy: Valentine’s Day pink hearts, bubblegum, Pepto-Bismol, pop music and Beyonce` giving all levels of attractiveness-cute, sexy, pretty and beautiful. I wanted her phone number; I lived for that varsity-girl sweater number. I loathe the actual song, but the video had all my attention.

10. Halo from (“I Am…Sasha Fierce,” directed by Phillip Andelman)
As much as Beyonce` sings about love, you’d think she’d have a slew of romantic videos, but “Halo” stands alone. I become a mushy, sappy mess when I watch it; I just want to run off and read Shakespeare. The unadulterated bliss and tenderness between two captivated lovers is displayed, accentuated by stunning cinematography, using sunlight effects and a misty haze. The chemistry between Beyonce` and the breathtakingly handsome actor Michael Ealy is so incredibly believable (the aforesaid camera work brings out their best features-their dreamy eyes and sparkling smiles), you’re swooning and prepared to faint when they lean in and….don’t kiss. *Shakes my head* 6 years later and it’s still an atrocity to me. Guess Bey is too monogamous to function. I also shook my head when she flung her oozing toothbrush at him. That was just gross.

9. Me, Myself & I (from “Dangerously in Love,” directed by Johan Renck)
Bey may rarely tell video stories, but when it happens, it’s good. Unfolding in reverse, “Me, Myself & I” immediately grabs your attention because you want to know why Beyonce` is walking backwards, cutting her hair, fighting her bathtub water and crying. Vulnerable and empowering all at the same time, you see Beyonce` confront her unfaithful boyfriend (with another woman’s panties no less) over what he thought was a fancy couples dinner, tussle with him, pack her bags, key his car (while wearing a dashing and very sexy Versace or Cavalli, I believe) have a bit of a breakdown and begin to rebuild.

8. Single Ladies (from “I Am…Sasha Fierce,” directed by Jake Nava)
All the video gold Jake Nava and Beyonce` had previously created bubbled over with “Single Ladies,” spawning thousands, if not millions, of remakes and parodies. Deadbeat boyfriends were dumped the world over and everyone, including President Barack Obama, was flipping their hand back and forth. It was the stuff of legend. Sometimes you understand the phenom, other times you don’t. For me, it was love at 1st sight. Non-stop choreo made of new-age J-Setting and old-school Broadway to an infectious song and Beyonce` with a robot glove?! A Thierry Mugler robot glove?! AAAH! Every time I need a reminder of how my diva is a bad broad, I watch “Single Ladies.” 

7. Green Light (from “B’Day,” directed by Melina Matsoukas)
Oh, “Green Light,” how do I love thee? Let me count the ways. The colors! The costumes! The kickin’ all-female Suga Mama band! The Robert Palmer “Addictive to Love” reference! Beyonce` breaking guitars! Beyonce` in shiny leather! Beyonce` looking like Sista from the original Sparkle film in that red dress on top of the white piano! She was holding up traffic.

6. If I Were a Boy (from “I Am…Sasha Fierce,” directed by Jake Nava)
Beyonce` took the reversal, narrative magic of “Me, Myself & I” and amplified it for “If I Were a Boy.” I remember the 1st time I saw it, I got so mad at her character. I thought “Wow, song point taken. She’s not only treating this man with no regard, she’s doing it arrogantly. That’s a different level of prick.” Then, she flips it on me--the guy is really the bad one! I was genuinely shocked and thrilled at the concept. I was also thrilled to see Beyonce` in a police uniform.

5. Ring the Alarm (from “B’Day,” directed by Sophie Muller)
“Ring the Alarm” is part of the Beyonce` Holy Grail to me. It was such a bold statement. Musically, it was a distinct departure from her prior work and it tackled a topic seldom discussed. The video was just as nervy, as Beyonce`, The Defiant becomes unhinged. I loved the homage to “Basic Instinct” (of course) and all the looks-specially the knee-high boots.

4. Destiny’s Child-Bootylicious (from “Survivor,” directed by Matthew Rolston)
Don’t look at me crazy for putting “Bootylicious” so high up on the list, okay? When I think about watching Destiny’s Child and/or Beyonce` videos, this one comes to mind 1st. It makes me laugh and throw “fine man” praise hands (the guy with the blue doo-rag still owns my heart; or at least my lust, anyway). Beyonce` wrote “Bootylicious” as a rebuttal to the media criticism of her weight and shape, so the video is a tribute to all things and people who’d be considered odd or undesirable, but unapologetically strut their stuff. DC authentically appears to be having a great, silly time. Stevie Nicks, who’s “Edge of Seventeen” is sampled in “Bootlyicious,” stands in. Michelle really works the camera, Beyoncé’s gold tooth is hilarious and I used to wish I could pull off pink-tipped hair. Beyoncé’s deliciousness over-flowed in this video too; she blows that kiss and you melt. I suppose this is one of her favorites as well, seeing as how she (easily) recreated it for her 2013 Pepsi commercial. Ageless diva.

3. Get Me Bodied (from “B’Day,” directed by Anthony Mandler)
I never get enough of this song and video. There is no sitting still when it’s on; it’s a party all the way through. I gag on the 1960’s Broadway and film-influenced dazzle and glamour from start to finish. 1st Beyonce` dramatically writes her birth date in red lipstick on a mirror. Then, an abundantly flawless Destiny’s Child and Solange get out of a limo in the rain unbothered, dance-skip the club line and head right in. The hair is laid, the mugs are beat and the costumes compliment. Everyone asks “who is it?!” and duh, it’s Beyonce`. Anthony Burrell (Beyoncé’s sexiest male background dancer) joins in one of the most entertaining video dance sequences ever, which includes a group snake across the floor, a fantastically shameless Dereon` plug and the fam doing throwback 90’s moves and a sizzle-leg. Yes, please, Get Me Bodied. 

2. Destiny’s Child-Girl (from “Destiny Fulfilled,” directed by Bryan Barber)
Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens, bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens, Destiny’s Child camaraderie, these are a few of my favorite things. Michelle needed a shoulder to cry on in “Emotion,” now it was Kelly’s time for a girlfriend moment. Kelly thinks she’s been well-hiding the fact that her boyfriend’s an ungrateful bum, but her pals are on to her. Once Kelly decides to kick him to the curb, they conspire and leave him tied up to a balcony in his boxers!  The closest we’ll get to an episode of “Sex & the City” that focuses on black characters, “Girl” is stitched with recreations and mimics from the popular series. Props to the creative director; that was a wonderful idea. It was touching, humorous and chic-loved the wardrobe choices. 

1. Pretty Hurts (from “BEYONCE`,” Directed by Melina Matsoukas)
It might seem a little unjust to place a newer video as #1, but in my opinion, “Pretty Hurts” is Beyoncé’s most powerful and meaningful visual. The song’s message is movingly and vividly conveyed as Beyonce` gives her best acting performance, embodying the insecurity that comes with impossible beauty standards even in her voice when she sings “Pretty Hurts” acapella in the opening. The desperation and sorrow is presented so pervasively that I feel heartbroken and nearly cry every time I see it, although I’ve never had significant issues with body image. 

BeyHive, I know you have beef with feminist groups because Beyonce` seems to always be under a harsh, critical microscope in their lab, but I’m here to tell you (and Beyonce`) that for every self-proclaimed feminist that rejects her, there’s one that supports her. As both a bee and feminist, I’ve come across a lot of commentary & literature analyzing Bey’s place in the world of female empowerment. Being that negativity often supersedes positivity, we overwhelmingly only hear of the intense condemnations and/or persistent accusations that Beyonce` is not only a contradictory non-feminist, but an enforcer of gender oppression & female objectification. The latest claim is that her tour costumes facilitate sex-trafficking.

Beyonce` became the focus of feminist debate and discussion with several “girl-power” anthems that resulted in being labeled “a male-basher” by men and plenty of her own interview comments regarding inspiring women (comments that have gotten only more political and forthright with time). Much of media quickly pegged her the new face of feminism in music and a great example to women and girls. Meanwhile, this was/is challenged by some feminists primarily because of her sex appeal, lyrical content and most recently, her marriage. In my 2011 article, “Beyonce Isn’t a Feminist?” I explained why I believe the arguments that she isn’t a feminist because “she’s too sexy” and “sings about love too often” are bogus and reinforce stereotypes about the movement. Despite being one of the few current pop acts to be so vocal about gender, Beyonce’s efforts are habitually snubbed and ridiculed. Beyonce` raised money & headlined a concert for the women’s organization Chime for Change, but it was said performing in a “sexy leotard” was countering. Even though she was clearly encouraging women to not let men take advantage of their emotional love and loyalty by being casual in relationships and not committing with 2008’s “Put a Ring on It,” the song was described as limiting female value to marriage. Although “Run the World (Girls)” had lyrics that addressed economic disparity, encouraged men to respect our strengths, boasted education and how we successfully handle motherhood & business, its music video was slammed because, again, the costumes were “too sexy” and the part in which the women-warriors dance in front of stunned male guards symbolized sexual subjection, not the confrontation Beyonce` intended it to be.

On the other side of the feminist community, agitation boils amongst those who welcome Beyonce’s presence and find all the inspection to be judgmental, nit-picky and even racially biased. A few blog articles (including “Okay, Lay Off Beyonce` Already” by Feministe) have gone so far as to imply some of the criticisms are ironically anti-feminist themselves and do the very thing they charge Beyonce` with: shaming women and supporting the views of a male dominated society. Some black feminist writers contend that Beyonce` is just another woman of color whose feminism is unfairly scrutinized and measured, while other white, more controversial figures in the discussion go without evaluation. Writer Lauren Rankin (who is Caucasian) highlighted that Lena Dunham’s, the star of the TV series “Girls,” status as a feminist is never questioned, in spite of her character being far more sexualized than Beyonce’s real-life image. The “is she or is she not” dialogue surrounding Beyonce` is so thick, Rutgers University designed a women’s and gender studies course based on it, entitled “Politicizing Beyonce`.” The definitive sign that “stuff got real” was when “Ms.” magazine, the first major feminist publication started by key leader Gloria Steinem, put the King B on the cover with the headline “Beyonce’s Fierce Feminism (the piece reportedly reviewed both sides of the debate),” receiving major backlash. 

So what does Beyonce` think of all this? Does she even define herself as feminist? In a recent interview with British Vogue, she said “That word [feminist] can be very extreme, but I guess I am a modern-day feminist. I do believe in equality and that we have a way to go and it’s something that’s pushed aside and something we’re conditioned to accept, but I’m happily married. I love my husband…Why do you have to choose what type of woman you are? Why do you have to label yourself anything? If you’re attractive, you can’t be sexy and you can’t be intelligent? What is all of that?” At first, I was taken aback by Beyonce’s statement, thinking she believed the stereotype that all feminists are anti-marriage and anti-sex appeal, but I eventually realized that her comments were in direct response to the criticisms she’s heard about herself (in reference to her marriage, there was disapproval over her naming her tour the “Mrs. Carter Show.” I disliked the title myself, but for different reasons). Worried that she, and her fans, were unaware of the feminist portions who support her, I decided to write this article. Who knows if she’ll ever see this, but I’m taking the shot. Oh, and paradoxically, those who don’t consider Beyonce` a feminist were upset that she seemed hesitant to claim feminism. Funny.

One of my friends said to me that she has trouble getting involved with feminism because it seems so divided. Any and every movement has different schools of thought. A perfect example of this is the racial civil rights movement of the 1960’s. Martin Luther King was a peaceful protestor, while Malcom X initially had a “by any means necessary” approach. I think the divide within feminism stems from having trouble defining what empowerment looks like, especially in terms of sexuality. For example, is sexual feminist empowerment being able to express sexuality the way men do it? Is it refusing to use makeup or wear form-fitting clothing? Is it not being sexually arousing? Where do you draw the line between being a sex object and sexually empowered? Is everyone free to define ‘feminist’ for themselves or is there a decisive guideline? The one thing everyone can agree on is that feminism is fundamentally about advocating for and protecting the freedoms and social rights of women and combating inequalities.

I love Beyonce’s brand of feminism. I don’t agree with every move she makes, hence this section being called “Seriously, Beyonce`, WTH?!,” but I of course generally like what she’s on. I find her brand to be beneficial because she doesn’t fit into any extreme paradigm. She’s not a submissive doormat, self-exploiting puppet who’s unaware of gender conditioning, nor is she a man-hater who’s against marriage and childbirth. She’s alluring and can be anyone’s fantasy, but she hardly crosses over into tawdry territory. Intelligent and attractive go in the same sentence with her. She loves being a wife and mother, but emphasizes those aren’t her only roles. Her well-rounded representation of feminism breaks free of any constrictive and rigid expectations or classifications, from feminists or from a male-dominated society. She truly embodies the feminist ideal of choice. She runs her own machine (now more than ever as she manages herself).

Most artists clamor at the thought of being a purported role-model, but Beyonce` happily embraces it, conscious of how much change and positivity she can cultivate with the influence of her work and famous name. She could use her art to push anything, but she consistently employs it to try to uplift and motivate women, constantly accentuating self-efficacy and personal growth. Every time she accomplishes something, it’s two points for women and African-Americans. I’ve said this before on my site, but one of the main things I’ve learned from Beyonce` is to always expect the most and the best from myself and my life. That sounds simple, but many women find themselves feeling incomplete or in horrid situations because they don’t value their life enough to have standards for it. I’m always looking at Beyonce` and thinking “How can I raise the bar for myself? What’s the next thing? Am I doing enough with my life? How can I be a better person than I was last year? How can I grow? What have I learned so far?” When I feel completely inept or helpless, she makes me feel capable. I don’t know about anyone else, but feeling capable is one of the most important things to me. I could go on forever about how Beyonce` inspires me; the moral is that I clearly deem her to be a suitable feminist icon and symbol. If nothing else, for better or for worse, at least Beyonce` can say she stimulates intelligent conversation that college courses can be made of.

It was 10 years ago when all of the sudden, a quiet spring day was fiercely interrupted. Loud, triumphant and bombastic horns- the kind typically used to announce royalty- sounded, and when we looked to see where the raucous came from, we saw this. Beyonce`, the one name phenomenon, had arrived. The moment was so epic, we don’t care that Beyonce` still uses “Crazy in Love” as a concert opener all these years later; no other song is worthy of announcing her arrival and presence. With the quite literally scorching video of “Crazy in Love,” Beyonce` was letting us know that she was about to make that 2003 summer even hotter. Her solo debut album, “Dangerously in Love” (the title track an alternate version of a song featured on Destiny’s Child’s “Survivor”), hit U.S. stores on June 24th, 2003.

Having saved up my teenage coins as a grocery store clerk (I was later fired from that job), “Dangerously” was the first record I ever purchased with my own money (as I mentioned in “Birth of a Music Nerd”). I begged my mom to take me to the department store and I think she was happy to oblige me, since she didn’t have to spend her ends. Once I popped it in, she surprisingly was enjoying it and had no objections (she was the type of parent that actually cared what I listened to) until erotic songs like “Speechless” cut on: “J, this song is about sex. This is the same girl from Destiny’s Child? I wonder how her mother feels about her singing songs like this.” My parents approved of my love of Destiny’s Child; they felt they were good role models. Apparently, “Speechless” wasn’t bad enough on its own; she didn’t confiscate my CD, luckily. An advocate for chastity, I immediately loved “Yes” and even though “Me, Myself & I” was a breakup song, I took the chorus to heart as I was learning how to take the reins in my life. This may sound strange, but considering the amount of love songs on “Dangerously,” I was worried that Beyonce` had too quickly fallen in love with Jay-Z and would lose sight of herself (the later content of “Destiny Fulfilled” & “B’Day” would ease my concern). I remember not approving of her relationship with Jay-Z in the beginning. I thought “The guy that sings ‘Big Pimpin’ is dating my Bey??” That memory is so funny to me now.

Cutting edge, passionate and unexpected for Beyonce`, “Dangerously” was critically acclaimed and set the standard for her future records (a standard that, in my opinion, wasn’t revisited until “4”; see “Bey’s Wax: The Discography Analyzed”). This was unanticipated result to record label executives; Beyonce` claims label heads gave her a hard time with the content because they didn’t think it was commercial enough: “They told me I didn’t have 1 hit on my album. I guess they were kind of right; I had 5.” Those suits grossly underestimated “Dangerously’s” potential; it was only just the beginning. Since that album, there was a reunion with Destiny’s Child, 3 solo discs, 5 films, 15 Grammy Awards, 3 Golden Globe nominations, millions of albums sold worldwide, big-selling tours, 2 inaugurations (for the 1st African-American U.S. president no less), a Superbowl, a HBO documentary, a wedding (to Jay-Z) and a baby (daughter Blue Ivy), just name a few highlights. As a bee, it’s been a privilege to watch Beyonce` develop as an artist and individual. After such an amazing 10 years, I wouldn’t be mad if Beyonce` named her forthcoming album “King Bey.”

South Carolina fine artist Lance “Sketchboii” Rhodes is celebrating Beyonce’s evolution with this creation entitled “True Fierce.” Rhodes says of the piece, “I wanted to highlight a true essence of what it means to be fierce…so many people will not give her [Beyonce`] credit for being a true artist with the ability to show her true colors through it. It doesn't matter that she can't outdo herself, as they say. What matters is that she hones her craft and it will always change shape. It simply conveys a message that a true artist earns their respect even when society thinks otherwise.” Through a portfolio that meets the abstract with the literal, Rhodes says “My artistic inspiration comes from divinity, freedom and expression. My goal is to bring to life the ignored conscience of my generation.” You can see more of Rhodes’ work, which includes many other celebrity pieces, on his Facebook fanpage here. Serious inquires can be sent via email at sk3tchboii09@gmail.com. His Twitter & Instagram handle is @oogeesketchboii.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY “DANGEROUSLY IN LOVE!!!!!”
Beyonce`, the BeyHive is soooo proud of you & all that you've done! Here's to another great or even better decade.