Beyoncé in TV Radio Room After Winning Album, Record and Song of the Year.
All talk no action, though. Bring Beyoncé up on stage. Give her the award. AND THEN THE MIC.
I don’t think you’ve thought that scenario thru. If Adele had asked Beyonce to join her on stage, she would actually have forced Beyonce into a terrible situation where Beyonce would be subjected to ridicule and public humiliation.
Beyonce can’t exactly give her prepared acceptance speech to a room full of racist white people who didn’t vote for her. What’s she gonna say? “Thanks for nothing”? She’d have to make up something to say on the fly. She can’t thank Adele for the award without the media calling her a smug/conceited sore loser. She can’t criticize the voters or the organization without being lambasted by the media as both a sore loser and as a “ hysterical angry black woman.”
Anything Beyonce said to that room would have been turned against her a thousand fold – Beyonce and Adele both knew that. Every black person in the room knew that too. In court you can’t always defend yourself. You need a character witness who’ll speak on your behalf. This may not have been a literal court, but the same principle applies to the court of public opinion.
And btw Adele did give Beyonce the award. She said “I cannot accept this award” and then she broke off the base of the grammy (the part that had Adele’s name on it) and gave the trophy part to Beyoncé. Maybe they cut that portion out of the particular broadcast you watched, but it did happen and there are articles about it.
I’m usually the first in line to criticize bad ally-ship. In this particular situation, I honestly think Adele chose the best course of action for Beyonce. She’s a good example to celebs who want to be allies – this is how it’s done.
I appreciate your thought out response but I still disagree. Adele’s response felt super performative to me (she broke the award and gave it to her a la mean girls ffs) and even if it wasn’t she doesn’t deserve cookies for doing what you’re supposed to do anyway ¯_(ツ)_/¯
You do realize that you, a white person (I looked at you’re selfie tag) are speaking over me (a brown POC) right now in this post, telling me that you know better than me what it means to be a good POC ally?
…I can’t possibly accept this award. And I’m very humbled and I’m very grateful and gracious but my artist of my life is Beyonce and this album to me, the ‘Lemonade’ album, was just so monumental, Beyonce. It was so monumental. And so well thought out, and so beautiful and soul-bearing, and we got to see another side to you that you don’t always let us see, and we appreciate that, and all us artists here who adore you. And you are our light, and the way that you make me and my friends feel, the way you make my BLACK friends feel, is empowering, and you make them stand up for themselves, and I love you. I always have and I always will.
“WE ARE SICK AND TIRED OF THE KILLINGS OF YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
IT IS UP TO US TO TAKE A STAND AND DEMAND THAT THEY ‘STOP KILLING US.’
WE DON’T NEED SYMPATHY. WE NEED EVERYONE TO RESPECT OUR LIVES.
WE’RE GOING TO STAND UP AS A COMMUNITY AND FIGHT AGAINST ANYONE WHO
BELIEVES THAT MURDER OR ANY VIOLENT ACTION BY THOSE WHO ARE SWORN TO
PROTECT US SHOULD CONSISTENTLY GO UNPUNISHED.
THESE ROBBERIES
OF LIVES MAKE US FEEL HELPLESS AND HOPELESS BUT WE HAVE TO BELIEVE THAT
WE ARE FIGHTING FOR THE RIGHTS OF THE NEXT GENERATION, FOR THE NEXT
YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN WHO BELIEVE IN GOOD.
THIS IS A HUMAN
FIGHT. NO MATTER YOUR RACE, GENDER, OR SEXUAL ORIENTATION. THIS IS A
FIGHT FOR ANYONE WHO FEELS MARGINALIZED, WHO IS STRUGGLING FOR FREEDOM
OR HUMAN RIGHTS.
THIS IS NOT A PLEA TO ALL POLICE OFFICERS
BUT TOWARD ANY HUMAN BEING WHO FAILS TO VALUE LIFE. THE WAR ON PEOPLE OF
COLOR AND ALL MINORITIES NEEDS TO BE OVER.
FEAR IS NOT AN EXCUSE. HATE WILL NOT WIN.
WE ALL HAVE THE POWER TO CHANNEL OUR ANGER AND FRUSTRATION INTO
ACTION. WE MUST USE OUR VOICE TO CONTACT THE POLITICIANS AND LEGISLATORS
IN OUR DISTRICTS AND DEMAND SOCIAL AND JUDICIAL CHANGES.
WHILE WE PRAY FOR THE FAMILIES OF ALTON STERLING AND PHILANDO CASTILE,
WE WILL ALSO PRAY FOR AN END TO THIS PLAGUE OF INJUSTICE IN OUR
COMMUNITIES.
CLICK IN TO CONTACT THE POLITICIANS AND LEGISLATORS IN YOUR AREA. YOUR VOICE WILL BE HEARD.”
I mean, I’m an artist and I think the most powerful art is usually misunderstood. But anyone who perceives my message as anti-police is completely mistaken. I have so much admiration and respect for officers and the families of the officers who sacrifice themselves to keeps us safe. But let’s be clear: I am against police brutality and injustice. Those are two separate things. If celebrating my roots and culture during Black History Month made anyone uncomfortable, those feelings were there long before a video and long before me. I’m proud of what we created and I’m proud to be part of a conversation that is pushing things forward in a positive way.
Beyoncé, ELLE Magazine May 2016 Issue (via freekumdress)
