It is no secret that I am critical of racial capitalism, especially as black people still struggle with discrimination and state brutality, while those in power, whether black or white, This is especially true when black liberation aesthetics are used for entertainment purposes. This liberal version of racial capitalism also rations opportunities, marking the “first” or “only” black person to achieve (and be allowed to) achieve some milestone normally reserved for white people. In my opinion, Beyoncé has been a page in this strategy for a long time, and is now again. With her recent hit single “Texas Hold’em,” Beyoncé became the first black woman to reach No. 1 on the Billboard Country Songs chart.
But at a time of clear backlash against black progress, especially black feminist intellectual ideas in schools, businesses, and universities, Beyoncé’s new album, Cowboy Carter, demands respect. While I wouldn’t go so far as to say that Beyoncé resembles anything like a black resistance leader, this work contains a subtle subversion and an ode to black history, with some lessons for this moment. contained.
This album was a hot topic even before its release. By identifying this work as country, Beyoncé forced a conversation about country completely excluding black people from the history of his music and the history of cowboy culture. This was very shocking to me. As a first-generation Texan, I grew up going to Fort Worth rodeo shows for fun. The city is also home to Bill Pickett’s Invitational Rodeo, named after the great black cowboy and the longest-running black rodeo in the United States.
Having worked in the entertainment industry since she was a teenager, the fact that Beyoncé, 42, continues to conquer new charts is a testament to her work ethic, longevity, and sheer cultural staying power.
Yet, in 2024, the Year of Our Law, why are we still reclaiming our Black roots and recognizing Black advancement? No matter how good our PR about racial progress, Beyoncé ‘s victory is an American farce. Do black women need to be millionaires to make it in the country music industry? That seems to be the case for now.
As for the album itself, it hardly matters whether Cowboy Carter is really a country album or not. Sonically and creatively, this is one of Beyoncé’s best albums.
What makes “Cowboy Carter” feel most country is that it doesn’t fit into our preconceived notions of what country is and who is allowed to sing that style. . The album is part rap (“Spaghetti”), part pop, and part operatic. (The track “Daughter” has Bey testing out his alto chops.) It’s just good music. “Cowboy Carter” is the album of someone who is finally free to do what he wants in a vast space of possibility. That is what the Wild West represents in the white man’s imagination. “Go West, young man,” a chance to reinvent yourself and conquer those who stand in the way of your (manifest) destiny. Beyoncé is pioneering the frontiers of country music for today’s black artists.
Some songs, more than others, speak to my mixed feelings about this artist and her latest work. The song “Blackbird” was written by Paul McCartney of the Beatles in response to the civil rights movement of the 1960s, particularly the injustices against black girls in the South. Beyoncé’s version features black country singers Tanner Adele, Britney Spencer, Tierra Kennedy, and Rayna Roberts, as if to say I’m neither the first nor the only.
McCartney said he wanted to give hope to children who are oppressed amidst overwhelming injustice. But can we write a new song against the injustices of our time? The question is, we’re in the midst of a civil rights backlash. Voting rights and affirmative action are under attack. Black women are especially under attack. Beyoncé has always preferred to use the revolutionary language of others (Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, poet Warsan Shire, Malcolm X) rather than risk creating music that directly addresses current struggles.
Reclaiming country as a black music genre is certainly important, but at the same time selling tons of records is the least risky path. What could be safer than a Beatles song written by a white person?
I’ve stopped expecting Beyoncé to use her art and platform to give hope to people in difficult situations. The very fact that black women are doing whatever they want is a form of resistance. I have no choice but to salute Mr. Carter for doing it in Texas’ two-tiered position.
