Apparently Vibe Vixen says so!…
[VIBE Vixen] 16 Grammys. 4 solo platinum albums. Billboard Artist of the Millenium Award. A sold-out concert in 22 seconds. A starring role in a Clint Eastwood film. Beyoncé’s accomplishments would make one think she’s on top of the world.
But in the court of public opinion, it’s like the superstar can’t do anything right. Critics tear her apart with rumors that she sabotages the careers of former Destiny’s Child members, including her best friend, Kelly Rowland. They make fun of her less-than-stellar acting performances and dwell on the lukewarm reception of “Run The World (Girls).” More recently, her guest feature “Lift Off” from Jay-Z and Kanye’s Watch The Throne received the same mediocre love.
Our culture has a tendency to put artists on a pedestal only to knock them unceremoniously off immediately after. Here are 10 reasons why we shouldn’t let that happen to Beyoncé:
1. She has crossover appeal as a black female artist.
Bey’s international acclaim is undeniable. In countries like Egypt and Japan, fans knew every word to “Irreplaceable” and “Single Ladies,” which is an achievement in itself. When you add that the artist performing those tracks is a black girl from Texas, it’s even more awe-inspiring.
2. She puts on a good show.
It’s true that she doesn’t have the best voice we’ve ever heard and isn’t the best dancer we’ve ever seen, but as a package, Beyoncé wins! She’s talented, beautiful, ambitious, hard-working and meticulous about her image. And umm, have you seen her perform?! She is hands down one of the greatest entertainers of our generation. She isn’t perfect but appreciate her for what she does bring to the table.
3. Bey and Jay are a beautiful representation of black love.
Most celebrities head to divorce court as often as they do the club. Not Beyoncé and Jay-Z. The power couple has been together 10 years and counting, and they are still very much in love. Their commitment and dedication to each other is a positive representation of black love that’s inspiring to all who witness it.
4. She gives back.
Beyoncé makes sure to give back to those less fortunate and not for notoriety or acclaim either. She showed up at elementary schools and recorded a video, “Move Your Body,” to help our FLOTUS Michelle Obama fight childhood obesity. She dedicated her check from Cadillac Records to the Phoenix House where she and mom, Tina Knowles started a cosmetology school. Bey does her part to help the community, and that’s commendable.5. She is dedicated to empowering women.
Critics are quick to call Beyoncé’s championing of women’s empowerment a gimmick. #Stopit5! One look at her all-female band, and you can tell she’s serious. She could’ve chosen any musician in the world but made a point to hire women. That sends a message to girls that they can play any instrument they choose. And it teaches women that we should use our success to put others on. Now, that’s sisterhood.6. She works hard.
Beyoncé is easily one of the hardest working people in the music industry. From her amazing live show to the 72 songs she recorded for the 4 album, she puts 100% into everything she does. How many people are so dedicated to their dream they’d run in heels while singing at 16 years old? One thing you can’t argue in regard to Bey’s success: she’s earned it.7. She’s humble.
Though she’s got a big ego, she keeps the Sasha Fierce bravado on wax. Everyone that has met her in real life describes her as a shy, humble and down-to-earth Southern belle.8. She celebrates her curves.
Along with Jennifer Lopez, Beyoncé was one of the first pop stars to embrace curves and make voluptuous figures desirable to the mainstream. With her curve-hugging dresses and anthems, she has shapely women everywhere loving their bootylicious frames.9. She never resorts to gossip.
No matter how bad the rumor (like claims she fired her father for stealing money), Beyoncé always takes the high road. She never indulges in mudslinging for the press and stays above the fray. You’ve got to respect that.10. She’s a business, man!
Queen B was listed as the #2 most powerful woman in Forbes for a reason. In addition to her many endorsement deals and successful fashion lines, she brings in millions from her world tours, #1 albums and DVDs. Suga mama, indeed.
… and more importantly:
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enjoy both ladies enough to download their music but wouldn’t called myself a devoted fan of either one of them. but i’ve made a few observations:
beyonce is an entertainer and icon.
rihanna’s is just a singer.
while it is true that rihanna’s music has been better than beyonce’s in terms of how many singles have gone to number one, there would be no rihanna without a number one hit. rihanna’s is not particularly a great singer, dancer, or entertainer. while her showmanship has improved tremendously over the last two albums, her shows are quite boring. case in point: she performed “what’s my name’ at the grammy’s. great great massive song. aside from the hip grinding i don’t remember anything. and i remember the hip grinding only because white america had an issue with it and it was on the news. also, her “last girl on earth tour” was visually a they-went-all-out tour, yet there was nothing memorable about her. she sang her songs. her dancers backed her up. and that was it. this is the reason her loud tour isn’t doing well. people can sing along to her tunes in the car, at the clubs, while clowning with the girls, but not enough to dish out hard earned cash to see her live.
beyonce on the other hand doesn’t need a number one hit. she has her fans and they are loyal enough to keep her making music for years to come. you see her perform and it really is an experience. she’s able to take a mediocre song and sing it and keep you watching. case in point: she performed at the oscar’s some french tunes. homegirl butchered the french language, but she performed the shit out of those songs. know what i mean. i like “who run the world”. lots of people “hate it” yet every time i have seen her perform it live (good morning america, oprah, billboard, etc) people enjoyed and were amazed. in other words, she toakes this mediocre song and brings it to another level live. that is what rihanna doesn’t have. also, beyonce has icon status. as someone else pointed out she is the one other singers are compared to. she is the one that the kids look up to.
my only concern with beyonce is that she is falling into the janet (my diva!) predicament. yes, she has her fans and is an icon and can put on a SHOW, however there seems to be no major growth musically. and she’ll be able to get away with that as janet did for years however she will not be able to escape the image problem. beyonce is the same beyonce from her first album. she has a hard time reinventing herself. almost as if she is afraid to ruin a good thing. this is why madonna is still interesting but everyone is tired of janet singing about sex and being half-naked. rihanna has had a different image for every album and she’s put out in relatively short span of time. this is why people are interested in her.
Hello, I read your blog all the time and this is my first time posting. I think Beyonce ‘celebrates her culture & ethicity?’
By embracing her curvy body. She draws a line over her top lip just to make her lips look full. She all ways reverts back to her musical history of black performers and incorporating their styling in her music today. I think the blond is just to make her stand out, but she varies the color. And she has been wearing a lot of African designers since IASF came out. I like the new cd, 4, I just dont think “1+1” and “Run the World(girls)” should have been on there.
I understand how some people can go crazy over her and denote other artists but to look at their stand point, they are like if Beyonce is giving a 100 percent on the stage every night, then how come your fav isnt ?
lol, I dont want to come across as a stan, because I am not . I listen to mostly everybody and want them all to have success.
I bought “4.” With the exception of “Best Thing I Never Had,” it is garbage. But the reason I bought it was to support Beyonce.
I agree with everything that was written in this post. Bey is a force and for a black woman (who celebrates her culture and ethnicity) to achieve that status in this day and age is a feat. Love Bey.
‘celebrates her culture & ethicity?’
When? And this is a serious question, cuz I haven’t seen anything in what Beyonce does that acknowledges her Blackness. I mean, yes she is Black, but she also has the blonde weave. She will push out & affirm women, but I think it’s a calculated thing to not appear ‘Black’ so she’ll have mass appeal. Rihanna is Bajan – she talks about, and went back home & was partying in a traditional parade.
I haven’t seen that from Bey. Just like Jordan, Tiger, OJ (until his trial), and even MJ (same), they all seemingly took pains to NOT acknowledge their Blackness to (presumably) make corporate/White America comfortable & to make more $$. I’m not mad at em (mostly), but it’s also kinda sad.
So I say all that to ask when she’s celebrated her ethnicity – cuz I’d really like to know (no shade)
Revealing more of herself? Like what? I personally believe there isn’t too much of Beyonce to find out. Off stage, at least from her interviews… her personality seems quite boring to me. I don’t care for the slow songs on this album but i think that’s because i compare them to her previous slow classics like “Yes” and “Me, Myself, and I” which to me are still better quality. I agree, i can’t listen to Beyonce’s music on repeat like i can Rihanna’s
Frank Ocean is cute? ::Goes and looks him up again::: Am i the only one not really into Frank Ocean like that? I understand the new era of hip hop artists are very much into this sort of, laid back, mellow, high on some substance thing but it all comes off very hipster to me. Very “i shop at vintage stores and seek out unknown artists to put on my ipod just to show you how out of the norm and overall original i am with my Polaroid Photoshopped pictures on twitter, jeans i shove into my combat boots and sunglasses i wear indoors.” I blame Kid Kudi. Eh, it’s not really my thing…
I love Bey very much and I feel that she is basically the overall package, she isn’t excellent at everything she does (aside from performing) but she’s good at everything she does. Neither her or Rihanna’s music is particularly great but it works for them. I used to get mad at her for not revealing more of herself but I actually like the mystery, stars today are too accessible which is why a lot of people get over them quickly. I think she’s a good representation of how hardwork and dedication can truly payoff.
Eh..
Beyonce’s voice>Rihanna’s voice
Rihanna’s music overall> Beyonce’s music overall .
I’m a fan but I don’t enjoy most of the songs her stans like. I find songs like “Single Ladies” and “Countdown” repulsive. I jam that Frank Ocean track on her latest really hard though and I mostly like her slower song. She is pretty much the only female singer I listen to, the rest are male r&b and rap.
The real reason people are over Beyonce is because she’s no longer the underdog, now she’s the one everyone compares other artists to. She pretty much has loyal fans to keep her more less successful for a while though.
^ “I Miss U” goes HARD.
Frank Ocean is no joke.
I will be checking out more of his stuff this weekend.
I like “I Care” also.
Beyonce’s new album was cool but I notice I can listen to Rihanna’s music and never get bored. She makes hits plus I like her personality.
After all these years, I still don’t know who Beyonce is.
She does “robot” well.
PS: Frank Ocean is featured on 2 tracks on Watch The Throne and I am in love with them.
His music sounds real “trippy/laid back/mellow”.
Yea I love “I Care” as well.
I think she does that on purpose though. We can judge the way she looks, talks, or performs but we can’t judge her because she hasn’t really revealed too much of herself aside from the superficial.
I’ve heard “No Church in The Wild” and his voice sounds sexy as hell on :”Sweet Baby Jesus”
He’s actually cute too!
I have to listen to his whole mixtape one day.
Beyonce is more pop than r&b in my opinion, though. When I think of R&B, I think of Jill Scott, Anthony Hamilton, Maxwell, even the Piss on Me pedophile — I mean R. Kelly.
Beyonce, Rihanna nem are all pop. I think Kelly, Michelle, and some of these other girls should do the dance tracks — the kids love em & they bring in some bucks. We’re more a single society nowadays anyways…people rarely buy a whole album (it doesn’t help that rarely is a whole album good, but I digress…)
^good point Wolfie!
You don’t have HAVE to call her Chris(tina)… There’s Chris(tiana), Chris(tine), Chris(ette), Chris(tal)… the list goes on…
But that is true. R&B is currently dominated by men. Kelly Rowland’s ‘Motivation’ is what put her back on the map but her issue is she hasnt released another single in a close enough time frame that would keep the mainstream listeners interested and subsequently wanting to go out and buy the album. David Guetta really saved her career with “Commander” and “When Love Takes Over”. Keri Hilson, who to me has no star quality about her, is doing better that those you’ve listed but just barely. Real R&B artists have been struggling and aren’t getting the recognition they deserve but I don’t want to say its their own fault? The r&b era was definitely from the 90s all the way up to about 2003. From there i think rappers CONSTANTLY being featured on their songs kind of hurt the genre in my opinion. The genre is struggling and Beyonce has to keep the quality high in order to keep her music played.
^excellent break down.
i also agree, Kelly sabotages her own career.
Rihanna is blazing a trail for herself and I respect her hustle.
I’m sort of over B nowadays.
Would you agree that “Urban” music has sort of fizzled out and “Pop” is the current trend and that could that be a factor? Who, besides Jill Scott, are the major R&B artists out right now topping the charts?
Yup.
the only people selling r&b are men… by men that is trey songz and your chris(tina) LOL (can’t believe I did that…)
The females like Keri Hilson, Ciara, Kelly Rowland, Brandy, and Keyshia Cole are struggling. I think Keri Hilson is doing better than all of them… and that is a stretch.
Her as a person is not really the problem. She’s a pretty light skin girl who dyed her hair blonde. She can sing and has a great voice, she can perform really well. No one is denying that Beyonce is talented (she still can’t act though). But her two more recent albums are still not as good as her debut and sophomore albums, however. “Lukewarm reception” is still giving her too much because “Girls” never reached top 20 on the charts. Why? Because it wasn’t all that great on a beat that’s already been used. The reasons she listed in this article can be given to a lot of successful artists out now so i wasn’t really impressed.
So the original author said: “Our culture has a tendency to put artists on a pedestal only to knock them unceremoniously off immediately after.” Uuumm… wait a minute… I think it’s important that we point out Rihanna is currently killin’ the game and she is way more internationally known. Rihanna’s albums and singles have better sales and she doesn’t even sing as well as Beyonce does. But Rihanna’s music is GREAT. Whoever produces her albums makes HITS! That’s the difference. Beyonce’s new album has maybe 2 or 3 good songs on it (“Countdown” being the best in my opinion) but nothing memorable. And that’s what Beyonce is struggling with right now. Her die-hard fans will always buy and play everything she puts out but her music is not at the same caliber it used to be. And Based on her singles’ lack of air-play, those on the objective side of things are noticing.
^^hi5 Vain.
and then what gets me is you would be called a hater and her stans would trash Rihanna into the ground.
And that’s to be expected from people who are not concerned with facts lol. Chart positions and sales speak for themselves. We can debate her lackluster lyrics on 1+1 or be as mean as other people who say things like “Its time for her to go back to Destinys Child or retire…thats right B–to the left, to the left” but at the end of the day… numbers don’t lie.
I dont know her personally seems like an ok person, music wise she can do better than what she gives us. Yes and them stands i dont know what to say bout them fools, lord help them
they will send you death threats over her.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. I have no real problem with Beyonce, it’s her stans that I hate. You would think she’s the second comng of Jesus according to them…
her stans bug me.