Now, I'm not one to speculate, at least I try not to be, but when I heard the name of the mystery project titled Lemonade, I didn't know what to think. Especially after memorizing the lyrics and choreography for her anthem Formation, I certainly wasn't thinking about Lemonade. She was talmbout sippin Cuervo no chaser, not lemonade. I didn't see how it fit, what the project was, if it was a documentary, behind the scenes footage of her upcoming world tour, the secret cave of golden wonders where she hides her fairy dust. No idea...oh but I was going to be there to find out.
Beyonce threw everyone who bare witness to what turned out to be her visual album, onto a roller coaster of beautiful visuals, compelling lyricism and a love story of heavenly highs, hellish lows and the purgatory of trying to get between the two without any permanent scars. Coated in layers of Black Girl Magic and tangible emotions, for lack of better words, Lemonade SLAYED. It featured almost all of my personal faves, professional actresses, athletes, dancers, singers...just greatness. Beautiful, Black, sweet, strong, greatness. So much love and power crept through those camera lenses and out of my TV.
Knowing how things work these days with social media, I put my phone on silent and put it face down on my nightstand so that even if someone were to text or call me, I wouldn't even be able to see my phone light up because this sista wanted NO interruptions. NONE. After Lemonade ended, I made sure all of the credits rolled so I wouldn't miss anything, I opened up my favorite meeting place in the digital world, Twitter. It was covered in countless lemons and bees.
I was really interested in hearing from people who don't really consider themselves fans of Beyonce and definitely wouldn't consider themselves as any part of the beehive. Not because I wanted to pick a fight or prove that she was above or better than any of their faves...I just know that their fave could never I just know for a fact that nothing like that has ever been done before.
Most of the messages I saw from people that weren't watching as intently as I'm sure most of the beehive were from people who got caught up on Beyonce talking about being cheated on or Beyonce staying with someone that cheated on her and maybe it's ok to cheat because your girl's going to stay with you when you cheat because Bey did it with her man.
Now, I'm well aware that the latter may be a joke to most, but to some, it makes perfect sense. This is the era of love that is consumed after being heated up in the microwave at high altitude instead slow cooked in the oven. People are idiots and the point is often missed. Lemonade was not about getting cheated on as much as it's a love story written from the perspective of a woman who was hurt by someone whom she loved fiercely. She risked all vulnerability and opened herself up to someone who took her for granted and did so casually, as if he knew what the outcome would be; as if he knew the loss of her would never happen and if it did, it wouldn't be a loss at all. That notion in itself is enough for hot sauce to be in anyone's bag.
As for the former? The idea that speaking on someone's infidelity is some sort of carnal sin and what's ours is ours and ain't nobody else's bidness? Well that is null in void in my humble opinion. If someone hurts someone else and that person sheds the weight of that pain via a beautiful hour long visual and audio masterpiece, WHO ARE ME TO JUDGE? And why on God's green earth would someone who hurt someone else have any right to say how that person healed? They didn't give the person that they were supposed to love, respect and cherish the courtesy of faithfulness and monogamy, so hushety hush playboy. These songs and videos gon fly. These checks she's about to cash and these awards she finna polish are the least of anyone's worries. If someone wanted to spare themselves the embarrassment of being ousted as a cheater then the best solution would maybe, probably, possibly be...DON'T CHEAT. IDK. Just guessing. I still buy CD's so what do I know?
Don't get me wrong, keeping a private love life this day in age is one of the keys to longevity, but hell so is loyalty and you are not being loyal when you cheat. That's also why it's important to recognize that Lemonade is not a story about cheating, which usually ends in pain. It's a story about love which, if it's real, doesn't end. It takes work, sometimes hurts, but if you believe in it and really want it to last for the generations that come up after you, you work at it until you can reach a place of respect and understanding.
Besides, Bey is always talking about how much she loves her husband and how beautiful and sexy he makes her feel, so why is it wrong for her to talk about how much she hurts or what she's going to do if what hurt her ever happens again?
Anyway, should life hand me anymore lemons from my personal, romantic, or professional life, I can only hope my lemonade is just as sweet.
...dig and be dug...
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