The Song 'Formation' By Beyoncé Knowles-Carter

The song “Formation” is a rap song by hip-hop icon Beyoncé Knowles-Carter in which she brings awareness to the Black Lives Matter movement, third-wave feminism, and the injustices against the black community. The Black Lives Matter movement was founded by Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors, and Opal Tometi in 2013, after the George Zimmerman trial. In 2012, Trayvon Martin was killed unjustly killed by George Zimmerman.At first, he was let free, however, people protested and eventually he was tried for the death. He claimed self-defense, however, Martin was unarmed and posed no threat to the man. Black Lives Matter organizes protests around different police brutality cases such as the shooting of Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, and Tamir Rice. The

Her mother was born in Louisiana and had Creole descent. Her father Mathew Knowles was born in Alabama and was a Xerox Manager. “You mix that Creole make a Texas bama” she is stating how she is a mix of both of her parents. “Bama” is also a derogatory slang term, used against black people meaning “uneducated” and “misbehaved.” By using the term, she is reclaiming it, similar to the way black people have reclaimed the n-word. She then sings “Earned all this money but they never take the country out me. I got a hot sauce in my bag, swag” which is her way of paying homage to her country black roots. No matter how much she makes, she will always be the same country girl and take pride in her culture as she did prior to the

She has the determination to work hard and get what she is longing after. The chorus then says “Okay, ladies, now let's get in formation, cause I slay” which is her way to call out to all the black women to stand up against injustices, the fight for women’s liberation and the stereotypes which the media has portrayed about them. By addressing the racism in the music industry, and how it has affected those of color. When in power- Black women are often seen as rude, loud, shrill or just plain bitchy, for a lack of a better term. Black women have to jump hurdles in order to get well-deserved respect and power while a white woman can just jog to it. With the song “Formation” she is proudly acting as every negative claim and is showing that she is still keeping power. This song was written to lift Black women and show them that they are more than what society has portrayed them to