Picture Supply: Getty / Kevin Mazur
Beyoncé is an knowledgeable at maintaining her followers guessing, and she or he does simply that together with her music “America Has a Downside” off her album “Renaissance.” The star has embedded political messaging into her music many instances earlier than, however on “America Has a Downside,” Beyoncé as an alternative makes use of a politically charged title to inform a unique story.
The music’s title “America Has a Downside” is probably going a reference to the 1990 observe “America Has a Downside (Cocaine)” by Kilo Ali. That music tells the story of a cocaine addict-turned-dealer, and critiques the pipeline that leads folks to lose their lives to medicine. In Beyoncé’s music, although, she makes use of medicine as a metaphor for the results she has on a lover. “Your ex-dealer dope, however it ain’t crack sufficient / I am supplyin’ my man / I am in demand quickly as I land,” she sings, evaluating herself to a drug her lover simply cannot get sufficient of.
On Could 19, Beyoncé shocked followers with a remix of “America Has a Downside” that includes Kendrick Lamar. Although Lamar’s work typically intertwines the non-public and political, he additionally opts for braggadocio on “America Has a Downside.” He does throw in a really well timed reference to AI, although, which has been advancing at an explosive tempo in latest months. His verses characteristic wide-ranging lyrics from “Even AI gotta follow clonin’ Kendrick” to “I am an honorary Beyhive, let’s examine why / Them diamonds do not be fly, all of them CGI.” He additionally drops a tribute to Beyoncé’s husband JAY-Z on the finish of his characteristic. “Billboard, they know (Out for us, trip or else) / After Hov, rightfully so,” he raps, possible referencing his second place place on Billboard’s listing of finest rappers of all time — which JAY-Z tops.
Whereas the music would not appear overtly political in any respect, it is undoubtedly additionally doable to argue that dance, pleasure, romance, and highly effective self-love could be seen as political statements in and of themselves. “Renaissance” has all the time been about dancing via unsure instances, and its indebtedness to Black, queer artists and subversive artistic scenes additionally solidifies it as an album about creating pleasure and neighborhood it doesn’t matter what’s happening on the planet.
“America Has a Downside” has been having a viral second ever since Beyoncé carried out it on the opening night time of her “Renaissance” tour in Stockholm, Sweden, inspiring quite a lot of TikTok dances. Take heed to the remix that includes Lamar under.
