Summary
Beyonce is a highly known American singer . She is famous around the world. While studying her song "Formation",a lot of themes or messages can be observed such as empowerment of the black community or social commentary(police brutality).
In the music video "Formation", Beyonce express her pride being a black woman . She emphasizes with joy and firm voice her heritage and culture. It can be seen in the lyrics when she said "You mix that negro with that Creole make a Texas bamma(referencing to Alabama)". She shows us her background proudly by using emotive language. Then she appreciates herself by complimenting some physical features of black women such as "I like my hair, with baby hair and afros" ,"I like my negro nose with Jackson five nostrils". Those features are identities that black people recognize and claim. Matsoukas for her part, helps convey this theme by shooting most of the scene in New Orleans, a city rich in African American history.We also have architecture like plantation-style mansion or shot-gun house, most common type of habitation of working class African American in New Orleans.
Secondly we have social commentary against haters or police.At the first line she says "Y'all haters corny with that illuminati mess". Here we have dysphemism as a rhetorical device.Popular artist tend to be criticize for being in a sect because of their fame.Beyonce contest but also attack them saying that they are "corny" but by telling them she "work hard","dream it","grind it" for this fame .The commentary on police can not be seen in the lyrics but in the music video. Matsoukas conveys it well .In the video Beyonce and her dancers make gestures such as raising their fist to protest.We also see sign showing "Stop killing us" . Those gestures and signs are directed to police violence and the system as a whole.We also have Beyonce on top of a police car. As the music video goes, the car and Beyonce continuously to sink together. While doing some research Mastsoukas reference this scene to the accident caused by hurricane Katrina in 2005.Precisely this scene showed the passivity of the government(represent by the police car) to respond to the disaster when it happened to a city with a important black population.
