In Beyoncé’s “Formation”, she expresses many themes. One of them was police brutality. As shown in a scene in the music video, a boy dressed in all black is seen dancing in from of many officers dressed in riot gear. The boy then stops and raises his arms, and the officers follow shortly after. The camera then cuts to a wall spray painted with the words “Stop shooting us”. This scene sheds light on the problem of police brutality where black men, women, and children lose their lives at the hands of the police. Beyoncé also shows pride in her being black with the lyrics “My daddy Alabama || Momma Louisiana || You mix that Negro with that Creole, make a Texas Bama”. Beyonce also pays homage to victims of Hurricane Katrina as she shows herself on top of a New Orleans Police car sinking into flood water. These messages are similar to my initial reaction of the song and music video. Matsoukas helped direct the music video which allowed for a clear message to be portrayed. Beyoncé uses ethos in the video when she shows herself in a Mardi Gras “carnival” dress. This scene celebrates her southern culture. She also uses pathos when showing herself resting on top of the sinking police car. She is seen in a crucifix pose. This suggests the death of Christ which is symbolic for the innocent people killed at the hands of police. I think the song and video became controversial because the messages portrayed are controversial topics. Racism and police brutality are both prone to cause controversy when being portrayed.
