Extra Sugar Please!

Recently, I've witnessed one of the most beautiful works of art.  It was like watching a painting come to life on television.  The perfect photobook full of the perfect angels, contrast, colors, and symmetry.  I was pulled into my Vizio, felt as if I was standing in the middle of every scene.  Dancing with her, angry with her, crying with her, in pain with her.  Beyoncé has touched us all in her new visual album, Lemonade.  Well, then there's the haters...

This article is not to break down the symbolism of Lemonade, other's have already done that.  But to address the genuineness of the story line.  Yes, her suspecting her husband cheating (intuition), denial, anger, apathy, emptiness, accountability, reformation, forgiveness, resurrection, hope, and redemption.  I've read a few articles and Facebook posts claiming the story line is basically fake.  Claiming Jay-Z  did not cheat at all, and that it's just a ploy for albums sales and Tidal subscribers.  I was completely baffled by these claims.  I've never seen Bey so liberated.  She has been "barbie" for years, and is finally relating genuinely to her fans.  We see the real side of Bey, the human side.  I absolutely do not think Lemonade is fake for various reasons.

First, Beyoncé has a child.  Why would Beyoncé portray her daughter's father in that light, if it was indeed true?  Imagine Blue a few years later asking, "Hey Mom, that video you made when you were BASHING Daddy for cheating, that was so cool!"  Like come on.  Beyoncé wants her daughter to see this.  Why?  The curse.  She is in hopes to break the curse passing from generation to generation:

"Take 1 pint of water, add a half pound of sugar, the juice of 8 lemons, the zest of half a lemon, pour the water from one jug into the other several times.  Strain through a thin napkin.  Grandmother, the alchemist.  You spun gold out of this hard life.  Conjured beauty from the things left behind. Found healing where it did not live.  Discovered the antidote in your own kitchen.  Broke the curse with your own two hands.  You passed the instructions down to your own daughter.  Then she passed it down to her daughter."

Can't forget her father and ex-manager Matthew Knowles, did cheat on her mother Tina Knowles.  Also had a baby with the mistress, and they divorced (click here to read up on it).

"Mother dearest, let me inherit the earth.  Teach me how to make him beg.  Let me make up for the years he made you wait.  Did he bend your reflection?  Did he make you forget your own name?  Did he convince you he was a god?  Did you get on your knees daily?  Did his eyes close like doors?  Are you a slave to the back of his head?  Am I talking about your husband, or you father?"

Also, you have to be blind to not see the genuineness of Beyoncé's emotions throughout each video/scene.  Only a person who went through it, shows so much raw emotions.  From the opening "Hold Up", having showing feeling of psychotic after suspecting him cheating, smiling while bashing car windows.  To "Inch", with her throwing herself into work while trying to work through her emotions at the same time.  To "Sandcastles" in which she surrenders her love to her hubby Jay-Z, him appearing in the video.

Hope is something that is expressed in Lemonade.  Being that the curse seems to linger in her family, she is hoping she can break it, then her daughter to see this and do better.  It is sad so many people would take such a wonderful work of art, and try to taint it already.  Let it be.  I am proud of Beyonce for breaking out of her shell.  For soaring!  For recognizing her power.  All of us women have the power!  There was a reason goddesses were worshiped back in the day.  Women are more powerful than we all think.  That is another topic.  Think I may watch Lemonade for like the tenth time.

~Jo Jo