Video Premiere: Beyonce - ***Flawless ft. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Beyoncé wants you to know that she has made a name for herself long before becoming Mrs. Carter. She has earned her royal status in the music industry for being a hardworking artist since a very young age. In the Jake Nava-directed music video for "***Flawless" Queen Bey gives us a glimpse of her humble beginnings with old footage from Star Search, where she and her girls from Girl's Tyme competed against an all-white band, called Skeleton Crew and consequently lost despite giving their very best performance. The rest of the visual was shot entirely in black-and-white and mainly focuses on how tough and full of vigor Beyoncé really is. The 33-year-old songstress is seen headbanging and moshing at a punk party, as well as dancing with a team of street dancers in a graffiti covered alley. The masculine image of Beyoncé reflects the feminist undertones of the song's lyrics. Beyoncé wrote "***Flawless" together with Terius "The-Dream" Nash, Chauncey Hollis and Rey Reel. The track was produced by Hit-Boy, Beyoncé, Rey Reel Music and Boots. Musically, it consists of 2 parts - "Bow Down" and "Flawless", divided by a speech titled "We should all be feminists" delivered by Nigerian writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie at a TEDxEuston conference. The single is featured on Beyoncé's critically-acclaimed self-titled fifth studio album, released on December 13, 2013 and its "Platinum Edition", released on November 24, 2014 by Parkwood Entertainment and Columbia Records.
Watch the visual for "***Flawless" below to truly appreciate the creative effort. Listen to the lyrics to hear the goodness. Play it a few times. Then if you dare, try not to have this song stuck in your head for days. Impossible, we tell ya.
Once you've got your fix of Beyonce's music, you can show your love in the comments section. Be sure to spread your euphoria on a social network of your choice. Be supportive of your favorite artists. Buy their music and take it with you everywhere you go.
Part 1 - Bow Down
[Hook]
I’m out that H-town
Coming, coming down
I’m coming down dripping candy on the ground
H, H-town, town, I’m coming down
Coming down, dripping candy on the ground
[Verse 1: Beyonce]
I know when you were little girls
You dreamt of being in my world
Don't forget it, don't forget it
Respect that, bow down bitches (crown)
I took some time to live my life
But don't think I'm just his little wife
Don't get it twisted, get it twisted
This my shit, bow down bitches
[Bridge]
Bow down bitches, bow-bow down bitches (crown)
Bow down bitches, bow-bow down bitches (crown)
H-Town vicious, H, H-Town vicious
I'm so crown, crown, bow down bitches
[Hook]
Part 2 - ***Flawless
[Intro: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie]
We teach girls to shrink themselves, to make themselves smaller
We say to girls: "You can have ambition, but not too much
You should aim to be successful, but not too successful
Otherwise, you will threaten the man"
Because I am female, I am expected to aspire to marriage
I am expected to make my life choices
Always keeping in mind that marriage is the most important
Now, marriage can be a source of joy and love and mutual support
But why do we teach girls to aspire to marriage
And we don't teach boys the same?
We raise girls to see each other as competitors
Not for jobs or for accomplishments, which I think can be a good thing
But for the attention of men
We teach girls that they cannot be sexual beings in the way that boys are
Feminist: a person who believes in the social
Political, and economic equality of the sexes
[Hook: Beyonce]
You wake up, flawless
Post up, flawless
Ridin' round in it, flawless
Flossin' on that, flawless
This diamond, flawless
My diamond, flawless
This rock, flawless
My Roc, flawless
I woke up like this, I woke up like this
We flawless, ladies tell 'em
I woke up like this, I woke up like this
We flawless, ladies tell 'em
Say "I look so good tonight"
God damn, God damn
Say "I look so good tonight"
God damn, God damn, God damn!
[Bridge: Beyonce]
Momma taught me good home training
My Daddy taught me how to love my haters
My sister told me I should speak my mind
My man made me feel so God damn fine (I'm flawless!)
[Hook: Beyonce]
[Outro]
The judges give champion Skeleton Groove 4 stars, a perfect score
The challenger, Girls' TYME, receives 3 stars
Skeleton Groove, champions once again
Congratulations, we'll see you next week
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