NY Times: 'America Has a Problem and Beyoncé Ain’t It' [Archive]

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PeaceNHarmony

07-30-2022, 07:05 PM

I love, Love, LOVE when a major r&b release gets this kind of rave review in this kind of major news outlet.

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/30/arts/music/beyonce-renaissance-review.html

Motown Eddie

07-31-2022, 05:15 AM

motony

07-31-2022, 06:45 PM

NYT Times, LOL might as well be the Bejing Times

carlo

08-02-2022, 07:24 AM

Motown Eddie

08-04-2022, 04:50 AM

I love, Love, LOVE when a major r&b release gets this kind of rave review in this kind of major news outlet.

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/30/arts/music/beyonce-renaissance-review.html

From RollingStone.com-
Beyoncé Removes ‘Milkshake’ From ‘Energy’ After Kelis Called Her Out for ‘Theft’

Beyoncé has removed the usage of “Milkshake” from her new song “Energy” after Kelis [[https://www.rollingstone.com/t/kelis/) tore into the singer for featuring the hit 2003 song, proclaiming it an act of “thievery.” [[https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/kelis-calls-out-beyonce-over-using-milkshake-but-her-real-beef-is-with-pharrell-1390071/)
It’s been an unexpectedly rocky release week for Beyoncé, who despite receiving rave reviews for her disco-dance album [[https://www.rollingstone.com/t/album/) Renaissance, has had a series of blips and post-release modifications to songs.

Days before its drop last Friday, the album leaked online — a rare hiccup for the famously buttoned-up artist. Then on Monday, Beyoncé announced she would be removing the word “spaz” from her song “Heated” [[https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/beyonce-remove-ableist-slur-from-song-heated-1390809/) following backlash from critics who said the word is an ableist slur. [Lizzo similarly removed the word [[https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/lizzo-changes-grrrls-lyric-removing-ableist-slur-1367727/) from her song “Grrrls” earlier this summer.]
Now, Tidal [[https://www.rollingstone.com/t/tidal/) and Apple have appeared to have removed an interpolation of Kelis’ song “Milkshake” [[https://listen.tidal.com/album/240189283) that appears at the tail end of “Energy.” In a brief glitch, Tidal was only playing the isolated vocals of the interpolation, while the rest of the nearly two minute track was silent. It’s unclear when other streaming services will update the track on their platforms. Reps for Beyoncé, Kelis, and Tidal have not immediately responded to Rolling Stone‘s requests for comment.
The controversy between the two artists kicked off hours before the album’s official drop when Kelis used her chef’s Instagram account to voice her frustration that her song was being used and she wasn’t given the courtesy of a heads-up, much less asked for her blessing. “It’s not a collab, it’s theft,” she wrote.

“My mind is blown too because the level of disrespect and utter ignorance of all 3 parties involved is astounding,” she added. “Nothing is ever as it seems, some of the people in this business have no soul or integrity, and they have everyone fooled.”
Full credits later revealed the song in question was “Milkshake,” with Kelis’ former producers Pharrell [[https://www.rollingstone.com/t/pharrell/) Williams and Chad Hugo credited on the track. Beyoncé’s website also noted the song was interpolated, which takes an existing sound and alters it, whereas sampling takes directly from a song with no changes.

Regardless that the song was used in a minor way or tweaked to fit Beyoncé’s dance track, Kelis wasn’t pleased, saying the entire situation was a “trigger” point for her. “It’s beyond this song at this point,” she wrote in an Instagram caption. “There are bullies and secrets and gangsters in this industry that smile and get away with it until someone says enough is enough. So, I’m saying it today. I’m coming for what’s mine and I want reparations.”

Kelis also called out Williams, a former close friend who worked with her exclusively alongside Chad Hugo on her first two albums. Their relationship went bust after Kelis claimed that Williams and Hugo had “lied and tricked” her into a raw deal. Instead of splitting things “33/33/33,” Kelis told The Guardian in 2020 [[https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/kelis-calls-out-beyonce-over-using-milkshake-but-her-real-beef-is-with-pharrell-1390071/#:~:text=%C2%A0she%20told%C2%A0The%20Guardian%20in %202020), she was left with no rights to her early music, and ended up only making money from her first albums from touring.

She referred to the contentious relationship in her Instagram video, saying, “Publishing was stolen, people were swindled out of rights. It happens all the time, especially back then. So it’s not about me being mad about Beyoncé.”

“Pharrell knows better,” she added. “This is a direct hit at me [and] he does this stuff all the time. The reason I’m annoyed is because I know it was on purpose.”

TomatoTom123

08-11-2022, 06:30 AM

Peace, what is your opinion on Beyonce's new album? I've mostly enjoyed her albums over the years and even saw her during her previous tour. However, I was left disappointed by this latest album. Although I really liked the first single, "Break My Soul". I'm also a fan of Grace Jones and was initially excited to see that she had collaborated with Beyonce on one of the tracks, by contributing vocals. I seem to remember that even that particular track didn't do much for me. It appears that I'm in the minority, as she's receiving rave reviews from critics.

My favourite Beyonce album still remains to be "4".

Hey carlo, I really like "Break My Soul" too, but I’ve listened to some of the rest of the album and haven’t been won over yet. It seems very much to be a combination of styles/genres, not all of which I like very much [:p]. I will have to keep my ears open and try again. :D

PeaceNHarmony

08-11-2022, 09:29 AM

Peace, what is your opinion on Beyonce's new album? I've mostly enjoyed her albums over the years and even saw her during her previous tour. However, I was left disappointed by this latest album. Although I really liked the first single, "Break My Soul". I'm also a fan of Grace Jones and was initially excited to see that she had collaborated with Beyonce on one of the tracks, by contributing vocals. I seem to remember that even that particular track didn't do much for me. It appears that I'm in the minority, as she's receiving rave reviews from critics.

My favourite Beyonce album still remains to be "4".Well ... I have to be honest, Carlo, and say that I'm not really a Beyonce 'fan'. I love to see her success because she deserves it and her audience deserves it. Generally I see Beyonce as a great success story, both with critics and her audience. Though I like her voice her records are always a bit 'noisy' to me [[meaning, just lots) going on. As for the new album, I did give it a stream. I fully own and admit my 66-year-old prudery and can say that I just can't with the foul language! But, again, my issue and VIVA Beyonce and the Hyve!

carlo

08-11-2022, 09:19 PM

Hey Peace and Tom, thanks for your reviews. I agree with you Peace, on the foul language part. Maybe I am also too much of a prude, due to my strict upbringing in the church. I can deal with a swear word or two in a song, if the music and vocals are good, but this album didn't check any of those boxes for me. I think this album is more for the rap/electronic genre loving crowd. Hearing the sample of Donna Summer's I Feel Love on her track, "Summer Renaissance", made me want to listen to Donna Summer instead, when the album ended.

I had preordered the CD from Amazon and gave it a couple of listens on Apple Music, on release day, before the CD arrived. Let's just say that as someone who owns all of Beyonce's previous albums, I returned this one to Amazon un-opened. I gave it a fair chance though. :)