Beyoncé and Jay Z have taken heat in the past about their perceived silence on important issues facing the Black community, but it’s worth noting that they have–especially Queen Bey–taken steps in recent months to make sure that their opinions and outrage is heard publicly on different platforms.
Beyoncé’s Lemonade album included undertones relating to the troubling relationship between law enforcement and the Black community, especially with songs like “Formation” and “Freedom,” and in light of the recent police shootings that claimed the lives of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile on back-to-back days, Bey took to her Instagram to deliver a personal message about the need for agitation and action.
To expound on those sentiments, during her Formation World Tour show in Glasgow this evening, Beyonce halted her performances to pay respect to those that have been victimized by police brutality, and held a moment of silence at Hampden Stadium. If you enlarge the latter of the photos from the following tweet, you can see the names honored on the huge screen on the stage begin with Alton Sterling, and continue on to display Philando Castile, Sandra Bland, Freddie Gray, Oscar Grant and more.
Beyonce just paused her Glasgow show for a moment of silence, displaying victims of police brutality #AltonSterling pic.twitter.com/REajdvlmUf
— Will (@TheAussieSide) July 7, 2016
It’s important that internationally renowned entertainers with platforms like Beyonce’s continue to speak out, and bring these issues to the forefront. This is an important example.
