“Black Parade” is the name of this title posted Friday evening by Beyoncé on the listening and download platforms. A date far from being chosen at random, since to unveil this single where she advocates "black love" and the "need for peace and reparation for (her) people", the black-American singer chose the "Juneteenth "
June 19 is the anniversary of the emancipation of the last slaves in the country, in Texas, in 1865. The state where the singer is from, who has long been engaged in the fight for the rights of black people. In this title, written by her husband Jay-Z, Beyoncé also sings: "I'm going back to the South, where my roots are not watered down". She also evokes police violence, in full contestation of systemic racism in the streets, born from the death of Georges Floyd, in early June.
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Happy Juneteenth Weekend! I hope we continue to share joy and celebrate each other, even in the midst of struggle. Please continue to remember our beauty, strength and power. _ “BLACK PARADE” celebrates you, your voice and your joy and will benefit Black-owned small businesses. Click the link in my bio to learn more.
A post shared by Beyoncé (@beyonce) on Jun 19, 2020 at 6:47 pm PDT
The diva released this single just hours after announcing on social media that it was launching an initiative, the Black Parade Route, a directory designed to support businesses owned by African Americans. The revenues will go directly to the foundation she created, the "BeyGOOD's Black Business Impact Fund". On Instagram, alongside her clip - already seen almost 3 million times in a few hours - Beyoncé wishes her followers a "Happy Juneteenth weekend".
"Continue to remember our beauty, our strength and our power"
"I hope that we will continue to share joy and to celebrate each other, even during this period, even at the heart of the struggle," she continues. Please continue to remember our beauty, our strength and our power. "
It was once again on social networks that Beyoncé had chosen to be heard, shortly after the death of Georges Floyd, an African-American who died asphyxiated in Minneapolis, after almost 9 minutes spent under the knee of a white police officer. Calling himself "destroyed and disgusted", the star had rebelled in a video posted on Instagram. “We cannot consider this sentence to be normal. I don't just speak for people of color. If you are white, black, mestizo or anything that may be in the middle of that, I am sure you are also feeling desperate about the racism that is developing in the United States right now. ” The diva also asked for justice for Breonna Taylor, another black American woman who died in police bullets.
"Black parade" is the first solo song released by Beyoncé since her album Homecoming, released last year, along with a documentary retracing her two legendary concerts at the Coachella festival in 2018.