I’m writing this because of some of the discourse I’ve been seeing coming from pop stans lately, and I want to be careful with how I say this because I, too, enjoy a pop girl every once in a while, but I genuinely don’t think some people who dislike Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Bad Bunny, etc., have the critical thinking skills necessary to understand and interpret art, imagery, and storytelling.
You need a certain level of critical thinking and media literacy to truly understand albums like Lemonade, 4:44, DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS, Cowboy Carter, To Pimp a Butterfly, A Seat at the Table, etc. Yes, they are songs, but they’re also complex bodies of work that explore history, identity, politics, culture, generational trauma, and nuanced social issues through symbolism, imagery, and storytelling. And it’s okay not to fully understand them. Not everyone has the same ability or willingness to engage with art on that level, and not every piece of art is going to resonate with everyone. But you only make yourself look like an idiot when you mistake your inability to appreciate or interpret something for a lack of artistic merit, cultural influence, or impact.
Not understanding art is one thing. Dismissing its significance because YOU don’t understand it is another. Jay-Z is an incredible, impactful, and relevant rapper whether you like it or not.
I don't want to shave my bush because it was in the same room as Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Rihanna, Snoop Dogg, Dr DRE, DJ Khaled, John Legend, Too $hort, and Scarface
AUDREY is seeing JAŸ-Z retweeted
Jay-Z Deserves the Super Bowl Halftime Gig
He's one of the greatest rappers of all time, and questions about his suitability for the show are misguided at best.
Commentary: rollingstone.com/music/music…
