that performance at the ama sucked wiff bey so she should not go country i wonder whose idea this was they must hate her …..what happen to the timberland stuff……. she must have changed her mind ….. country who the hell wants to hear her sang that……. dont git me wrong i love country music faith hill and tim are my favorites ……but bey .. hell no chile sit yo ass down some where and let yo lil sister try and shine go make some babies or sumfin lololollool

Gem - you’re preaching to the choir and kind of missing the boat on this point. Your experiences aren’t unique regarding how you grew up. Racism, outright or hidden is everywhere. I have lived in the North Midwest and the deep south and I totally agree that many of those whites who listen to country music probably will not be accepting. Of course there are some who will, but again, the same as our stories are different, there are a lot of black people (and other people of color) who were pioneers of the west and I honestly believe that there are people who would welcome someone of Beyonce’s stature calling attention to it. It’s not about white southerners accepting us, it’s about the fact that black people still have a lot to learn about ourselves. But I know that we are going to differ and that’s because you are interpreting what you have grown up around (confederate flags, etc…) to the WEST. There’s always going to be people (south or otherwise) who will turn their noses up at people of color even if they know deep down they like what they see or hear. However, that’s not my point. My point remains that, just like with so many other issues that whites felt we couldn’t accomplish or achieve, Beyonce is just the person with her star status to open a door or expose a young person, who, perhaps may be isolated in a hick town or in another type situation faced with people telling them what they can and can’t do to throw it back in their face to say, well looks like we can do darn near everything. We can golf, we can swim, we can own businesses, we can fly into space - and what do you know this black girl (FROM TEXAS) is singing country. I guess I can do anything too. Again, I would encourage you to read about black cowboys and the many black cattle ranchers in the southwest and west. We are everywhere, and because there may have been only 1 or 2 to make it halfway to commercial success before, this is a brand new day and even though I’m not huge on Beyonce, fact is, she is an international star who has serious crossover appeal. (And this from a person who has not only lived the south, sat side by side with people sporting confederate hats, but has also actually been face to face with Klan members. Believe me, I know quite a bit about your story.)

And also, for better or worse and perhaps to our own detriment sometimes, black people are far more accepting of other cultures, however country or no country, WE have set the tone for entertainment (especially music) for the past 100 years. We incorporate other cultures and make it relevant not the other way around. Kids who maybe never even heard of Kid Rock are open to him now because he has a song with Kels and Luda (not that we want to get into how I feel about the actual MAN behind the music…) or Kels with Celine Dion or Beyonce with Shakira or or a host of other compilations, like you mentioned about Shania Twain - they follow OUR lead. Screw their confederate flags. If black folks are known for something, we know how to turn something hurtful into something just downright fashionable. Not that we would wear confederate flags but you know it’s only a matter of time before Kanyeezie does a song with “Whistling Dixie” as the hook! Lol…just kidding!

I’m sorry, girl…I didn’t read all that because it’s just not so…perhaps you’re idealistic…I don’t know…it’s good that you’ve got a wealth of historical info and it’s good that you seem open-minded, but I can’t even pretend to agree with you..
Country music is NOT AT ALL meaningful to us…I’m sorry…There are phenomenal love stories, there’s great odes to rugged individualists (as I said)…there’s music to encourage and inspire…but you can get that with jazz, that and something emotionally full and intelligent…something meaningful to us. I just don’t see country music as that…sorry…but, again, I can certainly appreciate your wealth of knowledge…it’s a bit misplaced here, though….there are many other meaningful avenues and many other meaningful people to take us there…who needs to inflate Beyonce’s skulking into country music?

Okay, I just read it… I thought about it and it was disrespectful otherwise…(and hypocritical as I’m often long-winded here)… but I still disagree…I don’t think the prospect of a Beyonce country record if anything even remotely meaningful or inspirational to our culture. Maybe if we could encourage more poets and authors to record audio books, maybe feature them on BET…Yes, I know writers don’t enjoy great celebrity but that would make more sense to me than bringing ourselves to think Beyonce’s going country is anything more than another opportunistic turn by a family that just refuses to quit.

well i know how much you dislike beyonce, but it’s not about her. the same as other artists have stepped outside of the box to prove that we can do whatever we want. i’m not huge beyonce fan either, so whether it’s beyonce or another artist (as if most entertainers aren’t in it for the opportunistic situations, it’s not just the knowles family.) anyway, hopefully at some point you can look past the distase you have for beyonce to see that she’s a force and will be legendary when people look back at these times. She has the pull and the creativity to do something new and spark an interest as so many other artists before her have. i can see past the fact that i’m not a fan of hers to see that there’s other good things that can come out of what you may see as her greed. oh well, agree to disagree

Also, consider the fact that you CANNOT speak for a whole race of people. It’s racist when whites ask us to do it and it’s silly when we try to. If the music means something to me, then it has meaning to our race, even on a small level. Just not to you. Look beyond the obvious and what has been assigned to us by society as our modes of expression. If i happen to dislike jazz, so it is meaningless to me, but might mean a lot to you. My knowledge is perfectly placed in this discussion but i think your distaste for beyonce and her family overshadows your ability to comprehend what i am saying about the country (and any other genre) having relevance to us if that’s how we choose to express ourselves.

Your point is we are just as ensconced in that history and so an African American artist’s successful turn to Country, extends our own story. Right?

And my point, in all this, was and is that Beyonce’s country album will be nothing more than an opportunistic shape-shifting. It will neither be socially responsible nor culturally significant, but only, if successful (and that’s highly unlikely) a lucrative “crossing over”. Now, I say that NOT because I’m blinded by my disdain for Beyonce; instead, I say it because it is the issue at hand…and the truth. The truth of this argument is that Beyonce is rumored to have a Country album in the works. This, I think, has not one social implication, not one. There will be no telling of our story, no showing of our face, but only a poor and toothless going along to get ahead. She will not do anything rich with our history as pioneers and cowboys, she will only employ the same symbols: love, hurt, country sass…and every other thing that’s proven lucrative.
So, what I’ve been saying is that NO, it’s NOT meaningful to us, having some black artist “go country” because, truth be told, anyone who has to do such a demonstrative thing, will undoubtedly follow what’s already been established. I say this because many of India Arie’s recordings sound like those from artists like LeAnn Rimes and Shania Twain, but this woman is a real artist, sincere and smart and so we don’t even think of her “venturing into Country” because she’s merely doing her thing and that defies categorization.
So, do your thing, tell your story BUT when you go dabbling into a genre that is estoric (and, by your own standards, fake…because it doesn’t present the image of the “black cowboy” right? So, why “go country”???) you’re sure to do nothing more than whatever they’ll let you get away with. “Country” isn’t about us, if you’d like to tell our story, do it…no need to wear the badge of a racist lot.

will. i. am is one of the most underrated and underused producer we have right now. I’m so happy that MJ has pegged him to remix a track for Thrill (25th Anniversary Album).

I think people really missed the boar with his solo record. I think this album is often overlooked because of his first single (which is very disappointing). This album is far better then chart toppers Kanye West & 50 Cent.

Check it out -

The hottest tracks are: “She’s A Star”, “Get Your Money”, “Aint It Pretty”, “Donque (ft. Snoop Dogg)” , and “One More Chance”.

What does the world of good music listeners think?