GOOD STUFF: APRIL 29, 2016

Earlier this week Beyoncé dropped her visual album Lemonade.

Ok, I’m going to pause for a moment…

There is a lot that I won’t say about Lemonade because it’s already been said; ad nauseam. But I will say this: Lemonade is not about Becky. Lemonade is about gender, race, love, religion and power. The visual album addresses provocative issues with a beautifully vulnerable candor. It’s art and life.

Unfortunately, Lemonade’s complex themes and ground-breaking artistry have been trivialized by mainstream (and social) media’s witch hunt for salacious minutiae and metaphorical mistresses. The album is so much more than just one line in one song – and you know exactly which line I am referring to.

In the spirit of sharing “Good Stuff” in my Friday posts, I want to celebrate the diverse talents of a few artists who contributed to Lemonade.

Let’s talk…

THE FASHION

Stylist and costume designer Marni Senofonte did an amazing job creating looks that embodied the album’s Afrocentric antebellum vibe. Marini has almost two decades of styling experience and her roster of clients include: Jay-Z, Mary J. Blige and Lauryn Hill. Her work on this project contributed invaluably to the albums visual aesthetic.

THE BODY PAINT

Nigerian visual artist Laolu Senbanjo is known for his signature Yoruba-infused markings. He claims the World as his canvas and he’s left his mark on everything from shoe collaborations with Nike to secret albums with Beyoncé. Senbajo’s “Sacred Art of the Ori” is a practice in which he uses Yoruba body paint to draw a person’s soul on the canvas on their skin. The results can be seen in the intricate patterns that adorn Beyoncé and her dancers, and symbolically unite the African diaspora.

THE POETRY

Warsan Shire’s poetry is an integral ingredient in Lemonade. Beyoncé quotes several of Warsan’s poems that poignantly explore themes of Black femininity, family and infidelity. Warsan Shire has won several prestigious literary awards and she is expected to release a poetry collection entitled “Extreme Girlhood”.

Have you seen or heard Lemonade yet? What do you think?

GOOD STUFF! showcases a few of the “good” things I enjoy during the week. You can find more “GOOD STUFF” here.