A surprise new song called Black Parade was dropped by Beyoncé on Friday 19th June, a holiday marking the end of slavery in the United States in 1865. Of the track, she said on Instagram," 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."
She also used the momentous date to launch a directory called BLACK PARADE which she says “ celebrates you, your voice and your joy and will benefit Black-owned small businesses."
On the official website Black Parade Route she lists several black-owned businesses for people to support. A message on the site reads, "Being Black is your activism. Black excellence is a form of protest. Black joy is your right, “BLACK PARADE” celebrates you, your voice and your joy and will benefit Black-owned small businesses."
The song, of the same title, is an upbeat track that celebrates the black community and black-owned businesses with lines like: "Yeah, yeah, I'm for us. All black, all chrome, black-owned."
The track also highlights the struggles endured by black people to this day and bemoans the fact that justice is something black people often have to fight for. Beyoncé also makes clear reference in the song to the death of George Floyd singing, “Hold my hands, we gon' pray together. Lay down, face down in the gravel. Wearin' all attire white to the funeral. Black love, we gon' stay together."
Beyonce has been extremely vocal since the death of Floyd last month, an African-American man who was killed after a white police officer knelt on his neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds, sparking worldwide anti-racism protests.
Take a listen to the track right here.
