On April 21, 2018, me and three of by home-girls stood in a sea of people to witness the greatness of none-other than Beyoncé Knowles-Carter. We attended the weekend two show so I purposely shut down my social media for a week and forbid anyone to tell me any details about the show. I wanted my Coachella experience to be a surprise. I am a big concert goer and social media is one of the downfalls when it comes to concerts.
At about 9:00 p.m. we head to the stage to position ourselves for the 10:30 p.m. show. We take a quick nap because we know this is going to be a long night. The crowd grows tighter and tighter as we await her entrance. The clock strikes 10:30 p.m. and we are all ready and waiting. At about 10:50 the lights get lower and the music starts! It’s showtime!
Bey and her dancers come out and I instantly get the concept… it’s a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) homecoming experience! This is genius and unapologetically black *inserts fist pump*. I mean she had her own sorority, Beta Delta Kappa. From the drumline to the steppers and she even sang “Lift Every Voice” it was the best show I had ever seen. It was flawless from start to finish.
I did not have the pleasure of attending an HBCU but I did frequent Homecoming a Howard University and Central State University, so this concert definitely brought me back my college years. Also, as a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc., the Greek experience resonated with me throughout the show.
Fast-forward to April 17, 2019, Bey dropped the behind the scene footage of her Homecoming Coachella performance. This documentary has allowed me to relive the experience all over again. To see Bey’s passion for wanting to share our culture with the world is amazing. Bey and Jay both have always been unapologetically Black but this performance has solidified it.
Watching Bey in her most vulnerable state post-birth with extra weight on her was very humbling. If you didn’t respect her then you can’t help but respect her grind after watching this documentary. She sacrificed her body and family for months while she prepared for this performance. You could see her shrinking month after month as she limited her diet to fruits and vegetables to meet her weight goal. Not to mention breastfeeding in between takes, this woman is amazing.
Thank you, Beyoncé, for sharing your genius with us over and over again. And thank you for sharing our culture on the Coachella stage breaking down doors and barriers for young Black women such as myself.
