Pop star Beyoncé turned one of America’s greatest annual sporting events into a political propaganda statement with a halftime show honoring the controversial Black Lives Matter movement.
As she belted out her new song “Formation,” a celebrated anthem for black pride, dancers performed in wardrobe similar to members of the Black Panthers.
Beyoncé’s dancers paying homage to the Black Panthers at the Superbowl wins Black History Month. #SB50 pic.twitter.com/YQT2TDEuk3
— OurBKSocial (@OurBKSocial) February 8, 2016
The dancers formed the letter “X” at one point and brought their arms in the air with clenched fists in a black power salute, leaving many to speculate a likely reference to the militant black civil rights leader Malcom X.
Mic.com senior staff writer Jamilah King tweeted:
Beyonce’s dancers paid tribute to #MarioWoods, black man killed by San Francisco police. #SB50 #BlackLives pic.twitter.com/m2Pl9i5qKL
— Jamilah King (@jamilahking) February 8, 2016
Beyonce capped off the blackest weekend ever with a tribute to the Black Panthers: https://t.co/YwjLSglmIv#SB50pic.twitter.com/kY55S3hjyo
— Jamilah King (@jamilahking) February 8, 2016
Here’s Entertainment Tonight’s report of Beyonce’s show:
The show is being celebrated by Black Lives Matters and “pro-black power” voices, including Michelle Obama, who gave a pre-game interview telling Beyonce she had her full support and would even dress for the event.
Take a look at some of the pictures of the performance from social media.
Super Bowl, omaggio a Malcom X: Beyoncé versione ”Black panther” https://t.co/8RfbGDkext pic.twitter.com/BNj6FEHtwv
— la Repubblica (@repubblicait) February 8, 2016
Beyoncé’s dancers channel Black Panthers at the Super Bowl and we LOVE it! https://t.co/gPnfsH7GsU via @blackvoices pic.twitter.com/MI9XEbMJ0T
— Rowdy T Northlondon (@rowdytukgoon) February 8, 2016
Why Beyonce’s Super Bowl halftime performance was radically black and wholly important: https://t.co/7HeLgOmLzW pic.twitter.com/kUVrHoqzAv
— Baedrian Lee (@AdrianKLee) February 8, 2016
Look at how Beyonce’s dancers dressed like Black Panther activists while performing for the Super Bowl. AMAZING. pic.twitter.com/o00lVKpzqq
— nalisa alia amin (@nalisaaa) February 8, 2016
Many on social media were outraged by the display.
@guardian Beyonce gets cops to protect her at the halftime shows, for interviews and for her concerts. Then, she makes a video mocking them.
— Manny (@Manny6678) February 8, 2016
Beyonce’s back up dancers dressed as Black Panthers at the Super Bowl and carried a sign for a man who stabbed someone. Think about that.
— andieiam (@andieiamwhoiam) February 8, 2016
@andieiamwhoiam Imagine the uproar if a white group had sung “white lives matter” while dressed in Klu Klux Klan regalia.@honestbillee
— michael gow tolson (@GowTolson) February 8, 2016
@GowTolson @andieiamwhoiam @honestbillee Beyonce is a divisive racist who uses her ‘talent’ and lip synch to further her political agenda.
— DanCrocker (@Dan__Crocker) February 8, 2016
@MapsMaponyane this isn’t racist at all. Coldplay might as well should’ve thrown white sheets over their bodies. But tolerance haha
— JohnDoe (@LittrellTrain) February 8, 2016
@pettyyonceh @farwzaz This is some racist shit.
— El Toro (@1979Toro) February 8, 2016
@pettyyonceh disgusting and disgraceful
— joe dubreuil (@joedubreuil) February 8, 2016
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