As we all know, Beyoncé shocked us with her most recentl released album titled Lemonade. This critically acclaimed album was dedicated to all the black women who were abused, neglected and dehumanized by men everywhere. Her track list and the famous video album illustrated the frustrations, upset and unhappiness of what black women have gone through dealing with society. “Don’t Hurt Yourself,” “Sorry” and “Hold On” were some the top songs that Beyoncé used as a black woman’s anthem to express their true feelings about infidelity, mistrust and verbal abuse in relationships.
But, what makes this album so significant is that everyone can relate to the lyrics, the emotions and the message from Beyoncé and her own battles within her marriage.
Now if you loved Lemonade, Solange has created a number #1 album titled A Seat at the Table, which is an autobiography of her own life and the demons of her reality. Her album acknowledges and celebrates the African American heritage in America through a number of songs. From “Cranes in the Sky” and “Don’t Touch my Hair” to “F.U.B.U” and “Bordline (An Ode to Self Care)” were some of the songs dedicated to the struggles African Americans deal with as far mental health, self-image and insecurities of being in your own skin.
This album is also significant because what makes Solange different from her sister is that her album brings an old school, retro style that has listeners feel at peace and calm.
The correlation between Lemonade and A Seat at the Table is actually very similar because they both depict the perspectives of black people in today’s society. The misfortunes of these two iconic albums were made for 2016 because we are in a position where this is the end of an era for one of our favorite presidents of all time. As African American women at an HBCU, it is important to take care of ourselves and to realize we are more than what society portrays us to look, sound and act like on an everyday basis. It is our job to be revolutionaries of the 21st century and be the next great leaders of tomorrow with the help of these two women and their message in their albums.
If you haven’t already, go and listen to A Seat at the Table and Lemonade which is available on Apple Music, Tidal, and Spotify.