Black Lives Matter: Beyonce releases new song ‘Black Parade’, creates directory of black owned businesses with Zerina Akers

The Lemonade singer has released a new single Black Parade and a curated, comprehensive directory of Black-owned business along with her stylist, Zerina Akers.

Beyoncé has been a longtime advocate of Black rights and also a promoter of ‘Black excellence’, the 38-year-old entrepreneur and singer recently spoke about the Black Lives Matter movement, George Floyd’s death, other victims of police brutality as she addressed the Class of 2020 during a virtual ceremony hosted on YouTube. The Single Ladies singer had said, “Thank you for using your collective voice and letting the worlds know that Black lives matter. The killings of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and so many others have left us all broken. It has left the entire country searching for answers.”

Beyoncé did not let Juneteenth 2020 pass without dropping one of her signature surprises in the form a new single called “Black Parade.”(AP)

The Lemonade singer has now released a new single Black Parade and a curated, comprehensive directory of Black-owned business along with her stylist, Zerina Akers. Marking Juneteenth (June 19), Queen Bey posted, “Being Black is your activism. Black excellence is a form of protest. Black joy is your right.” Juneteenth celebrates the emancipation of slaves by the United States and the end of slavery in Texas, Beyonce’s home state, in 1865. The day also known as Freedom Day, Jubilee Day, Liberation Day, and Emancipation Day.

Taking to her Instagram, Beyonce wrote, “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. “BLACK PARADE” celebrates you, your voice and your joy and will benefit Black-owned small businesses.” Beyonce’s website says that all the proceeds would be donated to “BeyGOOD’s Black Business Impact Fund, administered by the National Urban League, to support Black-owned small businesses in need”.

According to Variety the song has been co-produced by Derek Dixie, and is co-written by Beyonce’s producer husband Jay-Z, Kaydence, Denisia, Andrews and Brittany Coney for NOVAWAV, among others.

Talking of her Houston roots, Beyonce sings, “I’m goin’ back to the South ... Back where my roots ain’t watered down.”

In the four-minute-forty-two seconds song, Beyonce sings, “Ooh, melanin, melanin, my drip is skin deep, like Ooh, motherland, motherland, motherland, motherland drip on me Ooh, yeah, I can’t forget my history is her-story, yeah Being black, maybe that’s the reason why They always mad, yeah, they always mad, yeah Been past ‘em, I know that’s the reason why They all big mad and they always have been.”