Empowered, Unapologetic and Unstoppable: A Black or African-American Feminist Critique of Beyoncé’s Formation and Nicki Minaj’s Anaconda

Abstract

Black or African-American feminist theory continues to develop in multidisciplinary discourses, proving the importance of women’s and young girls’ debates and potential solutions to their struggles. This is against the reality that many women and young girls, especially those of the lower class, continue to face subjugation and exclusion. As a result of this conundrum, this scholarly discourse critiques show Beyoncé’s “Formation” (2016) and Nicki Minaj’s “Anaconda” (2014) contribute to broader discourses that constructively or destructively impact Black women and young girls. Similarly, this article scrutinises how the two influential Black female artists challenge and denounce destructive male-centric perceptions. Ultimately, I argue that it stands to reason that these two songs and their music videos are regarded and accepted as advocating for women’s and young girls’ liberation and advancement. Black or African-American feminist theory is applied to unmask the covert meanings that are intricately interwoven in these two musical expressions, while the music videos themselves are recognised as a primary source of data. In closing, it becomes evident that many communities are engulfed with gender injustices and disparities that necessitate scholarly dialogues in an attempt to address any identified challenges. With this article, it is presumed that other scholars and non-scholars will continue the discourse in a bid to develop feminist theoretical discourses.