BEYONCE...

Beyonce…

She is No Gladis Knight or Aretha Franklin, but then she is not as superficial and seemingly vacuous as Madonna either. Beyonce doesn’t need a good review from me to keep rolling in the bucks and the success like she does. She has become a house-hold name and a world success in a matter of about 10 years, selling out large venues and getting press wherever she goes. But for me, an Old School Mentor and one who remembers lyrics from 20 and 30 years ago, I just find her music not regrettable, but not memorable either. I just can’t, for the sake of me, remember one line from one song of hers. The youth of today look up to her and buy her records and CD’s like crazy. I don’t own a single copy of anything by Beyonce. Give me Gene Carne, Gladis or Pattie any day……

But there is one thing I have to say for Beyonce that I can’t say for many, many other successful singers and actors. She seems to have a Progressive Streak in her that is something to be both proud of and at once, something to be emulated in our youth. She went all the way to South Africa when she was very young to sing in front of Nelson Mandela for a Big Birthday Bash and recently she sang in front of the Head of State in Libya—a country that is NOT held in high regard by the United States. She is to be commended for doing both of these things. It is easy to say NO to the call of the dangerously political, but to say YES when most people will questions you and not understand—now that is saying something… You Go Girl!!!