At any given time, there are a few artists who transcend their fanbases and make news with their every move. It doesn't matter if you're a member of the Beyhive yourself; you're going to be hearing about Beyoncé. Here's what you need to know about the Saturday night moment that put Bey in the headlines once again.
What happened: Beyoncé dropped her sixth album. It debuted in the middle of her hour-long special on HBO.
The album name: "Lemonade." It might be a reference to the phrase "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade." From the lyrics, it's clear that life handed Queen B some citrus lately.
The details: The album consists of 11 songs. The HBO special is a visual accompaniment to the songs, but it's not just a bunch of music videos strung together like a slow day on VH1. Beyoncé mixes in stunning special effects, poetry and themed titles such as "Anger," "Loss" and "Accountability."
Where to hear it: Tidal. That's the music-streaming service developed by Beyoncé's husband, Jay Z. According to the Verge, "Lemonade" will be streamed exclusively on Tidal for the foreseeable future, which means you will have to sign up for the subscription-based service to listen. Earlier this year, Kanye West's album "The Life of Pablo" also debuted on Tidal, then later appeared on Spotify and Apple Music. It's unclear whether the same future will meet "Lemonade."
What everyone's talking about: Did Jay Z cheat? The HBO special begins with Beyoncé alone on a stage, kneeling in front of a red curtain. Her first lyric is "You can taste the dishonesty, it's all over your breath." Soon after, we hear a poem about how the women in her family seem cursed with men who come home at 3 a.m. We know Beyoncé's father cheated on her mother, Tina Knowles, so it's possible she's singing through her mother's eyes. But the theme of cheating and dishonesty lasts almost the entire album, and lyrics like this - "This is your final warning / You know I give you life / If you try this [expletive] again you gon' lose your wife" - have fans wondering.
The Washington Post
Mon Apr 25 2016
The question everyone is asking about Beyonce's new album 'Lemonade' is that did Jay Z cheat?
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