Partner Let Me Upgrade U

Beyonce is one of the most positive female role models in the hip hop world. Beyonce is successful, widely respected, and has a hugely successful career completely independent of her husband’s. The video for her 2006 song “Upgrade U (ft. Jay-Z)” is a modern feminist spectacle. The songs lyrics themselves preach a modern, independent femininity. In particular “I’m known to walk alone/But I’m alone for a reason/Sending me a drink aint appeasin’” stuck in my mind. The video itself depicts this image of a successful female; we see Beyonce driving around in a Rolls Royce in a coat that looks like a sleeker, more feminine version of the type of coats often worn by rap moguls in their music videos.

The way Beyonce and director Melina Matsoukas use men in the video is fascinating. For the dance sequences, Beyonce has a dapper crew of male backup dancers. The men are not making moves on Beyonce or even dancing with her, but rather behind her, just as we have so often seen women do in the majority of rap music videos.

Additionally, the song Upgrade U features Beyonce’s husband Jay-Z, and for his opening verse, Beyonce has her hair slick back and wears tight jeans, a white button down shirt and big sunglasses to dress up as Jay Z. The camera quickly cuts from extremely close focus on Beyonce’s face to far away shots that leave the audience wondering if it is in fact Beyonce or Jay Z. Later in the song, during Jay Z’s actual verse, Beyonce is donning the same Jay Z costume, but simultaneously appears on screen in heels and a large men’s button down, dancing for “Jay Z.” My interpretation of this is that Beyonce is preaching a multi-faceted feminine approach. Beyonce seems to be saying that yes, femininity is defined by female sex appeal to a large extent. However, in addition to wearing heels and dancing sexily, you can wear big rapper bling and sunglasses and be the moneymaking breadwinner.

Beyonce and the “Upgrade U” video represent a new wave of feminism. This new feminist mindset embraces feminine sexuality while grabbing hold of the power that once exclusively belonged to male artists and making it something women can don with pride.