Beyonce gave us a look into her 2020 with an exclusive IGTV recap. Here are five of the best moments.
Beyonce just gave us her own special send off to 2020. In one of the most worldwide years in recent memory, lots of people have had lots to say about 2020. However, Beyonce decided to share her journey this year by posting a four minute IGTV video for her 159 million followers. Writing to her fans, more commonly known as the Beyhive, she reflected on how this year has not only divided us but also united us in our humanity. Throughout the four minute clip, we got a lot of glimpses of the performer’s life behind the scenes. Here are five standout moments.
Savage Remix
We can’t talk about Beyonce in 2020 without mentioning her chart topping collab with Megan Thee Stallion. When the Covid-19 pandemic hit the United States in early March, many lower income communities were affected by a lack of testing, housing, and proper care. This was especially true of Beyonce and Megan’s hometown of Houston, Texas. Upon meeting at a 2019 New Year’s Eve party, Beyonce expressed interest in remixing the song, but it was the cause of helping Houston that brought the project to fruition.
All proceeds made from the song were given to Bread of Life Houston’s COVID-19 relief efforts. This includes providing over 14 tons of food and supplies to 500 families and 100 senior citizens in Houston weekly. It’s truly incredible that the two women were able to help so many people while also providing great music. Beyonce also shares a clip of her daughter Rumi singing along to the hit in a golf cart. Meanwhile, Beyonce is holding her brother, Sir in her arms. We’ve rarely gotten a glimpse of the twins since their birth in June 2017, and it’s crazy to see how much time has passed.
Ivy Park Launches
Beyonce’s trend setting athleisure line Ivy Park also had an incredibly busy year. Detailed in the video were the three drops that Ivy Park took part in with Adidas. Hours after the pre-sale launch and 6 minutes after the main launch on January 17, 2020, the collaboration officially sold out. It was also reported that the Adidas website crashed multiple times to keep up with high demand, and higher ups are confident that Beyonce’s collection will outsell other celebrity efforts like that of Kanye West. The next two drops mimicked the first one’s success, with everyone wanting their own piece of Ivy Park merch.
Beygood Charity Efforts
Beyonce is just as known for her charity work as she is for her business practices and music. This year she was presented the BET Humanitarian Award by Michelle Obama for her Beygood charity. Beygood has made major strides to assist those affected by the Covid-19 pandemic this year. Teaming up with Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, they were able to raise six million dollars for local community-based organizations, UCLA, and the National Alliance in Mental Illness (NAMI). Mental wellness services were provided to cities like Houston, New York, New Orleans, and Detroit. This was specifically focused on communities of color that were faced with rising infection and mortality rates.
However, Beyonce’s work didn’t stop there. Next, she partnered with her mother, Ms. Tina Knowles Lawson, to support COVID-19 mobile testing clinics. The #Ididmypart campaign encourages black communities in Houston to prioritize health in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. This includes providing 1,000 test kits, face masks, gloves, essential vitamins, and household supplies to citizens of Houston. Joining the campaign is famed director and producer Tyler Perry who vowed to do the same in his hometown of Atlanta, Georgia.
When the Black Lives Matter movement was reaching its height, Beyonce made sure that her voice would be one for equality and change. In order to help small black businesses, the Black-Owned Small Business Impact Fund was created. Owners of Black-owned businesses were able to apply for a ten thousand dollar grant that was given out on the fifteenth of each month. Later on, an additional one million was added to the fund by Beyonce herself.
Class of 2020 Commencement Speech
It was most definitely a hard year for the class of 2020. Whether it was an elementary school, middle school, high school, or college graduation, many had to put their plans on hold for virtual get togethers instead. Thus, a mock graduation ceremony was created for Youtube and attracted tons of celebrity guests. Dear Class of 2020 was filled to the brim with commencement speeches from luminaries like Malala Yousafzai, BTS, and Michelle Obama. However, it was Beyonce’s speech that struck a chord with viewers all around the world. Taking place during the ongoing protests following the killing of George Floyd and the shootings of Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery, Beyonce thanked those out on the streets protesting for equal rights. The singer goes on to say that although she herself never attended college, she was taught the value of education and individuality. Using her own experience as a black woman in the business and music industries, she makes sure she pays her success forward. Beyonce talks at length about how many can have opportunities taken away from them because of their skin color or gender and how she’d made it her mission to make sure those underrepresented voices are at the head of her company.
Despite all the positivity that radiated from Beyonce’s speech, watchers still found a way to make lighthearted memes. A clip of one fan stringing her words together to create a savage takedown garnered one million views and has become an iconic Stan Twitter meme.
Black is King
Beyonce is not only an acclaimed artist and businesswoman, but now she can add director to her resume this year. Black is King premiered exclusively on Disney + in July of this year. The visual companion piece to Beyonce’s 2019 album, The Lion King: The Gift, tells the story of an exiled African king who must reclaim his throne. Beyonce plays an ancestor guiding the royal on his journey. Shot across three continents, the film is a visual feast with its impressive choreography, beautiful locations, and instantly memorable music. In particular, the song Brown Skinned Girl made waves across the world. In her recap video, Beyonce shares clips of parents singing the song with their children and ends it with her own child, Blue Ivy, whispering a line into the mic. This small moment led to Blue Ivy becoming the youngest person to ever be nominated for a Grammy. We can tell that Blue is already on track to be as talented as her mother and father. Overall, Black is King earned nine well deserved Grammy nominations making Beyonce the most lauded singer of the year.
That about wraps up Beyonce’s 2020, and the most important lesson we can take from her tribute video is that even in the worst of times, we can always find a way to help others.
