Queen Bey
Beyoncé branches out in gritty new song that highlights H-Town rappers and warns female haters
Beyoncé Knowles seems to have revived her Sasha Fierce alter ego for a new track, "Bow Down / I Been On," which was unceremoniously posted to her Tumblr on Sunday night.
Produced by Hit-Boy, the gritty song is an egotistical anthem, an overt warning to her female haters and an undeniable departure from her previous work, which has historically fit pretty comfortably into the category of dance-pop.
Though it doesn't start out completely jarring, a little over a minute in, the song morphs into a chopped and screwed ode to her present success and her childhood in H-Town.
Beyond her use of the technique — pioneered by Houston's DJ Screw in the '90s — Bey recalls eating boudin in the parking lot (an entirely relatable activity), then shouts out to beloved local rappers Willie D of the Geto Boys and Pimp C of UGK.
Critics argue that Queen Bey's blatant girl-hating (manifested in gratuitous use of the "b" word) doesn't fit her typical brand of female empowerment — think "Run the World (Girls)" and "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" — but we've got to give it to her for upsetting expectations and gender roles.
Listen to the new track below, and let us know what you think.