Solange is both stoked and soaked.
For, showers of praise have greeted her upon the release of her third studio album ‘A Seat At The Table.’
Unleashed this week, the project presently sits at #1 on US iTunes. It has also been hailed as “art” and a timely mirror to the current political and racial climate in the US.
The latter themes have seen some draw lines of comparison between the album and ‘Lemonade’ by her sister Beyonce.
Speaking in a new interview, Solo addressed this is in a tasteful and depthy way.
Her words await below…
Via Fader:
Do you see A Seat at the Table and your sister’s album, LEMONADE, as companion records in any specific way?
“We have the same mother and the same father. We grew up in the same household, and so we had and heard the same conversations. One of the joys in your mom being an Instagram star is that people are, I think, starting to understand the environment that we grew up in. Through her voice and organizing, and her really being an advocate for black equality — and obviously through the intro of “Don’t Touch My Hair” — people are a little clearer in terms of the upbringing that we had and us having these very politically-charged, socially-charged conversations on a daily basis. It shouldn’t be surprising that two people who grew up in the same household with the same parents who are very, very aware — just like everyone else is — of all of the inequalities and the pain and suffering of our people right now, would create art that reflects that.
I’m really proud of my sister and I’m really proud of her record and her work and I’ve always been. As far as I’m concerned, she’s always been an activist from the beginning of her career and she’s always been very, very black. My sister has always been a voice for black people and black empowerment. And I give so much of that credit to my parents. My dad had a really, really, really hell of a tough time growing up. He integrated both his junior high school and his elementary school, and he also decided in the midst of that — outside of them spitting on him and hosing him down and tasering him and all of the horrific things that he went through — that he was still going to stand for equality. He participated in sit-ins, he marched, he was hosed down. He was a part of the Civil Rights movement. And I don’t think that there’s any way for your parents to go through of all that, and you not have a certain level of sensitivity and consciousness to what’s happening around you and wanting to use your voice to reflect that.”
And you have it.
Once again Beyoncé is included in a post about someone else’s success ? I’m over this site
No, solange was asked a question about it and she answered. If u don’t like this blog then stop commenting in here..
That’s my point why is everyone that is affiliated with Beyoncé have to answer questions or have interviews that always lead back to her? And then blogs like this use Beyoncé’s name to attract more viewers to there site.
It’s her sister for god’s sake, it’s not like it’s completely left-wing to ask a celebrity about their famous sibling. And the theme of black empowerment was very prevalent on this album (if not moreso than lemonade). I actually made the same comparison myself, and i’m not surprised everyone else did. They both made amazing projects.
Obviously they do…..her name is used as a click bait.
She is luring about so much in this interview. A couple examples are:
1. It is impossible Matthew Knowles was a leader in the civil rights movement. He was born in 1952. The civil rights movement was from 1954 to 1964. He would have been a very young child when the civil rights movement took place so that is a lie.
2. Her dad did not integrate anything. School integration was accomplished by the Brown vs Boardnof Education Supreme Court ruling in 1954 which outlays segregation in schools. Matthew Knowles would have been 2 years old at the time.
3. Beyonce is not pro-black at all. It is all an act. The team that was behind her doing that idea and that she hired are all white. 98 percent of he employees at Parkwood entertainment are white.
Ok did you read at all? She SAID that her father had a tough time GROWING UP. He integrated MIDDLE AND ELEMENTARY schools that he attended. And what makes you think his young age stops him from involving himself in the civil rights movements? I’m tired of yall just saying anything before you READ DAMN IT. Beyoncé had been making hood jams some destiny’s child. How is she not pro black? I’m not a hive Stan but you’re obviously hating.
Civil Rights did not end in 1964 my dear. Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy was assassinated in 1968. Therefore, it was possible for her father at 16 or 17 yrs of age to be involved in the movement. Matter of fact, civil rights issues continues to our day.
He def didn’t do much during Civil Rights, but he may have integrated his local school not because of the laws but maybe they just kept Black’s out longer due to zoning etc (they were in TX so that wouldn’t be surprising). But yeah she mentioned tasers which weren’t around back then.
1. Brown V BOE was the case that struck down segregation in schools but it took years for some states to actually desegregate.
2. The Civil rights movement lasted much longer than 1964(read up on it dear)
3. How are you going to correct a person about what they experienced with their siblings, you don’t know if she was Pro-black or Not, just because her music didn’t reflect that doesn’t mean she didn’t walk or believe in that
I really love this album. Especially FUBU. Hats off to both for there pro black albums
Not a fan of the whole album but I did buy FUBU and Mad off iTunes. The Master P interludes were great as well.
… but ‘Don’t Touch My Hair’ tho!
…’Weary’, ‘Don’t Touch My Hair’, ‘Cranes in the Sky’, ‘Don’t Touch My Hair’, ‘Where Do We Go’, ‘Don’t Touch My Hair’, ‘Don’t Wish Me Well’ and ‘Don’t Touch My Hair’ really slays too!
This is me af!
@MusicHead is just like his ugly ass bitter flop fav, always talking s***, and hating.
If she sells more than Usher Imma gag!..lol
Solange was always a true artist Beyonce on the other hand was a generic r&b diva for 90% of her career, nd that’s just facts.
And ur’e one of those people that has probably not listened to solange’s album, but because u are anti-beyonce, u a riding on solo’s asshole..
The truth got you upset huh?
Generic. Says “Gaga uh lala, p-p-pokerface, I live for the applause, applause, applause, it wasn’t lovex100” Stan.
Gaga is a artistic pop artist she’s always been an artist first. Beyonce is a product you get it?
Please GaGa is not an artist… she is juste a karaoke singer singing and changing words to past successes. How is that called ? Uhmm yeah. GaGa is a CopyCat.
Born This way – Express yourself
Edge of glory – one of cher’s songs
Illusion – papa don’t preach.
Should i continue ?
I don’t know any of those ancient songs. Anywho how is HasbeenTina doing?
Gaga stans are a kii! Have no right to come for Beyoncé. Beyoncé will always be more relevant than gargoyle. Face it, googaloo HAS to go the extra mile for attention and even then the gp was over it. Lol her being normal now is clearly getting her nowhere.
“My label choose the single for me” Yes. SHE IS NOT A PRODUCT. She’s just a PUPPET/S****.
“generic r&b diva”?
‘Me, Myself and I’, ‘Dangerously in Love’, ‘Crazy in Love’, ‘Resentment’, ‘Scared of Lonely’, ‘Best Thing I Never Had’, ‘Love on Top’, ‘Jealous’ and ‘All Night’ says hi!
Don’t get Beyoné’s keen biz sense confused with being generic. I understand with you mean about Solange always seeming more artistically driven whereas with Beyonce you can see that calculation is her music. However, the reason why Beyoncé is the best is because she truly does and has always understood how to pimp the game while still being herself. She may have started off a lot more politically correct but her music was always true to her. It was just safer. Safe doesn’t autumatically equal to unauthentic. Her signature and stylistic approaches have been consistent themes that are clear from Dangerouly In Love to Lemonade. Matter of fact, I absentmindly played her first album recently and was blown away at how mature and sonically solid it was. The woman has ALWAYS put out quality music. Note, Beyonce is a true oldest child, American black woman and a VIRGO. Her music is VERY congruent to and reflective of her personality type. I invite you to define all the attributes I’ve listed and you’ll learn how real to herself she is. Respect that her and her sister are both talented but very different people. Their parents should be so proud that their hearts explode!!!!
Ahh….! They musically killed the year of 2016
I love everything about your comment. YAS.
Damn lie! Beyonce’s entire success narrative is rooted in the media’s bias towards fairer skinned black women. I love my queen but let’s not act as though her hair and makeup was designed to make her seem racially ambiguous. Or, that she played a big part in light skin vs dark skin social issues so many darker girls continue to feel the burn from today. I have been a fan since 1997 so have seen it all from the start. She only got the start she did because she was fairer. Luckily she is insanely talented and hard working so doesn’t need that privilege anymore but please, let’s not pretend as if it was never there.
@ Bey
So true! Their was even a viral video created around the time formation dropped where white ppl is asking Beyonce isn’t white?
I agree with this half way. I don’t think it started out that way but it may have evolved into that. I’ll get into that in a minute but First, your comment has a maajjoorrrr and very important flaw. The media is not solely responsible for the bias for fairer skinned women. The public, that including black people, are just as guilty, if not more. Let’s not pretend like Beyoncé doesn’t have light skinned privilege, yes, just as all light skinned women do. And that goes for every other popular black female artist in the industry right now. They all have that privilege. But let’s also not pretend like privilege doesn’t permeate through society because the big, bad media is doing all the work. The black people who can point fingers at the media without haste are often the same ones who stick their noses up at BET, dish out every critique for black businesses they can think of, and pay dark skinned black artists dust.
—————————————————————
I have to say, In the 90s, black people, of all shades, were RUNNIN THANGS, R&B was thriving, boyz to men and Toni Braxton could easily hit number 1, Luther Vandross could sell out 3 nights at MSG. It was a little different back then. In her start, Beyoncé’s hair and makeup actually made her look darker, but regardless of her color, I’d argue that Beyoncé by far, had more star quality than her group mates. I’d also argue that privelege is enhanced through exercise. Usually, people with privilege work less hard and will get the same results as someone without that privilege. It would be insulting for Beyoncé to rely on her looks to sell. But she happens to be one of the most consistent and focused pop stars I’ve seen. Though… I don’t particularly see what this had to do with Solange’s comments in the first place…
I agree! She’s successful because she recognised her privilege and worked harder than the rest to make sure she wasn’t completely dependent on it. My point was that, unlike other black singers, she was given the opportunities and money TO make the most of. She was given these resources because they knew they’d benefit from colorism. I guess she is the perfect example of what any of us would privileges should do. Use the system to your advantage and then help the disadvantaged once the system needs you more than you need it.
Hmmm Omg you said it all well said tell them haters
Your logic is faulty because before and while Bey blew up darker skin musical artist were winning! Brandy, Monica, groups with dark skin leading signers…. SWV, 702, 3LW, B2K etc. I vividly remembering black people giving Beyonce a tough time because she was light skin and we assumed she was treated different by her dad and white america because of that.lol the world of R&B lovers treated her like
She wasn’t good enough until her hard work spoke for her.
Let it go. Lol
A lot of the immature Hive Won’t agree with me but put it this way, if she was always pro Black why did she only start to receive backlash for it almost twenty years into her career. Mathew moulded her to meet the expectations of a system which turned its back on black women and no amoUnt of spin can change that fact. I do respect her for using the platform her privilege afforded her to support black lives matter because she is really is making a difference.
20 years ago was pre Trayvon Martin, pre Michael Brown and the Black Lives Matter movement. There wasn’t this surge of black empowerment nor national awareness of police brutality like there is today because of those aforementioned events. I think her music has always been about black female empowerment and feminism (re: Bills Bills Bills; Buggaboo; Bootylicious; Flawless) so these topics aren’t new to her music. Also people are allowed to change and grow and wake up to these issues and express their views of these issues through their art and platform. Beyonces been in the industry for almost 20 years, and clearly A Lot has happened in those 20 years, so why is it a problem that she is using her art and platform to show support and create more awareness for these movements NOW?
Beyoncé being “pro-black” doesn’t have much to do with her newfound want to be vocal about it. Actually, it doesn’t have anything to do with it. “Pro-blackness” doesn’t mean, standing on a stage with a bull horn chanting “black lives matter” or creating public displays of “blackness”. That’s only an extension of it. Being pro-black means to assert black power. In other words, to be in affirmation of black liberation, black bodies, black culture, and black advancement. This can be done by being an example, by breaking barriers, by taking the classic Pickett sign route, contributing to the advancement of black community whether it be by mentoring black youth, employing black people, donations, or the ever-underrated, giving your time. Who’s to say Beyoncé hasn’t always been pro-black? It has nothing to do with her recent more public acts.
Well said!
But how can you be pro-black if you benefit from things that are anti-black? It isn’t enough to just exist. You have to make your stances known and do things to make a change. Nothing about anything you mentioned was altruistic because she made money from all of those things. Merely wearing a blonde wig when she is a natural brown was enough to reinforce European beauty standards and that’s what you need to understand. What message does it send to people if the biggest black female artist of our generation looks nothing like a black woman. Not because of nature and genetics but because she wears a blonde wig and makeup two shades lighter than her real skin tone.
Love the Knowles sisters! Solange and Bey really made albums that I KNOW they are going to look back many years from now and be proud of! So let me have a seat at the table and drink my lemonade lol
Solange is definitely the more articulate sister. I appreciate Lemonade and its message but I honestly don’t think Bey has always been vocal about “black issues.” She was a pop star who did what she was told by her father kinda like Joseph to Michael Jackson. In a way firing Mathew helped Bey find her self as an artist and person. Y’all ever notice how much her speech has improved in the Lemonade movie? “I plugged my menses with pages of the holy book and still coiled deep inside me was the need to know — are you cheating on me?” That’s evolution right there. #NoShade #JustKeepingit100
But once she left her father and took full control of everything her music since has been very artistic she’s grown so much as an artist 4, BEYONCÉ & LEMONADE are all artist and very different so don’t try to discredit her.
I’m not discrediting her, I’m talking about Bey evolving as an artist and a person and used her speech as an example. You even said the same thing so we’re on the same page. I love Beyonce.
Those lyric she didn’t write… i thought y’all fans knew this?
She’s involved with her music & she does write . She writes with others which is why her sound continues to improve. Beyonce has written a hand full of #1 records unlike 90% of artist out today
Nah, her English improving is called growing up and realizing that she can be her regular ole country self at home. and with age she finally understood the value in reaching a wider audience by speaking their language. Remember, how you speak has less to do with how intelligent you are. Bey has always been smart just country and (in the words of her sister) black!/lol Society wants us to think perfecting the white man’s language makes us smarter. Nah, it just makes you more relatable to them and really good at conforming.
I think solange will do well… every celebrity I know was tweeting about her album.
Solang Well said and well done your album is every thing I can’t stope listening to it good job
It takes a sad individual to use this article to bash Beyoncé.
The interviewer asked a question pertaining to Beyoncé and the similarity of the albums, so TGJ didn’t make it about her.
Beyoncé can’t talk about black issues because she’s light? Some of you are beyond limited when it comes to logic.
Pop is the most generic music there is so if you Stan for a pop artist maybe critiquing other artist who actually mix and cross multiple genres and receive acclaim for doing so, isn’t the best argument to start especially if you Stan for lady gaga.
You obviously know little about our fave if you aren’t aware of how her being lighter skinned influences the way she is seen. Please learn to read mature opinions without seeing them as a “drag.” You might learn something by taking off your stan hat to see the bigger picture.
I’m just glad Solo is finally being appreciated this album is amazing her and her sister released the best albums this year . Of. Course the albums will be compared because they have to same message
another album to overshadow 460
I’m glad the album is getting so much love and support but I really hope it shows in sales as well. Support the artist and the art. Please support real music.
Perfect Delusion 100k first week
Formation 176k
Hope you like that, Rima!
Artpop 700k
Lemonade 1.4 mil (6 Months at 17.99)
Yes. Gaga is artisitic, but too bad people don’t care.
Solange is the real deal. Beyonce’s BLM campaign started off with an album about being cheated on and then a visual about black people being wronged by the police, the media picked up on one aspect of it and then she created everything around it with the help of her fans without actually saying anting herself.
Solange i see and hear you and always have. Your platform may make it seem like sometime you’re whispering but your words, ideas speak volumes. I hope that this album gets grammy nominated.
Both ‘Lemonade’ and ‘A Seat at the Table’ are both extraordinary efforts! The visuals from Beyonce’s latest album are truly a compelling piece of art, I honestly felt that this component of music entertainment was missing in this industry for a while now! The story lined in ‘Lemonade’ weaved into the music and poetry masterfully! The entire film was engaging from beginning to end!
As for Solo, I’m beyond impressed! Her new music is sonically the most prominent message of her career! She’s always been bold and fearless! I’m so proud of the fact that she’s created an album that reflect everything that she is! She’s drawn up her very own ‘Miseducation’ or ‘Baduizm’! I’m hoping she comes in with a bang, at the top of the charts where she belongs! Their success is so well deserved! The Knowles sisters are special and 2016 is a year to remember because of them!
You better PREACH!!!
king B fetching Rima ? ? ? ? ?
I really Seat At The Table it’s definitely the direction R&B should have went. It has an old school feel with a modern twist. Definitely a repeater and worth the 10.99!
Zzzzzzzz
She is lieing about so much in this interview. A couple examples are:
1. It is impossible Matthew Knowles was a leader in the civil rights movement. He was born in 1952. The civil rights movement was from 1954 to 1964. He would have been a very young child when the civil rights movement took place so that is a lie.
2. Her dad did not integrate anything. School integration was accomplished by the Brown vs Board Of Education Supreme Court ruling in 1954 which outlaws segregation in schools. Matthew Knowles would have been 2 years old at the time.
3. Beyonce is not pro-black at all. It is all an act. The team that was behind her doing that idea and that she hired are all white. 98 percent of he employees at Parkwood entertainment are white.
Reply
Just because you’re pro black doesn’t mean that you can’t hire white people. Is she not a feminist because she supported Obama over Hillary? Was she not pro black when she provided money to NO during Katrina? Being pro black is her being proud of where she comes from and not forgetting. Right now during this race crisis bring pro black is her and jay z helping get people in Baltimore out of jail! You f**** are so simple! She doesn’t have to go out here with an Afro and s*** just to prove she pro black! She’s a beautiful black woman and seems to be very kind. I appreciate her efforts and for bring recent police brutality to light in stadiums around the world. She doesn’t have to but she doesn’t and for that I am proud to stan for her!
Better Seat on a table this beautiful sunday and eat some nasty fast food like kfc illusion you better finish the food with a good drink of lemonade lol
“A Seat At The Table” has tremendous replay value, and its easy to listen to, I absolutely love it!
This really did not have to have Beyonce name attached to it. Solange loves bey and effortlessly avoided the the comparisons while honoring the comparisons at the same time. I really agree about the click bait part someone said above. It would have been great if she would have responded by saying something shady to the haters. I would have rolled over if she had said everyone is welcome to have a seat at the table and sip some lemonade.
I’m sorry I really can’t get into this album, glad everyone is enjoying it. I always hated the solange was overlooked when it came to her and her sisters, then I would listen to her music and get uninterested. Crazy thing is I love every song she does with Beyonce but I can’t take her music but want her to shine as bright as she can, no shade all facts.
I knew people would compare the 2 albums…..& in my opinion Solange album is 10 times better than SourAde! Solange makes mature laid back easy on the ear music! She ain’t gotta pull stunts to sell albums! Kudos cute album!
Solange f album is pretty good and that’s wonderful beyonce support her sister solange even tho she’s not the only sister Beyonce Carter have