Power: Beyonce, Rihanna, Jay Z, & Kanye West Score Special EBONY Covers

Published: Monday 5th May 2014 by Sam
covers 4 up.indd

Power. That exactly what EBONY magazine is celebrating a-front of their June 2014 issue.

A four-cover series, the latest edition of the popular publication features Beyonce, Jay Z, Kanye West and Rihanna – as a salute to their unprecedented impact on Black music.

Critically acclaimed writer Kevin Powell lends EBONY his pen and probes the connection between the ruling musical icons and how they compare with legends of the past.

“It was an honor to write the four cover stories for EBONY magazine’s Black Music Month special collector’s edition, and to also pen the additional four mini-features inside. Rarely do you see today’s unstoppable stars like Beyoncé, Rihanna, Kanye West and Jay Z packaged with legends like Tina Turner, Donna Summer or Tupac Shakur, but we did it because when it comes to Black music, it is important to note the deep connection between the musicians of yesterday and today.”

Set to hit newsstands tomorrow (May 6th), Rihanna is the first of the quad to comment on the cover. Her words below…

Your thoughts?

 

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  1. k May 5, 2014

    Gratz to them all,they are on point with them headers so true.

  2. Benji May 5, 2014

    Thats cool

  3. Rihyeezy May 5, 2014

    SLAY RIHANNA AND YEEZY.
    who are the other two? Lmao

    • Benji May 5, 2014

      The ones Ri and yeezy have admitted to look up to, thats who!

    • Molly May 5, 2014

      Stfu tryna to start shiit for no reason its tired .

      • Rihyeezy May 5, 2014

        B**** you try and drag Beyoncé every
        Chance you get. Lmao sit down f*****

      • Molly May 5, 2014

        Bye I’ll clock a biitch when i need to but ill give her credit and not be messy when its not called for, Both Rih and Bey are winning so what’s the point on shading her? Guess its hard for a hater like you to give a compliment.

      • Rihyeezy May 5, 2014

        Too bad CIARAS not winning tho lmao kiii

      • Molly May 5, 2014

        She’s winning in life shes happy in her relationship and has a baby on the way. She’s not sitting on the internet miserable like yourself.

      • Rihyeezy May 5, 2014

        Dead at winning in life lmaooo
        B**** bye.
        You a walking contradiction
        You wanna shade Bey and Rih when
        The C squad is Around but by yourself
        You wanna keep the peace. I hate a
        B**** that can’t stand on her own two feet!

      • Molly May 5, 2014

        Could careless about how you feel about me.

      • Rihyeezy May 5, 2014

        F*** off my reply box you weak b****.
        You’ve been slayed for the day.

      • Molly May 5, 2014

        Lol right..

    • Tyler May 5, 2014

      Rihanna’s s**** masters…oops I mean the Carters

    • Valerie May 5, 2014

      Two people who are SUPERIOR to those in your name

  4. Kendall May 5, 2014

    Well its nothing new for the Carters.

  5. Molly May 5, 2014

    Congrats Happy for all four, They’ve all come a long way.

  6. Stephy: Tha Elusive Chanteuse May 5, 2014

    MY BLACK IS BEAUTIFUL!!!

    BLACK POWER !!!

    ALL WE MISSING IS MISS JANET JACKSON !!! WERE ARE YOU JANET!!!???

    • Stephy: Tha Elusive Chanteuse May 5, 2014

      *Where*

  7. Pour It Up May 5, 2014

    #ROC family run this!

  8. Stephy: Tha Elusive Chanteuse May 5, 2014

    To Be Honest!

    I’m ready for a BIG PRODUCTION Janet Jackson Tour!

    I miss the Queen Of Dance/Whispers

    • Stephy: Tha Elusive Chanteuse May 5, 2014

      Really?? A thumbs down! Janet Jackson needs to slay the wold at-least in touring ONE MORE TIME!

      • There once was a pimp and his h**… May 5, 2014

        I think some people here just don’t like you because your comment wasn’t even shady.

    • Stephy: Tha Elusive Chanteuse May 5, 2014

      Whisper is NOT shade. Janet has soft/whisper type of vocals. Damn!

  9. Hey boo’s May 5, 2014

    Meh too bad they are nothing but sellouts media pro-agenda blunder Next….

  10. There once was a pimp and his h**… May 5, 2014

    The symbolism…… is too much for me to handle.

    *Exists post*

  11. Mark111 May 5, 2014

    Damn! Icons!

  12. Hush May 5, 2014

    I only recognize Bey and Jay. Them other two lessors look like workers I saw in the drive thru window at BK.

    • Rihyeezy May 5, 2014

      I already did that stop trying to be me

  13. Molly May 5, 2014

    I think that photo is so powerful those are our black icons and legends of today praise someone for their accomplishments instead of tryin to throw pointless shade.

  14. Mark111 May 5, 2014

    Tho I disagree with Kanye The Poet. That’s Nas imo or Pac.

    • Congrats to Black Music Icons May 5, 2014

      At what point do you embrace the NEW? I’m all for this cover. CONGRATS!

      • Mark111 May 5, 2014

        It’s not a new or old thing. It’s Kanye isn’t known for his words, more of his visuals, beats and productions. It’s the title, not the man. The should’ve used The Visionary.

  15. Tasha May 5, 2014

    Slay a bit! Im glad finally a black magazine is promoting their UNITY as power instead of putting them up against eachother. Its much more impressive that way and important for black popular culture to see it that way.

  16. H2O May 5, 2014

    Rih + Bey <3<3

  17. NICKI IS QUEEN OTHER B****** TAKE A SEAT May 5, 2014

    Wow I like them all!

  18. RoyalKev May 5, 2014

    Awesome cover! They all deserve the tribute! 🙂

  19. Mimi May 5, 2014

    So no one at Ebony wanted to use a picture of Beyonce from the Mrs. Carter Tour or something from 2013/2014?!?! That pic is from the I Am… World Tour

  20. metzo May 5, 2014

    Yeah I’m talking Bey, yeah I’m talking me, yeah I’m talking Rih, yeah I’m talking Ye’. Ain’t nobody fresher than my mofucking clique..

  21. BEYHIVE_MINAJ May 5, 2014

    #ROYALTY

  22. Rihboy May 5, 2014

    Love all 3! But been a rebel since day 1 🙂

  23. I Stan For Myself May 5, 2014

    Awesome. Black power at its finest especially Beyonce and Jay Z

  24. Impact May 5, 2014

    “Black music???” Riri makes s*** like “Where Have You Been” and “Only Girl In the World” that Britney or Katy could’ve made. How is THAT “black music.” She makes corny white girl music.

    • Stephy: Tha Elusive Chanteuse May 5, 2014

      True

    • LaTuna May 5, 2014

      She’s still black dumb ass. Her music is pop with reggae, hip hop and R&B undertones. This is nothing new.

      • the best dancer May 5, 2014

        but there are artists that are “more black” than her in terms of music.

        RIhanna doesnt make black music.

        Do you ever wonder why Rihanna does go to BET awards ( not since 2008) but always does MTV awards

        She knows she makes music for “those” people.

      • Monica Fan May 5, 2014

        Agreed

    • We have to do better… May 5, 2014

      I am one of the biggest supporters of music and I love soulful music just as I like other types of music. You point that rihanna doesn’t make “black music” just puts you one more foot in the box that we have put ourselves in for decades. We corner ourselves by trying to own something that has no loyalty to us. Example: two white artists took “our” music and sold it to the masses like no “black” person ever has. Adele (soul) and Eminem (rap) enjoyed those genres of music and sold it. Beyonce, usher, rihanna, michael, and a bunch of others found most of their success doing more of the poppier (made up that word) stuff and that is okay. Music is music and it won’t appeal to all of us. Whatever we gravitate towards that is for us. We all have struggles, pain, happiness, joy and however you express that is how you express it. We do not own or nor are we entitled to anything. S***, people of color are known to eat fried chicken, so should we always eat it all the time, naw we would be dead! Stop trying to box these artists in. Stop boxing yourself in.

  25. the best dancer May 5, 2014

    not sure why Rihanna is on the cover of an urban magazine…

    but kudos to the Roc Nation crew for supporting urban magazines.

    • Rihyeezy May 5, 2014

      Best URBAN CONTEMPORARY ALBUM
      Unapologetic

  26. BEYFLAWLESS May 5, 2014

    those tittle are perfect … proud black ppl are on top all 4 earn it

  27. Lovebird May 5, 2014

    Getting all sorts of life from that Wiggle wiggle Jason Derulo song.

    Rihanna and Kanye’s cover are the only ones that matter because they’ve actually made contributions to music and black art expression.

  28. Lovebird May 5, 2014

    “May 5, 2014 at 2:18 pm
    Impact says:
    Vote

    “Black music???” Riri makes s*** like “Where Have You Been” and “Only Girl In the World” that Britney or Katy could’ve made. How is THAT “black music.” She makes corny white girl music.”

    Rihanna also makes songs like Pon de replay, lovvvveee song, no love allowed, man down, roc me out, take a bow, we ride..etc (all black music).

    Rihanna’s music DIVERSITY is unmatched, no one can touch her discography.

    • Stephy: Tha Elusive Chanteuse May 5, 2014

      Ummm She PICKS great songs. She dont MAKE shitt…

      • Lovebird May 5, 2014

        Her writing credits all over Rated R, Talk That Talk and Unapologetic say otherwise.

        Go buy you’re mine.

      • Stephy: Tha Elusive Chanteuse May 6, 2014

        She is NOT a soul writer of NOTHING! She just gets credit for songs already presented to her. Bye. Go purchase Floplijah forgettable music…

    • tee May 6, 2014

      @ luvbitch do u av sense?

  29. Blue May 5, 2014

    congrats to all four! If you really think about it this 4’s power aint just limited to them being successful black artist they literally are the 4 biggest names in the current market.

  30. Blue May 5, 2014

    everytime rihanna achieves something new, breaks record or sets a new record and you think about how the likly hood of a person like her doing…its mind blowing. Like how that black chick from barbados is the first black person to perform at the American Country Music Award…and now again only non-american in that cover…the journey alone

    • Valerie May 5, 2014

      Chile please Rihanna is an American recording artist. She is signed to an AMERICAN label.

  31. Blue May 5, 2014

    Love the titles to, could have used something fresher from kanye and bey feel like i have seen those pics a million times before but they fit the titles and thy look great…so…

  32. Monica Fan May 5, 2014

    Rihanna? Lol. She could never make an album R&B dominated album like 4 or Dangerously in Love that isn’t appealed to the white audience like Beyoncé. There’s always something there for the white pop in her music she’s transparent that’s why she does better in Europe. That’s why she always snubs the BET awards. She is hardly rebellious, safe more like! Im here for Bey, Jay and Kanye though.

    • Navy Commander May 5, 2014

      Rihanna touches down on several genres on most of her albums
      Hip hop
      RnB
      Pop
      Dance
      Reggae

      She doesn’t want to be put in a box or confined to one genre

      • Monica Fan May 5, 2014

        That’s not point, my point is, she always pushes the white pop side to the forefront or ensures she caters to a white audience on each album.

      • Lovebird May 5, 2014

        How is man down white pop or white audience?? Rihanna fuses a lot of her music, which is why she has certain producers she works with ALL THE TIME (e.g STARGATE); because they get her sound.

        She wouldn’t make an RnB dominated album because that is not her culture, she has made an island/reggae/ragga dominated album and that sold well.

        She just took it a step further and started fusing a lot of it.

        You tried to hate, but you failed.

      • Monica Fan May 5, 2014

        What ‘reggae’ dominated album is this you speak of?

      • Monica Fan May 5, 2014

        And you still missed my point.

      • Navy Commander May 5, 2014

        Mots and aglm were mainly reggae if not all reggae.

      • Monica Fan May 5, 2014

        That watered down s*** is not reggae. Bye. Its reggae influenced.

      • Lovebird May 5, 2014

        “That watered down s*** is not reggae. Bye. Its reggae influenced.”

        Hahahaha, you’ve just proven you have not listened to the two albums (Music of the sun, A girl like me).

      • Monica Fan May 5, 2014

        I have darling. There only 3 or 4 songs on music of the sun which are reggae INSPIRED. The majority of the record is contemporary R&B ballads, just like a AGLM.

      • Monica Fan May 5, 2014

        I actually own AGLM. I’m sorry but how is that album even close to reggae? NONE of Rihanna’s albums are classed as reggae.

    • tee May 6, 2014

      No lies detected tho

  33. Navy Commander May 5, 2014

    YASS slay queens and kings

  34. Monica Fan May 5, 2014

    I want to know whats rebellious about hopping underground up and coming trends in music like trap, dub step etc and then allowing your fans to think you started the trend? Rebellious is more like what Beyoncé did with this surprise album.

    • My Gums Tho(aka Teacher) May 5, 2014

      And b**** I wanna know y you’re so pressed u keep commenting over and over!? And I wanna know y Monica is irrelevant and a flop ghetto hoodrat!?!

      • tee May 6, 2014

        Fool pressed is ur username+avatar

  35. MISHKA May 5, 2014

    What’s up with the old pics though

  36. fatusankoh May 5, 2014

    You go queen bey and king jay I can’t wait to buy my copies

  37. musiclover May 5, 2014

    imagine a roc nation tour with all four of them…….

    • lesotho finnest May 5, 2014

      that would be so dope and epic,but i am sure the tickets price would be out of this world in terms of price,look at how much jay and bey are charging for on the run tour.

  38. tee May 5, 2014

    Congratz to dem all esp bey n jay

  39. RICHIE_RICH May 5, 2014

    Werk hunties , the gurls are setting.
    Giving the kids FACE lol

  40. Blue Ivy Carter-Rodriguez May 5, 2014

    Why is it ‘DIVA’ when it should be ‘GRANDMA’ and Hippos pet needs to stop screwing his face like that

    • tee May 6, 2014

      Dunce b**ch get a life

  41. Lovebird May 5, 2014

    OMG Cher Lloyd’s Bind your love is giving me all sorts of life.

    • ME. I AM SLAYRIAH May 5, 2014

      Don’t care. Btw, who is that chick in your avi looking like Chewbacca’s long lost sister?

  42. Career Ender May 5, 2014

    this s*** better learn to adress Beyoncé as ” Queen Bey”

    only Jay , Ye and legends are allowed to call her B

    the Beygency must teach het a lesson, lessor h**

    • ME. I AM SLAYRIAH May 5, 2014

      Gurl bye! Rih can address Floponce however she pleases. If anyone needs to learn a lesson it’s your dusty looking ass.

      • tee May 6, 2014

        Stfu all 4>pigriah

  43. FAT May 5, 2014

    Beyonce’s should of said The Queen instead of The Diva. Both scream power and untouchable status though.

    • ME. I AM SLAYRIAH May 5, 2014

      She ain’t no diva nor is she a queen.

      • tee May 6, 2014

        Yet is more relevant than mooriah

    • suga&spice May 5, 2014

      Don’t forget how pissed off Aretha Franklin got when Beyonce called Tina Turner the queen. LOL

  44. ME. I AM SLAYRIAH May 5, 2014

    Rih and Kanye are the only relevant ones there.

  45. Jessica May 5, 2014

    The Diva and Mogul! These prestigious titles they must be used to.

  46. Skyfall May 5, 2014

    I love all 4 covers. And a Roc Nation tour would be everything. Rita Ora as the opening act

    • My Gums Tho(aka Teacher) May 5, 2014

      Lol Rita would be lowkey pissed!!!!!! I would liive!

  47. My Gums Tho(aka Teacher) May 5, 2014

    RIHANNA>>>>>>the rest

    Glad to see them being praised together instead of being “dragged” down

  48. Valerie May 5, 2014

    Beyoncé and Jay Z>>>>> The other two lessers.

  49. Lovebird May 5, 2014

    LLLAAAWWWDDDD HHHAAVVVEEEE MEERRCCCYYYY Rihanna’s look at the MET GALA is slaying lives; LORD HAVE MERCY that girl can rock any look.

    Beyonce looks ridiculous #noshade

    • Lovebird May 5, 2014

      *MET BALL

  50. Lovebird May 5, 2014

    Yasss Mzz Naomi Campbell served too, come through bittch

  51. CherylSoldier May 5, 2014

    But not ms Ariana grande slaying all of them
    With those problem sales!!! 400k I live

  52. Rih Rox May 6, 2014

    Looks like this two old bags bought this and had two drag Rih into it…no wonder she is leaving that mess. They are so overrated and exposed.

    • tee May 6, 2014

      Like how old r u? Or r u just mentally challenged all ur comments on tgj Neva Make sense

  53. tee May 6, 2014

    Like how old r u? Or r u just mentally challenged all ur comments on tgj Neva Make sense

  54. tee May 6, 2014

    R****** <<<<<<<<<<<<< d rest u know it n d world knows it

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