Born and raised in Houston, Texas, Beyoncé began performing in local competitions at age 7, eventually forming the group Girl's Tyme in 1990 with help from her parents. Girl's Tyme became Destiny's Child in 1997.
During the hiatus of Destiny's Child in 2003, Beyoncé released her debut solo album, Dangerously in Love, which became one of the most successful albums of that year, and signaled her viability as a solo artist. The disbanding of Destiny's Child in 2005 facilitated her continued success: her sophomore solo album B'Day, released in 2006, debuted at number one on the Billboard charts. Her third solo album, I Am… Sasha Fierce, was released in November 2008, and in 2009 she received 10 Grammy Awards nominations. On January 31, 2010, she won 6 Grammy Awards, breaking the record for most Grammy awards won by a female artist in one night; she previously held the record of five awards with 5 other artists. Following a career hiatus, Beyoncé released her fourth studio album entitled "4" on June 24, 2011, which debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200.
2013 - 5th Album - "Beyoncé"
On December 12, 2013, Beyoncé unexpectedly released her fifth and self-titled album in the iTunes Store. Beyoncé called it a "visual album" as it includes 14 songs and 18 videos - with each track having a music video together with additional bonus videos. The album has a list of collaborators including Drake, Frank Ocean and her husband, Jay-Z, and daughter, Blue Ivy.
2015
In February 2015 at the 57th Grammy Awards, Beyoncé won 3 Grammys (and was nominated for 6 Grammy awards) - Best R&B Song for "Drunk in Love", Best R&B Performance and Best Surround Sound Album for Beyoncé.
On April 4th, 2015, Beyoncé surprised her fans with the release of a new single and accompanying video, released exclusively on the streaming service "Tidal" which she co-owns with a number of other big name starts including Arcade Fire, Daft Punk, Jack White, Kanye West, Madonna, Rihanna and Usher. The track, "Die With You" is a stripped down ballad, with Beyoncé sitting at a piano with pigtail braids: the song celebrates the seventh anniversary of her marriage to Jay-Z.
Super Bowl - February 2016
Beyoncé appeared on stage to perform her latest single "Formation", supporting the headline act Coldplay at the much coverted Super Bowl 50 half-time show on February 7, 2016. Also appearing on stage was Bruno Mars and Mark Ronson who performed their hit "Uptown Funk".
2016 - 6th Album - "Lemonade"
"Lemonade" is Beyoncé's a sixth solo album and was released on April 23, 2016 as an exclusive on the music streaming service, Tidal after it premiered on the TV Network, HBO, as a conceptual short film. It was subsequently made available for purchase on Apple's iTunes Store on April 24, 2016. The album has 12 tracks, with contributions from artists such as James Blake and Kendrick Lamar. According to a press release from Tidal which accompanied the release, "Lemonade" is “based on every woman’s journey of self-knowledge and healing”.
2017 - Grammy Awards
At the 59th Grammy Awards on Sun, February 12, 2017, Beyoncé took awards for "Best Urban Contemporary Album" for "Lemonade" and "Best Music Video" for "Formation"
2022 - 7th Album - "RENAISSANCE" (ACT i)
After a 6 year hiatus from music, Beyoncé announced the lead single "BREAK MY SOUL" on June 20, 2022, for her seventh studio album “RENAISSANCE" which is the first installment of a three-part project. "RENAISSANCE" was released on July 29, 2022, and was recorded during the COVID-19 pandemic, seeking to inspire joy in listeners. The album debuted at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. It became the best-rated album of 2022, named the best album of the year by publications such as the Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, NPR, Pitchfork, and Rolling Stone, which would later place the record at number 71 on their 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list. It then was nominated for Album of The Year at the 65 Annual Grammy Award Show and won Best Dance/Electronic Album.
2024 - 8th Album - "COWBOY CARTER" (ACT ii)
2 years after her seventh studio album, "RENAISSANCE", Beyoncé announced her eighth studio album "COWBOY CARTER" also known as “ACT ii” released on March 29, 2024. This serves as the second installment of the three-part project, and as long rumoured, its genre is country. The album was teased through a Verizon ad aired during the Super Bowl LVIII and was preceded with two surprise singles both released on February 10, 2024, "TEXAS HOLD 'EM" which hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and "16 CARRIAGES".
Miscellaneous
Beyoncé began her acting career in 2001, appearing in the musical film Carmen: A Hip Hopera. In 2006, she starred in the lead role in the film adaptation of the 1981 Broadway musical Dreamgirls, for which she earned two Golden Globe nominations.
On April 4, 2008, Beyoncé and Jay-Z were married in a small, private ceremony in New York. On January 7, 2012, Beyoncé gave birth to a daughter, Blue Ivy Carter, at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York. Beyoncé is sometimes referred to as Jay-Z's wifey and/or, Jay-Z's boo thang.
Beyoncé launched her family's fashion line, House of Deréon, in 2004, and has endorsed such brands as Pepsi, Tommy Hilfiger, Armani and L'Oréal.
In 2009, Forbes listed Beyoncé fourth on its list of the 100 Most Powerful and Influential Celebrities in the world, third on its list of the top-grossing musicians, and number one on the list of top Best-Paid Celebs Under 30 with over $87 million dollars in earnings between 2008 and 2009.
Beyoncé has attained five Hot 100 number one singles, becoming one of the two female artists—joint with Rihanna—with the most number ones attained within the 2000s, excluding her three Hot 100 number one singles with Destiny's Child.
Freedom
Beyoncé Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tell the storm I'm new
I'm a wall, come and march on the regular
Painting white flags blue
Lord forgive me, I've been running
Running blind in truth
I'ma rain, I'ma rain on this bitter love
I'm telling these tears, go and fall away, fall away
May the last one burn into flames
Freedom
Freedom
I can't move
Freedom, cut me loose
Singin', freedom
Freedom
Where are you?
'Cause I need freedom, too
I break chains all by myself
Won't let my freedom rot in hell
Hey! I'ma keep running
'Cause a winner don't quit on themselves
I'ma wade, I'ma wave through the waters
Tell the tide, "Don't move"
I'ma riot, I'ma riot through your borders
Call me bulletproof
Lord forgive me, I've been runnin'
Runnin' blind in truth
I'ma wade, I'ma wave through your shallow love
Tell the deep I'm new
I'm telling these tears, go and fall away, fall away
May the last one burn into flames
Freedom
Freedom
I can't move
Freedom, cut me loose
Singin', freedom
Freedom
Where are you?
'Cause I need freedom, too
I break chains all by myself
Won't let my freedom rot in hell
Hey! I'ma keep running
'Cause a winner don't quit on themselves
Ten Hail Marys, I meditate for practice
Channel nine news tell me I'm movin' backwards
Eight blocks left, death is around the corner
Seven misleadin' statements 'bout my persona
Six headlights wavin' in my direction
Five-o askin' me what's in my possession
Yeah I keep runnin', jump in the aqueducts
Fire hydrants and hazardous
Smoke alarms on the back of us
But mama don't cry for me, ride for me
Try for me, live for me
Breathe for me, sing for me
Honestly guidin' me
I could be more than I gotta be
Stole from me, lied to me, nation hypocrisy
Code on me, drive on me
Wicked, my spirit inspired me
Like yeah, open correctional gates in higher desert
Yeah, open our mind as we cast away oppression
Yeah, open the streets and watch our beliefs
And when they carve my name inside the concrete
I pray it forever reads
Freedom
Freedom
I can't move
Freedom, cut me loose
Singin', freedom! Freedom! Where are you?
'Cause I need freedom, too
I break chains all by myself
Won't let my freedom rot in hell
Hey! I'ma keep running
'Cause a winner don't quit on themselves
What you want from me?
Is it truth you seek?
Oh, Father, can you hear me?
What you want from me?
Is it truth you seek?
Oh, Father, can you hear me?
Hear me out
"I had my ups and downs
But I always find the inner strength to pull myself up
I was served lemons, but I made lemonade"
The song "Freedom" by Beyoncé feat. Kendrick Lamar is about the struggle for freedom and equality, particularly for black people. The song starts with Beyoncé trying to assert herself against the storm and the thunder, asserting her presence and strength. She's not going to be beaten, and she wants everyone to know it. She's done with a bitter love and is looking for something new. Beyoncé then talks about her tears, telling them to go away and burn in flames, moving on from the past to focus on achieving freedom. The chorus mentions freedom repeatedly, expressing Beyoncé's desire for it and the frustration she feels for not being able to achieve it.
In the second verse, Beyoncé wades and waves through the waters, telling the tide not to move, arming herself with the power of the riot and becoming bulletproof. She's done with shallow love and wants the deep, something more meaningful. Beyoncé's message in this song is clear: she wants freedom, and she won't let anyone hold her back. Kendrick Lamar's verse brings in a religious message, with the lyrics about Hail Marys and his mother's prayers for him. He mentions the oppression black people face and the need to open the streets and our beliefs to cast away that oppression. The song's final line mentions Beyoncé's strength and resilience, despite being handed lemons.
Line by Line Meaning
Tryna rain, tryna rain on the thunder
Trying to bring me down, but I won't let it affect my power and confidence
Tell the storm I'm new
I refuse to let negative situations control me and bring me down
I'm a wall, come and march on the regular
I am strong and capable, and I won't let anyone bring me down
Painting white flags blue
I am taking control of my surrender and turning it into a source of strength
Lord forgive me, I've been running
I admit my flaws and seek forgiveness for my mistakes
Running blind in truth
I have been trying to escape reality and face the truth
I'ma rain, I'ma rain on this bitter love
I will overcome the negativity in my love life
Tell the sweet I'm new
I am moving on from the bitterness and looking for new, positive experiences
I'm telling these tears, go and fall away, fall away
I am determined to move on from my past pain and find happiness
May the last one burn into flames
I want my past sorrow to be destroyed completely
I can't move
I feel trapped and need to break free
Freedom, cut me loose
I need freedom to escape the constraints and limitations holding me back
Singin', freedom
I am celebrating my desire for freedom and my hope for its attainment
Where are you?
I am questioning the whereabouts of freedom, and calling for its presence in my life
'Cause I need freedom, too
I am asserting that I need and deserve freedom like everyone else
I break chains all by myself
I am strong enough to overcome the obstacles in my life on my own
Won't let my freedom rot in hell
I will not allow my dreams of freedom to be crushed or destroyed
Hey! I'ma keep running
I will not give up in my pursuit of freedom and happiness
'Cause a winner don't quit on themselves
I am determined to be a winner and persevere through tough times
I'ma wade, I'ma wave through the waters
I am willing to endure difficult situations and keep moving forward
Tell the tide, "Don't move"
I am asserting control over the obstacles I face, and not letting them control me
I'ma riot, I'ma riot through your borders
I am willing to challenge the limitations and boundaries others try to impose on me
Call me bulletproof
I am impervious to the limitations and criticism of others
Ten Hail Marys, I meditate for practice
I turn to spirituality for guidance and growth
Channel nine news tell me I'm movin' backwards
The media and society may try to criticize or limit me, but I refuse to be held back
I break chains all by myself
I am independent and strong enough to overcome any obstacle
Won't let my freedom rot in hell
I refuse to let my dreams and desires fade away into misery or failure
Hey! I'ma keep running
I will not give up or back down in my pursuit of happiness and success
'Cause a winner don't quit on themselves
I am a winner, and I will not let anything defeat me
What you want from me?
I am questioning what others expect from me or why they criticize me
Is it truth you seek?
I am challenging others to be honest with themselves and with me
Oh, Father, can you hear me?
I am turning to a higher power for guidance and support
Hear me out
I am asking for others to listen to and understand my perspective
"I had my ups and downs
I have had struggles and challenges in my life
But I always find the inner strength to pull myself up
But I am resilient and always find a way to overcome adversity
I was served lemons, but I made lemonade"
I turned a negative situation into a positive one and found happiness despite my challenges
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Alan Lomax, Beyonce Gisselle Knowles, Carla Maria Williams, Dean Carlos Mcintosh, Frank Tirado, John A. Lomax, Jonathan Charles Coffer, Kendrick Duckworth, Robert Crenshaw
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
josiah
on CUFF IT
I feel like fallin' in love (fallin' love)
I'm in the mood to fuck somethin' up (tonight, I'm fuckin' somethin' up, baby)
I need some drink in my cup (I need a drink)
Hey (pour me a drink)
I'm in the mood to fuck somethin' up (I'm in the mood to fuck somethin' up)
I wanna go missin'
I need a prescription
I wanna go higher, can I sit on top of you? (Ooh-la-la-la, la-la-la)
I wanna go where nobody's been (wanna go where nobody's been)
Have you ever had fun like this? (Have you ever had fun? Yeah)
We gon' fuck up the night, black lights
Spaceships fly (spaceships fly)
Yeah, unapologetic when we fuck up the night
Fuck up the night
We gettin' fucked up tonight
We gon' fuck up the night
Bet you you'll see far
Bet you you'll see stars
Bet you you'll elevate
Bet you you'll meet God
'Cause I feel like fallin' in love
I'm in the mood to fuck somethin' up
'Cause we gon' fuck up the night
What's in these four walls?
You sexy, my love (turn it up)
Don't miss this roll-call
Is you here or what? (Roll it up)
Yeah, show up, show up (show up, show up)
Po' up, po' up (po' up, po' up)
Uh, you Mr. Nasty, I'll clean it up
Go where nobody's been (wanna go where nobody's been)
Have you ever had fun like this? (Have you ever had fun? Yeah)
I wanna go missin'
I need a prescription
I wanna go higher, can I sit on top of you?
We gon' fuck up the night (funk it up, funk it up)
Black lights
Spaceships fly (spaceships fly)
Yeah, unapologetic when we fuck up the night (funk it up, funk it up)
Fuck up tonight
We gettin' fucked up tonight
We gon' fuck up the night
Bet you you'll see far
Bet you you'll see stars
Bet you you'll elevate
Bet you you'll meet God
'Cause I feel like fallin' in love
I'm in the mood to fuck somethin' up
We gon' fuck up the night
Hypersonic, sex erotic
On my body, boy, you got it
Hit them 'draulics, while I ride it
Got me actin' hella thotty
So excited, so exotic
I'm a seasoned professional
Squeeze it, don't let it go
Tease it, no self control
I got time today (I got time today, I got time)
Oh, I (I got time today, I got time)
I can't wait 'to come out and play
Ooh, yeah you
Come and cuff it, cuff it, cuff it, cuff it, baby
While I buss it, buss it, buss it, for you baby, ayy
Oh, baby
Anywhere, any time
I don't mind, I don't mind
Yeah (I don't mind)
For you (all for you)
I'm backin' the truck up, huh (back that truck up)
For you (all for you, for you)
A bitch'll get fucked up, huh (I fucked her up)
For you (all for you)
I'm puttin' my cup up, huh (put my cup up, yeah)
For you (all for you, you)
'Cause we gon' fuck up the night
Take flight (woo), blindin' lights (yeah)
Fuck it up, fuck it up, fuck it up
(Unapologetic when we fuck up the night)
Bet you you'll see stars (night)
Bet you you'll go far (night)
Bet you you'll levitate (night)
Bet you you'll meet God (party people, roll up)
Ooh (yeah)
We gon' fuck up the night (huh, yeah)
Spaceships fly
Fuck it up, fuck it up