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Sunday, December 19, 2021

Comments About African Influences In Beyoncé's 2013 Song & YouTube video "Grown Woman"


Beyoncé, Nov. 24, 2014
-snip-
Statistics as of Dec. 19, 2021 at1:37  PM
total # of views- 131,809,737
total # of  likes - 766K
total # of dislikes - YouTube isn't showing results for that feature. 
total # of comments - 20,245

****
Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post showcases a YouTube video of Beyoncé's 2012 Song "Grown Woman".

This post also includes partial lyrics for this song and information about its composers. Selected comments from this video's discussion thread about the song's and video's African influences are also included in this pancocojams post.

The content of this post is presented for historical, socio-cultural, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Beyoncé for her musical and cultural influences. Thanks to all those who are associated with this song and this official video. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post.

****
PARTIAL LYRICS - GROWN WOMAN
(as sung by Beyoncé)

[...]

[Chorus: Beyoncé]
I'm a grown woman
I can do whatever I want
I'm a grown woman
I can do whatever I want
I can be bad if I want
I can say what I want
I can live fast if I want
I can go slow all night long
I'm a grown woman
I can do whatever I want

[Verse 3: Beyoncé]
I'm a grown woman, and I know that I got it
I'm a grown woman, ain't got no room in my pockets
I'm a grown woman, look down, got you so excited
I really want to know if you got it like that

'Cause I got a cute face and my booty so fat

Go girl, she got that bomb, that bomb
That girl, can get whatever she wants
That girl, she got that tight, that tight
Them boys, will do whatever she likes

[...]

Click https://genius.com/Beyonce-grown-woman-lyrics for this song's complete lyrics.
That page also includes this information: 

Written By Madame Buttons, Garland “Sebastian” Mosley, Darryl Pearson, Timbaland, The-Dream, J-Roc, Chris Godbey & Beyoncé

Additional Vocals: Ismael Kouyate

Release Date: December 13, 2013

****
SELECTED COMMENTS FROM THIS VIDEO'S DISCUSSION THREAD

These comments are presented in relative chronological order, except for replies. I didn't read this entire discussion thread as of the date of this post's publication, but I did read A LOT of comments. These are only a sample of the comments that I read that referred to this song's/video's African influence.

Numbers are added for referencing purposes only.

2014

1. Loic Reviews
"
This song is amazing, so glad she finally decided to upload this video on YouTube, I loved that I had this in the albums has a "bonus" :)

By the way, Timbaland nailed the African rythmic/voices give such an incredible soul to the music !"

****
2. BROTHA Jeff
"
I love it when it starts breaking into the african drums and the breakdown!!"

**
3. Virgo lux
"
I know right"

****
2015

****
2016

4. CHEETAH69 King
"
Folks please don't sleep on the choreography starting at 2:31. It's life."

**
Reply 
5. Ladii Mysteek D
"
CHEETAH69 .. Yes, AGREED. She took it back. Culture Roots"

**
6. BeautybyAndreaJ
"
Yas slay my beautiful African sistas @4:24 This video never gets old"

**
7. Akani Baloyi
"
This song reminds me of South African music❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️😍😍😍😍😍"

**
Reply
8. Erin Threlkeld
"
AB Time the choreography towards the latter half too"

**
Reply
9. Nigerian-American lives matter, 2017
"
not even close...this is a west African sound"

****
2017 

10. M. Johanie
"
African vibes 👍🎶💃"

**
11. charmaine j
"
no one talking about how cool the African choreography is 😌oh well"

**
Reply
12. Crystal Kinchen
"
and the African Music"

**
Reply
13. Curl Mavinelli
"
Better that all that vulgare twerking we see most of the time. It's prettier and i feel proud, because now each time I go abroad they ask if I can twerk because i'm black....So degrading, they think that's how black people dance and that it's too sexual not every black people come from America, it's not really something you see elsewhere and people put all black people in the same bag..."

**
Reply
14. charmaine j, 2019
"
 @Curl Mavinelli  but twerking is African as well....its a fertility dance..."

**
Reply
15. Created To Teach, 2019
"
It was AWESOME😍😍😍😍😍"

**
Reply
16. SJ xoxo, 2019
"
I am from Africa so I take praise to that comment

🎖️🎖️🎖️🎖️🎖️🎖️🎖️🎖️🎖️"

**
Reply
17. H, 2019
"
charmaine jangano where is it from?"

**
Reply
18. erika d, 2019
"
@H  africaaaaa"

**
Reply
19. Shook -, 2019
"@er
ika diggs but where in Africa?"

**
Reply
20. Katiri, 2019
"
She copied that from all those African videos.  Nothing special her doing it"

**
Reply
21. orielvy, 2019
"
@Katiri  it's cool tho"

**
Reply
22. Michelle Obi, 2019
"
It the African influences in this song that make it standout. Jay Z was one of the producers for the broadway show Fela! I think this introduced Beyonce to Afrobeat hence using it in her music."

**
Reply
23. KIMMe PROMISE, 2019
"
YES!!!! THEY ARE GETTING IT!!! MY FAV PART OF THIS VIDEO."

**
Reply
24. Buffy Summers, 2019
"
I've seen a few comments. But you know how most people aren't Woke."

**
Reply
25. Stephanie Mathis, 2019
"
Best part of the video"

**
Reply
26. Mel Pires, 2019
"
Melhor parte do vídeo!"

**
Reply
27. friesiaman s, 2019
"
@Buffy Summers  it´s a long way to go there - but the african touch in this thing here is gorgeous - i was lucky to buy an african record on a flea market back in the mid 70s - at first it sounded completely alien to me, but my curiosity made me play it over and over again until i became familiar with that music - some years after that a guy gave me a record with south african zulu jive, loved it almost instantly - again some years later paul simon came with grace land with south african zulu jive and ladysmith black mambazo, almost at the same time king sunny adé was to be seen live in german television - this was my way into african music - since then i saw countless african bands and musicians live, every single one of them was simply gorgeous, haha - love them!!!

are you "woke" enuff to listen to this first african record i bought? i found it here on youtube - this was the craziest music on it...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZI-kZTX_hkM

in the meantime i got plenty other records like that, but this first one is still one of my faves, this is the whole album...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAVGikZoEac

oh, baby, i confess: i´m not the biggest fan of beyoncé, but i got to love her for this song here... :-)

love and greetings from germany"

**
Reply
28. Sha Sha, 2020
"
charmaine jangano  the African Choreography is awesome. It’s the best part. Love it, loved it."

**
Reply
29. Dana Bowman, 2020
"
On point!!!!!"

**
Reply
30. Deejunez nicholson, 2020
"
charmaine jangano it was poppin and that’s my friend Dnay dancing next to Bey on the left"

**
Reply
31. Jethro Odi, 2020
"
That's an old footage of young Beyonce and they just did a little sfx on her mouth to look like she's singing the actual song."

**
Reply
32. charmaine j, 2020
"
@L_ Mak  I'm African🙄what do i need to work on??...yall really be trying to make African Americans  feel bad...

**
Reply
33. Dushan Williams., 2020
"
@L_ Mak   idc what nobody say, there is a huge difference i can see between authentic African movements verse a forced choreographed one that comes off as overly sexualized hence beyawnce.

**
Reply
34. BLACK BARBZ, 2020
"
@Katiri  it is special, it shows us what she represents."

**
Reply
35. EaSy LiVinG, 2021
"
@Curl Mavinelli  twerking is in African and Caribbean cultures Americans made it sexual people twerk at church it a dance style."

**
Reply
36. Curl Mavinelli, 2021
"
@EaSy LiVinG  I am carribean. black american, african and carribean maybe they share some things but don't do things and think the same way :) There was things that was done in the past and that they don't do for the same reasons anymore."

**
Reply
37. Curl Mavinelli, 2021
"
@EaSy LiVinG  and I can assure you that you won't see a french carribean person twerk at church, people will stare at you really badly. Ant there is twerking and twerking lol some twerking are just nasty and vulgar the kind I don't want my mother see me doing and twerking."

**
Reply
38. maymuna aden, 2021
"
Its from west africa. Ghana i believe😁"

**
39. LifeWithOumou
"
the language is mandinka it’s from west Africa, that’s my native language."

**
Reply
40. Danielle Scott
"
+Oumou Samake Luv this beat. Luv the music for this culture."

**
41. Kaimilo Zen
"
That African chant is EVERYTHING!"

**
Reply
42. Books And A Beat
"
ty90xx it's SALIF KEITA (an african singer) and he's singing in tribal language from west africa just in case you'd want to know☺"

**
Reply
43. Fatou S
"
it's a malian singer and the language is bambara IARE FMB"

****
2018

44. Jess with Da Kids !
"B
eyoncé been living in WAKANDA😂😂"
-snip-
The American movie Black Panther was first released on Feb. 16, 2018. That's why there are so many comments that mention Wakanda, the fictitious nation which Black Panther ruled. 

**
Reply
45. BLordSay
"
JESSICA PRESLEY lmfaooooo"

**
Reply 
46. Queen Scorpio
"
JESSICA PRESLEY I said the same"

**
Reply
47. JustUs
"
My thoughts 😂😂 she be looking like a real warrior 😂"

**
Reply
48. malisa johnson
"
love it  😍😎😘😄😁😉😙😏"

**
Reply
49. Mario Pie
"
BRO I LITERALLY WROTE SOMETHING ABOUT IT BEING BLACK PANTHER INFLUENCED"

**
Reply
50. deyyona
"
Facts"

**
51. kian bae
"
Bey was living in Wakanda all this time 😂😂"

**
Reply
52. Tonya Lewis, 2019
"
Forreal"

**
Reply
53. Ms. Makerspace, 2019
"
kian bae honey, she invented wakanda."

**
Reply
54. Raven Lich12, 2019
"@M
s. Makerspace  Don't insult Stan Lee now."

**
Reply
55. Ms. Makerspace, 2019
"
Jaken Lich12 heavens no, I stan Stan."

**
Reply
56. Juan Carlos Denz, 2019
"
LOL"

**
Reply
57. Yas Balenciagas, 2019
"
WAKANDA FOREVER"

**
Reply
58. Star Child, 2019
"
 @Raven Lich12  I met Stan Lee. He would be touched."

**
Reply
59. Star Child, 2019
"
@Raven Lich12  Also, African culture is more than 3,000 years old. Stan Lee used it as an inspiration back in the 60's. He would also be happy that ppl are still talking about him even after his death. He was a very nice down to earth man when I met him. He had a Grand Dad vibe. 😊"

**
Reply
60. Star Child, 2019
"
@Dilly Dori Ummm, no Africans invented Wakanda. 🙂"

**
Reply
61. Tre, 2019
"
you people need to realize that using wakanda as a substitute for africa isn’t okay."

**
Reply
62. Star Child, 2019
"
@angel essiet Yes, everyone knows that. It is used as a metaphor. 🤦🏾‍♀️"

**
63. Kapri
"
Beyoncé was already given wakanda vibes"

**
Reply
64. Arie M
"
Kapri ITS AFRICAN VIBES NOT WAKANDA"

**
Reply
65. Rosey Valentine
"
Arie M which has a lot to do with African 😂😂"

**
Reply
66. Arie M
"
Rosey Valentine girl wakanda ain’t a real place"

**
Reply
67. Rosey Valentine
"
Arie M yea nah duh 😕😕😂"

**
Reply
68. Rosey Valentine
"
Arie M if people wanna say wakanda okay let em they know what it means"

**
Reply
69. Bealae E
"
Wakanda is not a real place. Please be respectful of other people’s culture. Stop comparing everything African to wakanda when it isn’t even real."

**
Reply
70. Iain Moore
"
Wakanda givin Beyoncé vibes"

**
Reply
71. Bubbly. Legz
"
Arie M we know that"

**
Reply
72. KamRyn Holt
"
@Blessing Ashanti  I don't understand what's so bad about that comment. "Wakandan" culture is a mix of preexisting African cultures. It may not be a real place but honestly why does that matter, it would be different if Wakanda was created without any real thought and was just a bunch of random prints and rules...

...Im just saying this as my personal opinion...

****
2019

73. Asmine Baby
"
Something about this song that makes me miss my African culture ❤️❤️😂"

**
Reply
74. Only One MITCH!
"
Me tooooooooooo😭"

**
75. Temaphanga Mkhonta
"
Am i the only one who feels like shouting

"WAKANDA FOREVER" "

**
Reply
76. Sims Olivia
"
Temaphanga Mkhonta lol"

**
Reply
77. Only One MITCH!
"
NO! I felt the same way lol"

**
Reply
78. Monique Robinson
"
Temaphanga Mkhonta you funny"

**
Reply
79. newbie CHU
"
What's that got to do with this video? Wakanda is a fictional country anyway."

**
Reply
80. Monique Robinson
"
Seneir Bello wakanda was used to express a feeling of greatness and that.....no one can stop you!.....be blessed"

**
81. Clorox Bleach
"I'll always adore how she does her research on African aesthetic and uses it properly while not being disrespectful"

**
Reply
82. Katiri
"
Clorox Bleach she steals their ideas and make it’s her own. Check Twitter. They called her out for it. Exact copy of everything"

**
Reply
83. Adeline J Karena-Fryer
"
You realise Beyonces African"

**
Reply
84. mayden burke
"
You can be African and still be disrespectful to the culutres"

**
Reply
85. Sydney Brooks
"
 @mayden burke  very true"

**
Reply
86. Ashley Dragons
"
Adeline J Karena-Fryer she’s from Texas"

**
Reply
87. Prissycat Doll
"
T E A She needs research because she did not grow up with that culture around her."

**
Reply
88. Kay Kay
"@A
shley Dragons African Americans came from Africa and were brought to America genius"

**
Reply
89. The Weeknd Includes Thursdays
"
I need to make some things clear here:

1. You cannot “steal” from a culture that is yours. It doesn’t really matter where she was born, she’s African American and so her heritage is that of African ancestry. So long as she doesn’t botch the representation or deride the culture in any way, there is really no cause for concern.

2. Secondly, if Beyonce is paying homage to the African culture by using Afro-beats or African choreography, then distinctive African markers will be present. Duh. If I’m making a music video about ice cream, well of course ice cream will get a feature. Is Dairy Queen gonna say I copied?"

**
Reply
90. bk
"
Anais K she stealing when she’s afric- ok"

**
Reply
91. Baby bells
"
@Ashley Dragons  oh ma Lord

You don't HAVE to be from Africa to be black

It's about heritage not where you're from

I'm Caribbean but STILL black"

**
Reply
92. Baby bells
"
@Prissycat Doll  it could be taught to her.."

**
Reply
93. Baby bells
"
@janay  EXACTLY"

**
Reply
94. Lena Morrow
"
 @Ashley Dragons  her ancestors came from Africa, all black people did. Just because we are in America or other parts of the world now, does not mean we didn't originate from Africa."

**
Reply
95. Lilitje, 2020
"
@Adeline J Karena-Fryer   black American and African is different same race but in a way black Americans are white washed since some of them don't like be called African and don't like some cultures but sure like our music"

**
Reply
96. Chonde Chola, 2020
"
Am african and what am saying is that she is black and her heritage is African so she can mix up with Africans beats or tones whenever.."

**
Reply
97. Bright Eyes, 2020
"
Well she is African first! Its not our fault Our ancestors was kidnapped and enslaved. We had to adapt to what we know....Idk why Africans think Us African Americans are different. Blame history. Blame the people who enslaved my ancestors. I wanna come to my home so bad. We are spiritual. I know for a fact I'm spiritually connected to Africa. Can't wait to go home one day."

**
Reply
98. F G, 2020
"Br
ight Eyes Africans don’t deny African Americans from learning your history. Our problem is that y’all don’t do enough research, there are over hundred different kinds of cultures and hundreds different kinds of languages, foods, dress styles, rituals, customs ect. It’s about learning and understanding and respecting it. Just claiming to be either Nigerian or Ghanaian isn’t enough, wearing a dashiki isn’t enough, listening to afrobeats isn’t enough. If you’re going to claim it you don’t only claim the modern version of Africa but also the traditional version. If you would like to learn more I’ll be happy to teach you some traditional cultures"

**
Reply
99. WitDaJuice, 2020
"
burke  not that simple for Black Americans,  being that the majority of us have no clue which African culture we come from. It's all open to us."

**
Reply
100. WitDaJuice, 2020
"
@Lilitje  I have never met an Black American who had a problem being called African. Stop lying"

**
Reply
101. Callie Estra, 2020
"
Jianna Jackson All African countries are different, they don’t all have the same culture or ways of life. Also being straight African and being African American are two completely different things. I’m black too but I’ll never try an African culture and say it’s part of my culture because it technically isn’t as I was born and raised in America"

**
Reply
102. Aly, 2020
"
@Katiri  you're slow. This is her honoring African culture. Everybody (black people) do it because it makes us feel closer to our roots. It's apart of our history too."

**
Reply
103. iluvmybae, 2020
"
Adeline J Karena-Fryer she is creole"

**
Reply
104. Aly, 2020
"
@Lilitje  We're not Africans, we're African Americans. Why would we be called Africans if we don't live in Africa?"

**
Reply
105. Adolfo Lópezserrano R., 2020
"
Adeline J Karena-Fryer Africans don’t see her as African. She’s American."

**
Reply
106. Jabomel Whitted, 2021
"
@Zahrah  but every bpack person with african ancestry still hold on to some of the cultural practices.   My great grandmother literally used african words to discribe things and she was 3rd generation american due to slavery."

**
Reply
107. Oversized tshirt7767, 2021
"
@Florence White  not all black people are African. Beyoncé is black not African."

****
2020

108. Jammy Lynn
"
Love how Bey does dances linked to Africa. Black people, there is where we get it from even though we ended up all over the place, the dancing kind of stuck. In some parts of the diaspora, it is a bit more evident, but one love same way."

**
109. Princely Monju
"
Love the Senegalese Afro beat!"

**
wilka David
"
Try singing this song in front of your African parents... Sis you gon be homeless in a heartbeat"

**
Reply
wilka David
"
@KookieDough   that's the problem tho.. for African parents you can never be grown even you're married and out of the house"

**
Reply
Gaiita Songwe
"
@wilka David  FR😂"

**
Reply
Raine
"
Been there,done that,Regret that"

**
Reply
Mimi Nka, 2021
"C
hileeeee"

**
Reply
Avocado, 2021
"
Oh I did that but with my Mexican parents.....let’s just say it didn’t go so well..."

**
Reply
KathyCádiz ProfessionalTranslator, 2021
"O
r Latin American... or Chinese... or Indian... XD"

**
Reply
Lucia Lu, 2021
"
Lol Im Croatian but I can relate😂😂"

**
Reply
KlearChristal, 2021
"
Girl if this ain't the truth"

**
Adee
"
Back after BlackisKing. Reminding y'all she's been tapping into African dance and sound for a WHILE."

**
Reply
Luigi Cadorna
"
We wuz kangz n sheeit"

**
Reply
Adee
"
@Luigi Cadorna  I'm not entirely sure if you're trying to be snarky with this comment. Sounds like your run of the mill coded 4chan dogwhistle. But I've found a great channel through your profile, so thanks I guess"

**
Reply
••••• [Pancocojams' Note: This is this commenter's screen name.]
"
Luigi Cadorna Indeed we was. I’m not talking about Egypt and pharaohs but y’all acting like all black ppl did was wear masks and dance naked in the jungle. We had Kingdoms and you may wanna look up who was the richest man ever. He wuz a black kang..."

**
Reply
Mimi Tchana
"
 @••••••  period 😌 we had kings and queens before the colonizers came"

**
Reply
Sagittarius420 Cheefie
"
@••••••  Still the richest to this day.  If Mansa Musa  was alive today, can you imagine what his then empire would be worth today? Like he'd never run out of money. He may possibly own most of the world."

**
Reply
deeree314
"
@••••••   Mansa musa"

**
Reply
Hyasmine
"
Since Tofo Togo taught her. She has been on it."

**
Reply
Alejandra Faura
"p
eriod!! and even way before with Run The Word 🙌🏼👑"

**
Reply
Adee
"
@Alejandra Faura  Yes! Run the World with the Mozambique Tofo-tofo guys"

**
Reply
Nyla Bellinger, 2021
"
Shes obsessed with black woman she always talk about black woman in her songs and they struggle like you rich"

**
Reply
Bubbles, 2021
"
 @••••••  this is so tired, fellow black folks trying to live through the old royalty of Africa. Ok? So what there was black royalty? Are we forgetting they were very oppressive towards their people?"

**
Reply
David Jones, 2021
"
@Nyla Bellinger   she IS a 👧🏾 woman though she sge can raise awareness on it"

**
Reply
Nyla Bellinger, 2021
"
@David Jones  so but shes not black shes biracial"

**
Reply
David Jones, 2021
"@Nyla Bellinger  based on who? Lol her dad is 🙋🏾‍♂️ and her mom is 👧🏽 and I checked her grandparents were as well. So nope she isnt. Just because someone is light doesn't make them bi racial lol come to Africa and see natural lights"

**
Reply
Nyla Bellinger, 2021
"
 @David Jones  girl her mother is biracial her grandparents is creole native american Irish Google it"

**
Reply
David Jones, 2021
"
@Nyla Bellinger  native American isnt a race same with Irish. And its still doesn't change the fact that she is mostly 👧🏽. I dont understand what's the problem with her being proud of her ancestory. Why do you complain too much?"

**
Reply
David Jones, 2021
"
@Nyla Bellinger  there is no race called biacial you can have percentages of different dna but you are one of the other two so stfu karen"

**
Reply
David Jones, 2021
"
@Nyla Bellinger  going around commenting the same thing like you have lost it lol her mom is mainly 👧🏽 and her dad is FULLY making beyonce 3.5 /4"

**
Reply
notawomandangerouswoman , 2021
"
Facts"

****
2021

KabaM Fatu
"
Ohhh My God, I just listened to this in full and realized it had Mandingo/Mandinka mixed in the background, from the Mande speaking group, My ethnic group.  I almost thought Beyonce's song finished and traditional music automatically played because I listen to many traditional songs, not knowing it is from Beyonce herself. I am literally dancing to it right now. My respect to you Queen."

**
murerwa nadia
"
Wow!!!this song is so amazing,I'm proud to be Africa ,much love from Rwanda"

**
BreNda K
"
Thanks  for confidence you give many girls. We love u Beyonce. Love from Uganda."

****
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