Dot Biz

I'm amazed that Beyoncé Knowles still has so many god damn detractors. Recently some friends mentioned they disliked the nasal quality of her voice, which is a welcome criticism considering how scurrilous and weird most media/blog attacks on the pop star are. It's a matter of taste. I happen to like nasal sounds when they are used with style and subtlety, as with Bey, as a portion of a crafted noise. Bey will make a siren call through her nose, and then, in an instant, turn a corner and snarl or rap or belt.

Anyway, as mentioned, most criticism launched at this accomplished diva is foolish. There are the obvious attacks on her body and clothes, mostly launched by mean gays. Then there's the (also obvious) attacks on her drive, ambition, and success as, you know, a womyn. A site that I check weekly or biweekly, Bossip, calls her a bitch and a robot and a fake on the regular. Por ejemplo, they thought they were really onto something when they got news that Bey's giving over of the spotlight to Taylor Swift (O.M.G. have you heard that number?!) at the VMAs was arranged, planned. Um, yeah. It was. Because the VMAs are a live televised show, and they have a "plan" for everything that happens, because otherwise, it wouldn't happen. Taylor came from backstage. It was obvious. She had been in Times Square performing mid-ceremony. I'm sure that MTV and Bey and her people and Taylor and her people had a conversation. Maybe, in the course of that conversation MTV informed Bey that she would be winning Video of the Year. Maybe, she already knew. Kanye had hurled them into an unexpected P.R. kerfuffle. Each of their brands had been brought into his media-circus-wooing, and they each needed to come out on top (Kanye be damned). Why are people so confounded by art+commerce--particularly, pop music+commerce?! Beyoncé Knowles is a businesswoman, and a very good one. Beyoncé Knowles is a performer, and a very good one. What the fuck is "realness" anyway? I got the impression that Bey "meant" the gesture, however it was orchestrated. But, whatever. Why are we so concerned with the character of our artists and performers, with what "sorts" of people they are? I'm not saying I'm immune to it (clearly), but I wish I would be.

Update: Bossip just posted this. And then this caca. It's OVAHHHH between us!!!!