The Hive Explains Why ‘Lemonade’ Deserves That AOTY Grammy

Mike Wass | February 9, 2017 12:22 am
Beyonce's 'Lemonade': Album Review
Beyonce's 'Lemonade': Album Review
We dissect Bey's powerful 6th LP 'Lemonade.' Read our track-by-track review.

Beyonce is nominated in nine categories at Sunday night’s (February 12) Grammy Awards, but there’s only one that matters. Album Of The Year. Queen Bey turned the music world upside down (again) with Lemonade — changing the pop culture landscape forever with its powerful subject matter, fiery bops and stunning visual component. It’s time to reward to reward the 35-year-old for being the greatest artist of her generation and right the wrong of 2015 when Beck’s already-forgotten Morning Phase snatched the award from Self-Titled.

But don’t take my word for it. I reached out to The Hive and asked some of The Queen’s biggest fans to explain why she deserves to win Album Of The Year in their own words. And, as renowned receipt-keepers and truth-tellers, they were only too happy to oblige! Read through 10 cogent arguments, which outline — in great depth — why Beyonce should win music’s biggest prize over Adele, Drake, Justin Bieber and Sturgill Simpson, below.

KingBeyonceStan:

“Lemonade is the album of the year. Despite what anyone else may say, no album released in last year’s eligibility period has had nearly the influence on the zeitgeist. Honestly, few albums do in a generation. Lemonade is a masterwork, blending raw visceral emotions with a myriad of different sounds and images. Beyonce weaves a tale of black female humanity navigating through heartbreak and betrayal, anger and passion, and love and redemption. A tale set against a tableau of visually stunning black iconography, with a soundtrack as diverse as the history of music in America.

Lemonade is a reclamation of rock, and country, the furthering of the merge between electronic and R&B, and a continuation of her love affair with hip-hop and reggae music. This kind of visual/auditory tour de force has absolutely no equal in any of the other records nominated for AOTY. Not a single one. That is not meant to diminish how great most of the other nominees are, it is simply an admission of fact. It is February and Lemonade is the album of the year. Adele and Drake put out their least inspired albums of their respective careers, Justin Bieber put out a great album for him, and as for the other nominee… I don’t know her.”

Heysheridan:

“Listen, the Grammy’s need to give Beyonce her things. We let the Self-Titled snub go… we allowed them to get themselves together. This year? The hive isn’t having it — especially since there are now twin heirs the Queen has decided to bless the underserving world with, hitting an 8 count in her uterus. We will not be so gracious this year if our Creole beauty continues being denied what is rightfully hers. Lemonqde is a masterpiece of stories about learning to love again, life challenges, hurt, forgiveness, and the growth of a woman- all sweetened with black girl magic. The album was very much needed and welcomed in a time where womanhood and blackness are being challenged. So, what really is the debate? Beyonce once again gave us what we needed, and I personally am expecting nothing less than a ‘thank you’ in the form of AOTY.”

KuntyeWest:

“Beyonce is the greatest artist of our generation. (We been knew). It almost feels unreal that the Aryan princess Taylor Swift has won the prestigious album of the year award twice, while Bey has been snubbed in front of the world. Lemonade is the most critically-acclaimed album by a female this decade, ‘Formation’ is actually the most awarded song and video of all time. The sales, acclaim, and success, it’s like the album was created for that award. This woman has devoted her life to this industry, she’s the founding member of one of the biggest girl-groups of our time, created the first internet dance craze, got Obama elected in the White House twice, gave us the best super bowl halftime show, and released the best album this decade. Beyonce deserves, Lemonade deserves!”

iamkiyonce:

“Besides the fact that Beyonce put her blood, sweat, and tears into producing this breathtaking visual album — she deserves to win AOTY because she told a story that everyone could relate to in such an elegant and catastrophic way. Beyonce went no place she’s ever gone before to produce an album that was relatable and timeless. It was perfectly crafted and each song displayed her range of vocal talent and ability to tell a story through song.”

IAM_DJ_Michael:

“If for anything, Beyonce deserves AOTY for the absolutely breathtaking quality in the body of work that is Lemonade. The amount of effort that went into every scene and every Easter egg is incredibly mind blowing. Lemonade, while unabashedly geared towards the empowerment of black women, also has a message for everyone whether it is the power of forgiveness, the power of love, the power of anger, or even the power in finding and loving yourself for yourself. In my eyes, having a body of work that is both visually and acoustically multidimensional is worthy and deserving of AOTY.”

BlueBaddieBey:

“Through her art, I think of Beyonce’s impact on the black women and/or girls around me. I can’t put in words the joy many of us felt when we first saw ‘Formation,’ or when she used her platform to proclaim ‘I like my negro nose with Jackson Five nostrils!’ We all gathered at the SB celebrating with her. She’s black and proud and we were in Formation filled with the same pride.

A few days later, we watched Lemonade together. Her vision, the Bey’s team incredible input and Warsan Shire’s poetry helped us navigate through ‘Intuition,’ ‘Denial,’ ‘Anger,’ ‘Apathy,’ ‘Emptiness,’ ‘Accountability,’ ‘Reformation,’ ‘Forgiveness,’ ‘Resurrection,’ ‘Hope,’ and ‘Redemption’ beautifully. Lemonade’s narrative felt familiar and inspired many of us. For some, it even felt like a healing experience.

Now, I don’t need her to win an AOTY Grammy to validate the cultural impact of Lemonade. I’d just like to see her recognized by her peers for being the best artist of her generation. A legend, who put out the best album of 2016. Sincerely, a Beyonce fan who’s still pissed ‘Daddy Lessons’ was denied entry into the Best Country Song category.”

IamDayneScott:

“Beyonce deserves the Grammy for AOTY because Lemonade manages to tell a cohesive story through at least five different distinctive genres.”

bree_thecreator:

“Beyonce winning AOTY is a no brainer. Lemonade wasn’t just an album, but rather an experience. Coupling visuals with the songs, completed the full message of both trials and redemption/recovery. Lemonade’s impact; from tv shows, companies and news anchors quoting phrases from the project, proved that anyone could find a way to connect whether humorous or emotional. Not to mention the entire Lemonade era created a discussion. One that forced people to self reflect when it came to societal problems and race. For many, it was the voice and message they needed to continue believing there is hope in their situation.

Beyonce yet again, set the trend going against the grain challenging the traditional album release, by dropping it on a Saturday evening. Of course, exclusively on Tidal could have been disastrous for those who don’t have album buying fans, but for Beyonce she still managed another number 1 album. Ultimately, the project was a sense of hope. Which furthermore proves Beyonce constant growth. Although the other nominee’s projects were decent, 5 to 10 years from now, Lemonade will be the only one people remember for its relevance.”

CRZYSXYCL_:

“As for the chances of Beyonce winning Album of the Year for Lemonade this year, I think it is very possible. The Grammys love Beyonce and she hasn’t won this category before. Also, they cannot allow Adele, Justin Bieber, Drake or whoever the fuck Sturgill Simpson is to win. Lemonade made the most impact in that category and probably the only one that deserves to be there. Sure Adele is another Grammy favorite but the album isn’t as impactful as her previous releases. Bieber’s new album is good, but don’t deserve that high of a recognition. I’m a Drake stan but that album was weak. If Sturgill Simpson wins, it would be like that Beck WTF win moment, so no thank you.”

Bowtobee:

“What a year to be Beyonce? Fresh off of a SOLD OUT stadium tour, a highly publicized Half-Time show, and arguably one of the most important albums of her career, Beyonce proved to the world again why she is the reigning Queen of music. While other artists chased music trends, Hot 100 hits, streaming success, etc, Beyonce made a statement with her 2016 LP, Lemonade. Lemonade became her sixth consecutive #1 album (making Billboard History), every song charted on the Billboard Hot 100, and it received a 92 score on Metacritc.

But it wasn’t the commercial or critical success of Lemonade that made it polarizing, it was the accompanying visual that captured the world by storm. The 60 minute HBO special was both groundbreaking and heart wrenching, showing Beyonce at her most vulnerable, passionate, and flat out angry. In a world where black women are too often imitated but rarely credited, the 20 time Grammy Winner made it her duty to feature a strong cast of black women. Beyonce with her latest release revived the feminist movement in pop culture, and now (in a time more needed than ever) the biggest star in the world has brought the Black Lives Matter movement to the center of Pop culture.

Lemonade has a strong chance of winning AOTY at the 2017 Grammys. Not just because it was the best selling world wide album released last year, or because it was the most critically acclaimed album either, but because she took the biggest RISK. Adele sold the most records but 25 is nowhere near as captivating as her last release. Take away the commercial success and 25 is just a collection of records that Adele easily could’ve recorded for 21 but they didn’t make the cut. Drake was the streaming king last year but Views was both uninspired and arguably his worst release to date. Drake has dominated radio and streaming platforms and should walk away with a few trophies, but the prestigious AOTY shouldn’t go to a man battling with an internal cultural identity crisis just because he makes ‘bops.’

The other candidates had great years but nowhere near compared to the three mentioned earlier. All in all, if the Grammys don’t award Lemonade then they better be prepared for the sour public reaction. Beyonce has already lost AOTY to Taylor and then a second time to Beck (which she was SURELY robbed), if it happens again the Hive will be at the Grammy headquarters Monday Morning.”

Beyonce's Gorgeous Maternity Shoot
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