Cbreezy

It's times like this that I love that I stan Bey. It's just a different level, a different cloth, a different...quality. Rih has always been a tricky one for me. In the sense that I love strong brands, and her strong brand is what allowed her to weather the stan wars of the 00s/10s. The "bad gyal, DGAF" persona mixed with her ear for hits, together with her Island girl spice. It's the exact thing that sets a brand apart, and her and Bey co-existing reminded me of the 90s when you'd have different MPGs who each thrived for their individuality. What you got from one was different from what you got from the other. Yet, everyone was successful in their own way, and it made for a more popping, exciting scene overall. Competition is healthy for the market collectively. At the same time, I could never ever stan a Rih. Way too inconsistent live, genuinely seems to not give a f**k, and will serve you her best performance only to give you her worst right after. I say this all the time offline: she'd be way more compelling to me if she was as dedicated to being her "best Rihanna" as Bey clearly is to being her "best Beyonce". I don't need the same things from them, but surely it should be simple to maintain a base quality level and strive to incline from there? But not with Rih. What's jarring is that all of the above is so lost on the audience of now. They, too, DGAF and are moreso celebratory of vibes, hype, and popularity - something Rih has to the max. So, her eventual return will be hailed like the second coming, and because of her streaming potency, brace for album sales that will be her biggest yet and probably soar past Bey's most recent debuts. At the same time, I think it'll specifically be attached to her "comeback album" rather than be this everlasting thing. I really feel the GP are in for a RUDE (af) awakening when she has to start performing again. She'll be padded and excused by some, but it will be a convo about how mid she actually is (and lowkey always has been).

I like that some of us are ok having candid convos about this (in respectful, observational ways). Outside of music, PR training, and overall brand handling, I've learned so much about the randomest stuff by stanning Bey. One of which is the power of styling when it comes to optical illusions. She's for sure lost a lil weight recently, but as @ScorpiosGroove said, she's pretty much at CCT size (which respectfully was fuller than RWT and most other eras). When in performance mode though, even when fuller (like CCT), she and her team are GOAT'ed at making everything sit tight, right, and ready for the unforgiving glare of 40,000 cameras. Looking at last night, notice the high-waisted shorts, sequinned so they reflect light and accentuate the shape, the loose-ish tee, juxtaposed with the big hair. Not even trying to sound like an expert, cus fashion ain't even my thing, but she + her team have got it down to a science. It's super fascinating to see. Especially when she'll occasionally then be papped out and about not necessarily giving that. She's now in her Janet Jackson bag of on-season/off-season weight and somewhat yo-yo-ing. And as a human being who has given her all to her image and career, she more than deserves to do what she wants. I just like that when it's time to tap into work (to be "Beyonce" the character with all the expectation that comes with that), she gets the assignment and makes it work pretty much all the time. I'd also much rather that than the laundry list of names before her doing dangerous ish to keep up. In short, she is indeed a lil smaller and salute to the stylist lol.

Yes and no, me thinks. I don't believe Dream has been banished to the abyss in Carter Land. As he's made clear and as his continued presence around them shows: he is family. BUT...I don't feel it's far-fetched that his case could have changed things. Especially as the timeline of the BTS tea we got absolutely tallies. Not to say Bey was ready to drop Act III, but imagine sitting on a project 90% produced by someone whose SA scandal is being reported everywhere? It's plausible that she'd wait it out and rejig the album as a contingency. There is also a annoying-but-true double standard when it comes to male artists. Jay can get away with spotlighting Dream in ways that Bey cannot. All it'd take is one salty publication to attach her to it and blow it up. In the absence of any scandal with Bey, there is always this weird bloodlust to "get her" in ways that even her peers would never get (Rih, Taylor, etc). Her perfectionism and pristine image seem to irk people so bad lol.

She'll be back inevitably. Rih's been extremely blessed to have her business empire boom, her cultural cool, and catalog, but there's an upper limit. As others have said, her businesses are quietly having a (slightly) rocky run of late (which is part of business). In being super popular as is, the easiest way to revive some or all of her business momentum is giving the people what they want: the music. Let's keep it a buck: on sheer hype alone (regardless of what the music sounds like), she will crank out huge sales (given how popular she's been as a streaming act while "away") and the buzz of her return after a decade+. Any kind of tour or residency she mounts will also do well, given the comeback hype. It's literally all a given. Even if she DGAF about music anymore, the smart business move would be to leverage her music hype towards reviving her business buzz. For that reason, I really think she'll do exactly that, reap the business benefits (Fenty empire booming again), and she really be done with it all on the music front. Because I just don't see how someone who never seemed all that artistically driven (and that's not even shade) would willingly clock back into full-time artist mode (with all the rigors of touring, promo, and the risk of one flop project denting all that you've worked for). Especially when she can, via her businesses, make touring-scale profits while passively sitting at home. The "she's back" novelty will generally benefit her and her businesses on a huge scale one good time. I'm more so interested in what she does after that. She's basically touching 40, and post-R9 will see her deeper into that decade. I don't get Madonna, Beyonce drive from her, so I can see her going right back to being musically inactive and letting the buzz for her next comeback (post R9) carry her through the next decade.

Something unique is happening. Each of the previous shows was dedicated to a specific album. This is being pitched as "Extra Innings". Gives it scope to be anything from a greatest hits collab fest to something as innovative as him performing all-new material. We'll see.

Also... https://www.instagram.com/p/Das04qORnv3 Hmm

The thing is: They have so much to learn with this OTR stuff. Because people generally like the Bey+Jay combo. But they've just consistently not read the room or struck at the right time with it when it comes to OTR specifically. OTR 1: the least irksome of the tours, but even then I think the appetite was for more Bey after Self-Titled. Remember, the only "tour" for that was the second leg of the already-in-motion Mrs. Carter Tour, with the new material kinda shoe-horned in. Even more annoyingly, I vividly remember there being a lot of talk about a joint album being locked, loaded, and ready to roll following the buzz of Drunk In Love. Them not dropping it and doing OTR sans any new music together was a huge misfire IMO and poured fuel on the flames of irritation. OTR 2: As with the first, the timing was off. But this time. Way off. After Coachella, hype was at an all-time high for B7. Yet, we got more tag-teaming with Jay. EIL, IMO, probably was always going to stumble for the simple fact that there was zero appetite for it. Them rushing out a record to justify touring, only to drop it in the middle of said tour was...a choice. I often wonder if a well-plotted, completed in time, and largely uptempo project would have fared better had it been surprise-released on night 1? OTR 3?: While I don't think this is Act III (at all), I do think it's inevitable at some point for reasons we've covered ad naseum on here lol. That said, I think they'd do themselves a favor by flipping the format on its head. A limited Vegas engagement would allow her to all at once dip her toe in the residency pond and not be "as" needing to deliver big at the box office when it comes to stadiums. Intimate, upscale, and costing a lot (and, thus, somewhat exclusive) probably would do the trick. Whether they'll attach new music will be interesting to see. I legit think they are both stubborn enough to take another swing and determined enough not to let EIL be their definitive body of work. That said, in this streaming market, all they'd actually need is another DIL-sized hit on either of their upcoming albums, and they'd actually be pretty set when it comes to launching something on the back of it.

Some of y'all will sneer, but I actually agree with her. Not in totality, but for the most part. The issue with her is threefold: 1) She never quite articulates her situation in a way that will land universally. 2) It's clear she's rationalizing her new reality in real time, which is both awkward for her and the reader and ironically also causes the first point. 3) I've yet to see her hone in on her own role in some of why, as she puts it, the discourse about "her" as a celeb supersedes her music. Staying on the latter: while I "get" that there was a major interest in her weight that almost required her to participate in the raging discourse, I think she over-indulged. Granted, she was likely asked over and over about it; it felt (at least as a casual fan) that she was speaking about it every other week. Whether it's being loud and proud, defending herself, shaking ass, or literally crying about bullies online. And I think this era of faux-relatability did not help either, specifically when it came to clapping back and over-speaking in general. Y'all like to get on Beyoncé and certain other celebs for saying so little, but it honestly works. Obviously, to different degrees for different artists, but the point remains. Another thing she keeps missing and will probably never get firsthand is that she actually never had a locked-in fanbase to begin with. IMO, she had a string of popular songs that landed with casuals, who had allegiances to the catchiness of the songs...not her. The buzzy layer of debate around her weight and her role as a body positivity advocate gave the illusion of celebrity, but it was just that IMO...an illusion. At least the supposed scale of her celebrity. Add to that the sad public disdain for people who don't fit the status quo and yeah, it was not the best recipe for longevity. I 200% feel sorry for her with the legal stuff, which always read as BS to me. But I think the SCARY (af) swiftness and willingness of people to toss her out with the trash actually 1000% confirms every other point made above. Edit: IIRC, the cracks were already showing pre-legal drama. Rumors with a peak-Cardi tanked in 2021 post-Lizzo's breakout success. And, after recalibrating, About Damn Time was heading for the same fate six months later in 2022. It "randomly" went viral and gave her a lifeline, but it didn't negate (IMO) the reality that the clock was ticking. Or, at the very least, that there was a brand-music-genuine popularity disconnect at play.

Slowly coming around (deluding myself lol) to the possibility (possibility) of the re-issue being the ultimate bait-and-switch. Or, at the very least, a potentially quick springboard into Act III. Maybe conjecture, but I found Hits Daily Double referencing her revving up the engine for Act III when reporting on Donk this week pretty curious. Could just be a guesstimate, but they are an industry-first kind of publication, so maybe they know or are hinting at something? Bey's schtick is surprise. The slight issue being: there are only so many ways to pull the same stunt. Seeding us news of one thing (i.e. B'Day reissue) could be the ultimate engine to generate authentic surprise should she announce Act III now or right after. I'm also generally not getting the secrecy around the B'Day reissue rollout thus far. As of right now, we have zero clue if it's a digital-only thing and merely a means of rolling out the bonus tracks and igniting a lil buzz around the anniversary? Or an all-out re-issue with vinyl, etc. If the former, it really could be the ultimate rouse when it comes to announcing Act III soon-ish. If the latter and we're getting physicals, etc, then Act III may indeed NOT be around the corner (she won't hard-sell two different products in close proximity to each other). Now the Jay show/birthday thing. If it were just her birthday and he had a show, fair. It's effectively just another day. BUT...her promoting B'Day re-issue and her hubby/most frequent collaborator from that album having a show on the same day...a performance feels feasible. Should it happen and go down well, surely it'd make sense to quickly build on the buzz? Again, all conjecture and it's probably Q1 next year. But we'll see.

I'm really intrigued about this. Could be as simple as her creating a demarcation around the re-issue and indirectly (yet purposefully) making clear that this is a side thing. If so, I could see her letting the rollout happen "around her" and the sole acknowledgement being one grid post day of release. That, or she'll use her social for the main announcements around it. We'll see.

I'm trying not to be too pedantic, as I actually like that our girl is playing the nostalgia game... a bit. But it's kinda jarring seeing how "big" the initial buzz around "Beyonce is back" and "dropping new music" for Donk. Like all the DSPs, all the media outlets, etc. It feels like the type of hype one should reserve for Act III. In one regard, she's "Beyonce." So, they'll do all of this come the time for Act III. But, in this being pushed as a "thing-thing," I can't help but feel they are wasting a bit of her hype capital on this. We've seen what happens when the novelty of a "new or surprise Beyonce release" becomes the norm or a card they overplay....it doesn't hit as hard (e.g. the underperformance of The Gift + BIK, much as I love them...not to mention the quiet list of underperforming collabs, remixes, etc). Hey, maybe I'm being OTT and she'll have additional promotional levers to pull come Act III (like Netflix for visual component), but I guess what I'm trying to say is that I want her to spend her consumer/media/ and stan attention-capital carefully if we know Act III is the focus. Who knows, maybe they have this all planned out impeccable and are more data-led than my conjecture-based worries. We'll see.

Was actually coming to say this. Interesting as the B'Day reissue is, it all but confirms that Act III is at best dropping end-ish of the year but more realistically next. it's simple consumer logic. With the B'Day reissue being worked as a "thing" (60 day countdown, which will likely encompass more song drops) and there sure to be a physical component (vinyl etc), it would be consumer fatigue coming right behind that with Act III. The Hive don't have endless pockets and there is a science to how artists "spend" their audience attention. In this economy and era of shorter than ever attention spans, trying to sell too much too soon (reissue and new album) would work against the success of Act III IMO. Not surefire, but potentially. With that, the next realistic frame would be late Q4. And while that would/could benefit album sales (holiday purchases), dropping a single in any proximity to the Xmas flood is asking to underperform. So, it almost feels like the next safe window is early Q1. This woman and the torture. I say all of this to say, I really don't think it's anything to do with what Jay's doing at all. IMO, he's reheating his presence in the marketplace by reminding folks of classic material. Bey, IMO, is simply filling the gap that was supposed to be Act III with that whatever she can to tide fans over. Because, not doing all of this for DIL but randomly starting with B'Day while in the middle of the trilogy doesn't scream "this was the plan all along" nor does it read all that ideal given that she's in the middle of a trilogy! A trilogy that she has been moving militant during (eg. Releasing nothing unless it's tied to the era she's in). All of a sudden between Act II and Act III, it's "time" to pause an honor B'Day?! Girl…

Have kind of avoided the thread as there's not been anything to do outside of rankings. The surprise Donk drop is interesting, as is the whole B'Day reissue news. She's not leaned in on the nostalgia side of things her whole career, so her tapping in now is intriguing. Total conjecture, but IMO this is more proof that Act III was indeed delayed (outside of the nothingness that accompanied the Met Gala) and they are filling the gaps with whatever they can. Now, what I'm intrigued about is whether this really is just gap filling or if they are warming up her presence on streaming ahead of the Rock drop. Also, wondering if there are other songs they will service to streaming. Cus, no shade, Donk has never done anything for me. Let's get Back Up, Lost Yo Mind on there. They're so good they give the type tracks that would go viral now and finally find their way onto new set lists, especially if it's more uptempo. We'll see!

This Donk drop is interesting, as is the whole B'Day reissue news. She's not leaned in on the nostalgia side of things her whole career, so her tapping in now is intriguing. Total conjecture, but IMO this is more proof that Act III was indeed delayed (outside of the nothingness that accompanied the Met Gala) and they are filling the gaps with whatever they can. Now, what I'm intrigued about is whether this really is just gap filling or if they are warming up her presence on streaming ahead of the Rock drop. Also, wondering if there are other songs they will service to streaming. Cus, no shade, Donk has never done anything for me. Let's get Back Up, Lost Yo Mind on there. They're so good they give the type tracks that would go viral now and finally find their way onto new set lists, especially if it's more uptempo. We'll see!

They are a MESS! And, in this particular scenario, it's all of them (Aubrey + the duo). Aubrey is pressed af and I think we are seeing what happens when the clown comes back to bite. Again, we've spoken about it ad nauseam, but she has been the puppeteer for so long, and it's somewhat poetic justice that the two most absent members swooped back in and snatched the control. And I say this as someone who deep down actually likes Aubrey (or at least her hustle). It's literally comical and was on no one's bingo card. With the girls, they did "ok", but (it pains me to say) D. Woods sounded pitchy af in a lot of key places. Definitely not in any way that could ruin the overall performance (the scale, the dancers, the energy were solid), but noticeably enough for it NOT to be the slam dunk some of the defenders are claiming in here. What I will say, though, is that if @Rugrat's point about it merely being them fulfilling a date somehow attached to tour is true and this is them simply closing that out, then that further reinforces my belief that DK will be back in some form (not as a duo). It will become clear from both a financial and a demand standpoint that no one wants a duo, and Aubrey is not a compelling sell as a soloist. Some or all of them will eat humble pie; it's inevitable, especially when backs are up against the wall. One thing of interest and a potential impasse to that, though, is D. Woods' heavy creative input. Credit to her, she did not come back as merely a "happy to be here" passive member; she brought her crew. Her sister is doing the creative direction and choreo. I get the sense the dancers are attached to that too. That had been very much Aubrey's terrain before and I have a hunch that she wasn't bracing for D to come back so full force and wanting agency in the BTS of it all given how much the train had been moving in the 12 YEARS that DK had been back together (on and off). And, at a human level, I actually get it (Aubrey and Dawn are very much the central engines of the modern DK sound, aesthetic, format, everything). But again, that's what Aubrey gets: she proactively dogged D for ages, but magically became besties with her and wanted her back in the fold when she randomly started beefing Dawn out of thin air. Beyond the original lineup, I actually prefer most of the versions of the group sans D (who I actually like and have no issue with). At the same time, there are so many valuable lessons to be learned for all (especially Aubrey) about how all of this has gone down. The primary one being: play stupid games, win stupid prizes.

Any videos of the duo's performance? Surely they can't think it has long-term potential? There is zero appetite for them as a two-piece among what is already a very niche fanbase? Outside of a few fairground-like gigs, it just ain't happening. We've debated this ad nauseam, but I wish they were all collectively smarter about their own financial betterment. Even if it was about being selfish and being wise enough to align to get the bag. Aundrea and D. Woods staging a coup is wild because it's SO short-sighted. I don't wish them bad at all (as people), but it's giving they'll be back to their normal lives imminently. Like, I think about these things at a hyper-granular/real-life level. Aundrea lives real regular in the middle of nowhere; D has been hustling doing borderline extra work in ATL to maintain some kind of "presence" in entertainment (but it's not constant, and she's arguably hustling in her 40s in a way that would have been noble in her 20s. it's kinda sad/awkward). DK remains their biggest opportunity, and yet they've squandered it...again. I don't doubt that Aubrey is HELL to work with. It's clear. But what's the lesser evil? Getting on with it, playing one's part and getting coin in the process? Or staging an ill-advised coup for... a handful of Pride gigs? Aubrey, as problematic as she is, has more of a profile as one of the core faces of the group as well as her reality TV notoriety (for better or worse). So going around performing DK ish solo may actually work best for her. If anything, looking at the scale (or lack thereof) that they are all dabbling in e.g. Prides and bars, it may even be to her financial benefit her carrying on lip-syncing DK tracks and not having to split the check lol. The irony of all of this is that I'm still relatively firm in my belief that at SOME point, another viable version of the group will rise from the ashes to "reunite." I can already see the cliché BS of "sisters", "healing," and "communication" being touted come that time. We'll see.

You're actually right and it's such a nuanced take that a lot of the newer Hive will never truly understand, having not lived it in realtime (no shade at all, btw). Make no mistake, I've been Hive since the start of DC (with increasing vigor as each era played out). But I remember initially finding it hard to take in the B'Day era. Initially lol. The reasons included: DIL era was so huge and so specific sonically and aesthetically that some of the switch-up wasn't easiest to adapt to. For example, so much of the debut solo era was about big female dancer numbers (ala CIL, Naughty Girl), so her launching Deja Vu dancer-free at BET had me ignorantly disappointed, with it taking me years to appreciate the ferocity of what she did without the need for dancers. I also remember feeling a way about the direction she took with Deja Vu video. Again, it had little in the way of the conventional dance formations that she spent the entire debut era getting us used to. Instead, more vibes and freestyled movement. I definitely remember not being alone in being kinda WTF about this, with there being calls/petitions for her to drop a different video. There was also an air of the overall release trying to replicate the magic of CIL, but kind of paling in comparison. In fairness and full transparency, even now, I think some of the critique had merit. But the song is actually one of my favorite Bey releases to date. The scramble was tangible. Rushing out (the arguably jarring-sounding) Ring The Alarm after Deja Vu's so-so performance and then Irreplaceable after RTA fared even worse kinda placed this cloud of uncertainty above the era. A very tangible feeling of: is this about to be a sophomore slump? Which shouldn't, in theory, affect perception of music, but as we see over and over in stan-land, it is sadly...a thing. Even with Irreplaceable blowing, I remember feeling conflicted, because while I was happy she was slaying finally, it was such an on-the-nose "Ne-Yo single of the time" that it felt kinda faceless. Given how obsessed I was with the debut era, I felt she was a bit above a song like that and, as still happens now, it is so irksome when it's the meh-est song on a project or from your fave artist is the one that performs best. Thematically, it was kinda thin. It honestly does not matter at all in hindsight now, but coming up at a time when "serious" artists (as Bey was positioning herself right from debut era) adopted the "deep", "worked on this project for years" approach, songs like Suga Mama and Kitty Kat came across kinda hollow. Add to that her whole "I made this in two weeks" spiel (which, in places, the album sounded/felt like lol). Then the forced attempt at tying it all to Dreamgirls ("B'Day is what I wanted Deena to say to Curtis"), which was/still is the reach of life lol. It all just felt, in a way, less organically exciting (initially) than the storm that was the debut and felt more like the corporate cogs were turning (by force) to legitimize her by any means necessary. And it worked. I guess a lot of the above simply serves to highlight that it wasn't without its bumps along the way. Above all (long story short lmao)... I think, divorced from a lot of the context above, the album stands tall because it's solid af as is. Stripping away all the broader context, commercial expectation, recency bias (for era 1) at the time, B' Day is a great, iconic even, jukebox album that captures Bey (in certain regards) at somewhat of her peak (...somewhat). For example, I will maintain that the companion tour, The Beyonce Experience, is her best live outing if we're basing it purely on hunger and being the genesis of her rep as the greatest living performer (for fellow MJ fans, effectively what the Bad Tour was to everything elevated that came after it). I also think the album being anchored in a lot of live instrumentation/band vibes (which is timeless in and of itself) has aged it very well. In a way, despite Bey's heartiest, consistent, and successful efforts to become a "serious" artist (from whom each new release has this deliberately deep, meaningful, culture-shifting impetus), B'Day succeeds in diluting the necessity of that agenda in that it proves she can be equally as potent playing the "jukebox of bops" game that made the likes of Rihanna such a thing. At the same time, I like that it's nestled early in her career and she has made a concerted effort to ensure each project (post IASF lol) has heart and intention. Equally, though, having been so successful with that approach, I would not mind a somewhat mindless (just having fun) album again for B10. She's definitely earned the right to.

Lol, i think it's coming. They are just being hyper-intentional in promoting their show.

They talk new music here:

Now that the made-up May 29th ish is in rearview, a few thoughts: If, as I hope, Act III is still this year, one upside is a more condensed frame between the album and the tour. These year-plus gaps between the music and its live component have been...something. Especially with the absolute NOTHING she typically gives in between. Granted, I'd take the music ASAP, I like that we are likely pacing towards a more conventional-"feeling" era of the music landing close to when she takes it on the road. If she then drops the visuals in between that same frame, there's "arguably" a rollout plan that will, at the very least, "feel" more maximalist than we've had with the previous acts. Sometimes it's not how much one does (we know it has a cap), but it's the when/how/flow. Grammys: will be very interesting to see how she navigates the Act III campaign in this regard. We are basically in June and no sign of anything just yet. I am firm in my belief that she won't surprise drop for a while, as she needs the order frame to maximize sales. If she needs at least 4-6 weeks of preorder avails, the frame to make the Grammy deadline (August 31) is closing...fast. It'd be very interesting if she were to submit and push the lead single for this upcoming Grammys (ROTY, SOTY) and the album for the 2028 cycle. Allows her to be a centerpiece of both broadcasts. Given all the surprise drops, and tight single-to-album frames in the past, it would be the first time this would have been her predicament for a while (if ever it has been). Random but related: I'm more convinced than ever that Act III will arrive ala Rennie and CC - sans visuals. The all-encompassing film should land within Act III's release frame but only once the dust has settled 1-2 months. There was a time I thought it would be the perfect companion piece for Act III, but attention spans are short and virality is hard to predict. I always chuckle and wince at the possibility of something random af from Act I or II visuals going viral over Act III...which ironically is the Act that would need to benefit the most. In short, the film can and should tie everything together and be released in a way/at a time that enhances that rather than take anything away.

She's an icon. Legend is pending, but it's inevitable. Big parts of me think she already is because besides time/age, the same things that make her a pending legend now are the same things that will cement her as a legend in, like, 5-10 years. She's not LegendTina for nothing!

Interesting question. IMO, it goes: Better Range: Rih (dabbles in falsetto + head voice and occasionally belts). Better Control: Katy Better Power + Projection: Katy (Rihanna could not sing Firework, for example) Better Overall: Rih. Not even a fan, but her tone is her USP, and I think her voice is slightly more versatile overall.

You basically nailed it. I'm a fan, but always try to balance this (and thus my expectations) with a) the fact it's Estate-produced, so absolutely has a promotional agenda, and b) somehow, within that, still has to deliver on its promise of being raw and unfiltered. I'm already quite surprised that the original scrapped script went as deep into his later life as it did. I always imagined the movie would take on a similar format to MJ The Musical, which simply used the Dangerous Tour rehearsals as the vehicle to navigate through his story. The film always had a tall task, because so much of the rise and peak is full of joy and euphoria (with the main bad spots being the lost childhood and drama with dad). Besides that, it's unbridled creativity, innovation, and breaking records. IMO, this formatting is actually the secret sauce that the GP so gagged by the first film (even with that not being the original plan). Hype as I am for part 2, it will unfortunately have to be darker. The clear sell here, though, is the performances. So, as long as they glue it all together with MEATY showcases of the following...they'll be fine: Bad Era Super Bowl Black or White Remember The Time HiStory Era + Videos MTV VMAs 95 Medley You Rock My World Topically, part 2 essentially have to cover: Allegations + Vindication Skin Drugs Love & Family Much as not being able to cover the 93 allegations threw a wrench in things, I actually think it will help how the allegations are addressed overall, because the safe landing spot will be that he got cleared of everything. So, rather than having to navigate two scandals, they can simply go with the 2005 trial, use quick flashbacks of harrowing moments from the first time (the raid, the strip search, and center the District Attorney as villanaious figure) without having to name accuser etc, and draw on their same playbook for how they depict 05: sketchy accusers, MJ's proclamations of innocence, the damage it did to his image and health, and overall vindication of with clean sweep of not guiltys. It will literally put a total pin in the subject, and if they land it right, it will become the definitive take with the GP. Besides that, I actually think - like the musical - tastefully tackling the drugs can actually be the real "dark side" they explore. And few will see it coming, yet it will give the film the grit they promised with this overall venture. I think they will, too. Because you can see how they are seeding it in the first film. After the Pepsi accident, he's popping pills like tic tacs. They have a few strong points to end without it feeling tragic. While we don't know for sure where the film will end, if (like I suspect) they have to do the 05 trial, then timeline wise it really can only be one of these: This Is It Announcement: the big comeback that never was. Gives them a really easy means of rolling off the sad (his death, without having to show it) and the posthumous wins. Winning The Trial: will all at once be the high of winning, the low in the credits will be that the effect of it is what ultimately killed him, and the viewer send-off being the posthumous success they rell off. World Music Awards 2006: Received the Lifetime Achievement, handed to him by Beyonce. Sidebar: While I love the resurgence of his classic songs, I really hope they use the second film to push his later material. It could be very redemptive for some of his most overlooked songs/projects. The film will do the heavy lifting if spotlighting HiStory etc, but I literally mean tracks on Invincible. I'd love an end-scene that follows whatever is the "end" in the movie. Could do a short jump back to him in the studio with Darkchild creating Unbreakable, talking through the track's message and how he wants to be remembered. Performance scenes seem to bookend these kinds of films well, so maybe they "end-end" on an original note with a fictionalized live performance of Unbreakable. Just a thought.

Not to ignite any drama here, but I really wish some corners of the Hive would let this hottake go. Sis cares. Maybe not as much as before. But she absolutely cares. No artist that does lengthy preorders, variants, invests in lead single playlisting and radio, and nets back-to-back #1 singles..."doesn't care". When she stops playing those games, I'll join y'all on that island. But until then, she's simply mastered the art of asserting her earned premium and giving the illusion of being unbothered (heavy on illusion). I will always say, there is so much that goes into her Queendom that I feel even some fans don't wholly process. Yes, it's definitely the talent, the music, and the dedication. But there is absolutely an aspect that is anchored by savvy strategy and careful brand positioning. The latter of which is defined by: less is more. Bey is all at once the Queen because of her music, accolades, and all that jazz, but she has perfected the art of scarcity marketing. The less she gives and the rarer her presence, the more everyone salivates when she does swoop down with a project or appearance. No different from a luxury product. All at once, Gucci (for example) will do what it has to stay visible, relevant, and cool to all, but will always operate left of fast fashion etc to maintain its premium and top-billing over 'em all. The $$$ turnover and respective popularity may ultimately be similar, but the position, premium, and reception are absolutely different. By this measure, Bey is Gucci, while TS and similar are Fashion Nova, PLT, Shein. A part of me will always want her to have that mass visibility again, but she's playing a long game. A smart one, too. The industry is not a meritocracy and keeping it 100, she - on the merit of her grown audience - cannot compete blow-for-blow, stream for stream with the likes if TS etc. So, playing their game would actually show her commercial shortcomings in 4K. FYI, I'm the furthest from Kiss A** Hive and feel there are ways she could be doing her Gucci game better, but that "unbothered" thing will always tickle me because it simply isn't true. Especially when you factor in the fact that her capitalist behind quite literally depends on mass hysteria, mass consumption, and a degree of mass visibility to get to her biggest bags. Her tour deals, Netflix deals, Tiffany deals etc all depend on her being a megastar and sought after by the GP. As long as that is how her bread is buttered, she will always...care.

That's the thing. The main moment for that was at the beginning with Rennie. Because the (alleged) mess started after that (reshoots, visuals allegedly not being snapped up by streamers, changed plans etc), it's literally in her best interest to keep it vague about...everything. It's grating for us, but the less she says the more she can preserve the premium of the trilogy and control the narrative (even if and when things go awry behind the scenes). That said, I think there is still a clean opportunity for her to tie everything together retroactively with act iii. From the visual, boxset opportunities, etc.