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Friday, July 21, 2006

Beyonce: Reshoot Your Video!

Posted by on July 21 at 16:29 PM

The people have spoken, and apparently, they HATE Beyonce’s newest music video “Deja Vu.” In fact they hate it SO MUCH they have started an online petition to force Columbia records to reshoot the offending video. Why the public outcry? Here are the main gripes from the petition’s authors (and I swear I’m not making this up):

This video is an underwhelming representation of the talent and quality of previous music video projects of Ms. Knowles. The following problems have been pointed out by numerous fans on and offline:

A) There is no clear story or theme to the video
B) The dancing is erratic, confusing and alarming at times
C) The sexual themes and shots between Ms. Knowles and Mr. Sean Carter PKA Jay-Z, are alarming and show unacceptable interactions between the two
D) The fashion in this video, while haute-couture, is unbelievable and ridiculous
E) The editing, while professionally done, causes one to get dizzy and disoriented
F) The overall feel of the video leaves a sense of much to be desired
G) The video is very disappointing and is not a clear representation of any of the songs themes

We, the fans of one Beyonce’ Knowles, ask that an alternative video be shot featuring; more choreographed & less spontaneous dancing, clearer visual themes that relate to the lyrics of the song, less gyrating, less scenes of non-existant sexual chemistry between Mr. Carter and Ms. Knowles, less zooming and quick cut edits and a more stylized and clear direction for all other aspects of the video production.

Oh, is that all they want? For those ready to be similarly “alarmed,” here’s the video. Share your thoughts below.


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either she has no idea of black American history or black Americans have come a long way, but one of the two is certainly behind her decision to freak dance on a plantation. in one scene, i felt the dread of confusion--is she running for joy or running from a horny slave driver on a horse.

viewing every artistic act by an african-american through the prism of slavery is unfair to the artist. do we treat all irish art as a symbol of english oppression? english art as a response to the viking raids? norwegian art to danish and swedish subjugation? sometime or another everybody's been colonized or oppressed. stop living in the past.

and besides, what better way to neutralize something than to appropriate it? or, sometimes a large house is just a large house.

it's a great trick for undergraduates rushing to write a paper the night before (female character = feminist analysis, black character = slavery, etc), but it's boring.

huh. works for me. I actually thought it was spot on; deja vu's often linked to re-incarnation - note the different period sets.

huh. works for me. I actually thought it was spot on; deja vu's often linked to re-incarnation - note the different period sets.

huh. works for me. I actually thought it was spot on; deja vu's often linked to re-incarnation - note the different period sets.

How about this: Beyonce calls for an open meeting with these disgruntled fans, and when they're all in the room together, fill it with poison gas.

I mean, come on. I'm not a fan, but the gal is not a doll to be made to do what you want.


I don't buy that negative terms or images get neutralized when they're appropriated. For example, the vast majority of those sexist, racist, or homophobic terms still pack a punch, no matter who tries to adopt it.

And, of course, it generally depends on who says it and how they say it, but sometimes that doesn't matter either. There was a recent article about how the word "slut" has been reduced in power because it's being used more often. Please.

The offensiveness or non-offensiveness of the work is not germane to a discussion of whether or not it's sensible or appropriate for her fans to petition the artist to unmake it. The decision about what Beyonce does is made by Beyonce, not some internet yahoos.

Why is she chewing gum?

I like the poison gas idea!

I should also mention that I think Beyonce is awesome, even if she's going out with the very unattractive Jay-Z.

Why won't you haters let "B" do her thang.Oh,haters define deja vu and you will see just what it mean .Then you go back to the video

I thought it was craptastic. I don't see what the big deal is. Beyonce's fans are trippin'.

I thought the song was pretty lame, and while the video isn't what I would call good, it's certainly not the worst video I've ever seen.

I do LOVE the fact that Beyonce is chomping gum while she's trying to be all sexy for Jay-Z, though. Hee!

Just more hoochie mama crap shooting out from the same old shit sausage machine thats been grinding 'em out for years - only they've slapped on a "new, improved" label on the final product. You don't even have to be talented anymore - just fuckable will do.

I really enjoyed Beyonce's video. I think people should let her express her talent anyway she wants. No one can determined what the song means to her and how she interprets it. Also, it is nothing wrong with expressing her love for her man, considering all of us do it in everyday life. However, we are not celebrities are we? Beyonce should continue to do her thing regardless of what people think.

I agree with you Lisa. Beyonce you work it.

Ahhh more stripper dancing/posing in a lame video for a boring song. YAWN!

Someone Somewhere please do something NEW!

Well, the clothes are actually fun. So, there's that.

She's getting whiter by the minute.

listened to this w/o audio, but:
1.what's up with the janet jackson-ness?
2.I thought Jay-Z was retiring... or something.

3.why is Jay-Z even WITH her.
4.bless youtube's lil' heart.

Is anyone else reminded of Army of Lovers' knowingly gratuitous glam and comical over-posing?

the dance is an interpretation or representation of all women all over the world and how their are made to feel by their men. Thats why there is multi wardrobe change and hair styles.......

beyonce rock even if she stand still in video more over i love how she put on j-zay

I am a Huge Beyonce Fan and a Huge Jay-Z fan and a Huge destiny's Child fan. I think the video however isnt her best, even as a true fan i had to watch it twice to really get it. I think people are taking this alittle too seriously, its just a video of her expressing herself as an artist and showing her love for her man. First people judged or questioned rather, why her and Jay dont really show affection to each other publicly, now that they do, i have read several comments on the net that FANS are opposed to her behavior with Jay in the video. These are two grown folks, let them Be. If you dont like the Video, dont watch it, bet you Beyonce will still sell records. All i am trying to say is, its just a video, its creative and i like that she is doing something new and something grown-up, (hence, the sexyness).

As for the Slavery, Plantation, Black comments. I am an African American and take no offense to this video, when you are educated, you understand things better. I teach African American history and i love this Video.

I just saw this video for the first time today, and I sat back expecting a regular, summer-sexy Beyoncé video, and then she started having a seizure on screen, soon followed by myself with all the excessive camera work going on. I was killing myself laughing by the end of it, it just seems so out of place/over the top. She would be smart to reshoot it. Oh and the gum, not so classy.

p.s.- Beyoncé is extremely beautiful, but she looks like a she-beast in that one red dress...you know the one.

I am in agreement Mimimumbi... B is a grown lady. She is know longer a child and should not have to design her life according to the dictates of people. The video is NOT one of B's best work I was a little dissappointed. I excpected more from her... but I thought to myself for a while and said self... (smile) B has been extremly busy with movies, new clothing line, and the list goes on! What I suggest is REST...RELAXATION...and private time with her man who I admire and has the utmost respect for....JAY... let the haters, hate on you...that' just the jealousy in there hearts!

why dont yall hattin bitchs like some of yall let her do her and just be happy 4 her(damn if yall want her to reshoot the video send her some money shit)

RE: The new Beyonce video Déjà vu ...

I waited eagerly for the new Beyonce Video Déjà vu after hearing it on Choice FM. The tune is excellent (a tad dated and over produced/ dated but still miles better than some of the tripe out at the moment!)

So I waited with baited breath for the premier of the video on Channel 4 on Friday night. The opening of the video is like any other I suppose and is a fairly promising start depending on how the rest is directed. The first verse and chorus worth is over acted. Beyonce gives a frantic, scatter brained performance and tries too hard to be stylised in her movements! Her clothes look tatty and her hair is mess! The clothes are blatantly an advert for her new clothing line and are far too -out there- for most of her fan base I would have thought (although the outfit she wares to African dance and dance with Jay-Z are fitted and stylish).

The second verse and chorus in the video are a mess too. I have heard the water scene referred to as the ‘hip hop mermaid scene!’ The hair flipping is too much although this scene almost works (if looked at on its own).

The scene with Jay Z has the best choreography in the video and the only consistent direction, although J himself is so emotionless he may as well not actually be there. The African dancing is great because it shows that she dares to be different! The dancing at the very end of the video is hilarious, to the point that you actually wonder if she is joking! The jerkily held positions and postures are too avant-garde for B and what the hell is going on with the final dance move at the very end pur-lease.

Overall, this video is a sore disappointment. Beyonce looks good in places and dances well at the end but that is about it. The entire concept is predicable and formulaic. The direction leaves a lot to be desired as does the choreography at the beginning. The direction in this video is amateurish and over excitable. Beyonce clearly tried to do (what many artists do) and come up with the creative ideas herself! She appears to have fallen short, with the Vogue high fashion start, Hispanic middle and African ending! There is no coherence whatsoever and the video has less then nothing to do with the song.

Must try harder next time Beyonce!

Beyonce is half CREOLE. The plantation is a CREOLE plantation. Louisiana is/was CREOLE country. She is repping her CREOLE culture. There were many free blacks/CREOLES of Color in Louisiana, and - hello - a great many of them owned plantations. Thus, the scene.

in regards to the sexually explicit scenes that are deemed inappropriate...? Has Viewers losts thier minds and overlooked the videos to half of the rappers out there, ive seen more booty and sexually graphic images watching 20 minutes of B.E.T... and yet there is no explosion or outcries for justice...
(i just watched 'oh my god...look at her butt... sir mix-alot... and saw more booty shakin illicit scenes there... and yet i see no website asking for a remake of the video)
-Am I missing something.. or are we expecting more from Beyonce than the average performer?

If u dont like the video..just dont watch it

You're giving Beyonce WAAAAAAAAAAAAAY too much credit. The only thing Beyonce is "repping" in that video is "House of Dereon." She probably thinks "Creole" is the name of a shade of lipstick!

i think her new video is CRAP its actually makes me cringe watchin it, what the hell is she tryin to prove in this video???? her dancin looks like she is havin some kind of fit! ans whats wit the over dramatic facial expressions she looks like some crazy woman who should be in a padded cell!! there is not one good thing in this video mayb only the end becoz i can sigh in relief that its over!! she doesnt even look attractive in the video either!! i hope thunder thighs has better things planned for her next video coz they sure as hell cant get any worse then that!!!!

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