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Beyoncé's 'Lemonade' and Information Resources

This guide supports further research into Beyoncé's literary, film, and history references in her visual album 'Lemonade.'

Literary References and Further Reading

 

Literary References and Further Reading

In her article from April 25, 2016, "What to read after watching Beyoncé's Lemonade," Nichole Perkins writes about connections she's made to Beyoncé's lyrics and suggested further reading, some of which is listed below.

Books on Yoruba

Books on the Yoruba People

The Yoruba People are an ethnic group of Southwestern and North central Nigeria and Southern and Central Benin in West Africa. Beyoncé used images of Yoruba in Lemonade, such as Oshun and Ori.(1) See also: Art and Culture References.

(1) Perkins, N. (2016, April 25). What to read after watching Beyoncé's Lemonade. Fusion.


 

Other Suggestions:

Article on Octavia Butler's influence: 

Prince, Cecil Taylor, and Beyoncé's Shape-Shifting Black Body by Hilton Als. The New Yorker, April 26, 2016.

From the article: 

Butler is the dominant artistic force in the movie version of “Lemonade.” Shot by various young filmmakers, ranging from Kahlil Joseph to Melina Matsoukas, the movie is accompanied by lyrics that chronicle the anxiety of infidelity and resolution—no love, let alone any coupling, is perfect—but it’s the black female body, Butler’s great subject, that struggles against and sometimes breaks free of Beyoncé’s pop perfection.


 

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