APESHIT - THE CARTERS
June 16, 2018 3:26 PM Subscribe
[this is not the carters(family) i expected]
guess it's time to fire a new email address for the 30 days free....
posted by I'm Not Even Supposed To Be Here Today! at 3:51 PM on June 16, 2018 [4 favorites]
guess it's time to fire a new email address for the 30 days free....
posted by I'm Not Even Supposed To Be Here Today! at 3:51 PM on June 16, 2018 [4 favorites]
Oh god I love them so much
And I love these videos themselves as art
posted by schadenfrau at 3:52 PM on June 16, 2018
And I love these videos themselves as art
posted by schadenfrau at 3:52 PM on June 16, 2018
Super eager to read some cultural analyses of this, because nothing in a Beyoncé video is there for no reason.
Also I’m loving the lewks Hova’s serving lately.
posted by palomar at 4:02 PM on June 16, 2018 [2 favorites]
Also I’m loving the lewks Hova’s serving lately.
posted by palomar at 4:02 PM on June 16, 2018 [2 favorites]
Can someone please tell me who the people on the cover are? The woman standing on the left looks like Betty Gabriel from Get Out, but I can’t find confirmation and I’m frustrated.
posted by pxe2000 at 4:11 PM on June 16, 2018
posted by pxe2000 at 4:11 PM on June 16, 2018
I'd love to know how the heck they got the Louvre to let them shoot that.
posted by Peach at 4:13 PM on June 16, 2018 [7 favorites]
posted by Peach at 4:13 PM on June 16, 2018 [7 favorites]
I'd love to know how the heck they got the Louvre to let them shoot that.
1. Art is art.
2. € € € € €
posted by Sys Rq at 4:20 PM on June 16, 2018 [10 favorites]
1. Art is art.
2. € € € € €
posted by Sys Rq at 4:20 PM on June 16, 2018 [10 favorites]
Oh man. Jay-Z is repeating some shots that have been generally aimed at Baby/Wayne/Nicki/Drake etc.
Rather work for the man than to work with me
Just so they can pretend they on my level, that shit is irkin' to me
posted by I'm Not Even Supposed To Be Here Today! at 4:41 PM on June 16, 2018 [3 favorites]
Rather work for the man than to work with me
Just so they can pretend they on my level, that shit is irkin' to me
posted by I'm Not Even Supposed To Be Here Today! at 4:41 PM on June 16, 2018 [3 favorites]
Can someone please tell me who the people on the cover are? The woman standing on the left looks like Betty Gabriel from Get Out, but I can’t find confirmation and I’m frustrated.
That's Jasmine Harper and Nicholas... I am blanking on his last name, but they are professional dancers from NYC. Jasmine appeared in Lemonade a few years ago.
posted by Freeze Peach at 4:44 PM on June 16, 2018 [2 favorites]
That's Jasmine Harper and Nicholas... I am blanking on his last name, but they are professional dancers from NYC. Jasmine appeared in Lemonade a few years ago.
posted by Freeze Peach at 4:44 PM on June 16, 2018 [2 favorites]
I'd love to know how the heck they got the Louvre to let them shoot that.
Are you kidding? They’re Beyoncé and Jay-Z.
posted by schadenfrau at 4:46 PM on June 16, 2018 [12 favorites]
Are you kidding? They’re Beyoncé and Jay-Z.
posted by schadenfrau at 4:46 PM on June 16, 2018 [12 favorites]
The references to Still D.R.E. in 713 from the album is amazing.
posted by I'm Not Even Supposed To Be Here Today! at 4:54 PM on June 16, 2018 [3 favorites]
posted by I'm Not Even Supposed To Be Here Today! at 4:54 PM on June 16, 2018 [3 favorites]
STOP TRYING TO MAKE JAY-Z HAPPEN
HE'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN
--
ok, but seriously, them taking over the Louvre and filling it with black bodies and using it as staging for fundamentally black art is fucking beautiful
posted by Anonymous at 5:19 PM on June 16, 2018
HE'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN
--
ok, but seriously, them taking over the Louvre and filling it with black bodies and using it as staging for fundamentally black art is fucking beautiful
posted by Anonymous at 5:19 PM on June 16, 2018
The video is gorgeous, but the song is...not particularly special? There's no reason to overproduce Beyonce's verses like that.
Also, if you want to listen to the whole album, they're giving away six months of Tidal for free as a promo for the tour. Just remember to cancel before Christmas!
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 5:26 PM on June 16, 2018 [4 favorites]
Also, if you want to listen to the whole album, they're giving away six months of Tidal for free as a promo for the tour. Just remember to cancel before Christmas!
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 5:26 PM on June 16, 2018 [4 favorites]
A whole bunch of random thoughts I'm going to shoot off:
posted by Anonymous at 5:32 PM on June 16, 2018
- As I said: this is about asserting black art, black beauty, and black excellence in a location fundamentally associated with celebrating white representations of those things
- Opening with a message about what angels look like in the modern era
- Hair picking in front of the fucking Mona Lisa is great
- Standing in front of the Mona Lisa, basically "we're the icons now"
- The kneeling players
- Heads of dancers waving in front of the Winged Victory of Samothrace, all making eye contact with the camera: providing agency the WVS doesn't have as well as a declaration of victory (of Beyonce/Jay-Z, of black art, of black culture, of black resistance, of black womanhood, etc)
- Beyonce with her lineup in front of the coronation painting (forgot the name of it)--the metaphor here is obvious
- The two of them on the bench, representing modern nobility (especially Beyonce, her outfit is GORGEOUS)
posted by Anonymous at 5:32 PM on June 16, 2018
- Jay-Z in Paris
- statue of Nike
Now, who was it who had a deal with Nike that was abandoned because they wouldn’t pay him royalties, and then had a deal with Tidal that was abandoned because they wouldn’t pay him royalties, and was once in Paris with Jay-Z? Hmmmmm....
posted by Sys Rq at 5:57 PM on June 16, 2018 [2 favorites]
- statue of Nike
Now, who was it who had a deal with Nike that was abandoned because they wouldn’t pay him royalties, and then had a deal with Tidal that was abandoned because they wouldn’t pay him royalties, and was once in Paris with Jay-Z? Hmmmmm....
posted by Sys Rq at 5:57 PM on June 16, 2018 [2 favorites]
[that was my point, yes. lol]
posted by I'm Not Even Supposed To Be Here Today! at 6:05 PM on June 16, 2018
posted by I'm Not Even Supposed To Be Here Today! at 6:05 PM on June 16, 2018
Blue teaches her friends how to make the ROC sign
posted by I'm Not Even Supposed To Be Here Today! at 6:10 PM on June 16, 2018
posted by I'm Not Even Supposed To Be Here Today! at 6:10 PM on June 16, 2018
I'd love to know how the heck they got the Louvre to let them shoot that.
Are you kidding? They’re Beyoncé and Jay-Z.
Sorry, this is still rattling around my brain, I think because this is kind of the point? Like Black American culture is pretty fucking ascendant, not just in America, but around the world. Like they belong in the Louvre, and in the museums that will chronicle our greats (assuming we don’t fuck everything up beyond all repair).
posted by schadenfrau at 6:35 PM on June 16, 2018 [7 favorites]
Are you kidding? They’re Beyoncé and Jay-Z.
Sorry, this is still rattling around my brain, I think because this is kind of the point? Like Black American culture is pretty fucking ascendant, not just in America, but around the world. Like they belong in the Louvre, and in the museums that will chronicle our greats (assuming we don’t fuck everything up beyond all repair).
posted by schadenfrau at 6:35 PM on June 16, 2018 [7 favorites]
Sorry, this is still rattling around my brain, I think because this is kind of the point? Like Black American culture is pretty fucking ascendant, not just in America, but around the world. Like they belong in the Louvre, and in the museums that will chronicle our greats (assuming we don’t fuck everything up beyond all repair).
posted by schadenfrau at 20:35 on June 16
Yes, and at the same time the refrain of "I can't believe we made it" underscores how much their experience differs from the average black person, who deserves so much more than our culture allows them in many ways.
posted by jjray at 6:42 PM on June 16, 2018 [3 favorites]
posted by schadenfrau at 20:35 on June 16
Yes, and at the same time the refrain of "I can't believe we made it" underscores how much their experience differs from the average black person, who deserves so much more than our culture allows them in many ways.
posted by jjray at 6:42 PM on June 16, 2018 [3 favorites]
so this is super amusing and super neat, but I clicked on this video while I was still playing "November" from the Leftovers sound track, and I saw the angel, and something in my head told me to mute the video. And amazingly, the video goes so well with "November". The renaissance art and the movements of the dancers and perfect for it, if you've watched the Leftovers.
Ok I'm actually going to listen to the song now.
posted by numaner at 8:26 PM on June 16, 2018 [1 favorite]
Ok I'm actually going to listen to the song now.
posted by numaner at 8:26 PM on June 16, 2018 [1 favorite]
Yes, and at the same time the refrain of "I can't believe we made it" underscores how much their experience differs from the average black person
That wasn't how I interpreted it. For me, it resonated the same way that my (84 year old) mother's comment about Obama did: "I can't believe we made it to the White House."
posted by skye.dancer at 8:29 PM on June 16, 2018 [10 favorites]
That wasn't how I interpreted it. For me, it resonated the same way that my (84 year old) mother's comment about Obama did: "I can't believe we made it to the White House."
posted by skye.dancer at 8:29 PM on June 16, 2018 [10 favorites]
Imagine being Beyonce and still having to censor the title of your songs on YouTube.
posted by crossoverman at 9:34 PM on June 16, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by crossoverman at 9:34 PM on June 16, 2018 [2 favorites]
HZSF, thanks for the Tidal tip! I have tickets to OTRII here in Paris next month and very excited, wonder if the Louvre will feature! Off to absorb the music and video now 😊
posted by ellieBOA at 12:00 AM on June 17, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by ellieBOA at 12:00 AM on June 17, 2018 [1 favorite]
Ok after watching Apeshit, yes to the dancers in actually nude coloured bra tops and leggings, hearing sirens from within the Louvre is representative of life here, living for J&B in their coordinating outfits, and basically can’t wait for the concert!
posted by ellieBOA at 12:13 AM on June 17, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by ellieBOA at 12:13 AM on June 17, 2018 [2 favorites]
I cannot wait for some art experts to list what each work featured in the clip is called and why it's there.
Also I love at 5:29 where Bey is going off in the huge white dress.
posted by harriet vane at 12:58 AM on June 17, 2018 [3 favorites]
Also I love at 5:29 where Bey is going off in the huge white dress.
posted by harriet vane at 12:58 AM on June 17, 2018 [3 favorites]
I'd bet anything the paintings they chose are all meaningful (because Beyonce is ALL about that and extremely careful and thoughtful about everything she does in her videos), but I don't know anything about art so I couldn't tell you what they are or what they mean.
I cannot wait for some art experts to list what each work featured in the clip is called and why it's there.
Two importantly featured paintings:
- Théodore Géricault's Radeau de la Meduse, and in particular black crew-member Jean Charles, waving the red rag that secures their desperate rescue; more on the painting here, and on the story here (and here in French: “Le Radeau de La Méduse” : l’humanité à la dérive); see also previously.
- Portrait d'une négresse (which the Louvre has recently rechristened Portrait d'une famme noire), a rare subject, by a rare (for her period) woman painter Marie-Guillemine Benoist. More on its post-révolution, post-slavery context by James Smalls here: Slavery is a Woman: "Race," Gender, and Visuality in Marie Benoist's Portrait d'une négresse.
posted by progosk at 4:00 AM on June 17, 2018 [12 favorites]
I cannot wait for some art experts to list what each work featured in the clip is called and why it's there.
Two importantly featured paintings:
- Théodore Géricault's Radeau de la Meduse, and in particular black crew-member Jean Charles, waving the red rag that secures their desperate rescue; more on the painting here, and on the story here (and here in French: “Le Radeau de La Méduse” : l’humanité à la dérive); see also previously.
- Portrait d'une négresse (which the Louvre has recently rechristened Portrait d'une famme noire), a rare subject, by a rare (for her period) woman painter Marie-Guillemine Benoist. More on its post-révolution, post-slavery context by James Smalls here: Slavery is a Woman: "Race," Gender, and Visuality in Marie Benoist's Portrait d'une négresse.
posted by progosk at 4:00 AM on June 17, 2018 [12 favorites]
They've also chosen to subtly reframe Jean-Louis David's Consecration of Napoleon so as to highlight the event that's typically elided from its full official title "and Coronation of the Empress Josephine." - Josephine's crown-receiving head is now smack centered, as is Bey, right in line with her.
(Great twitter threads on a lot of the art referenced by Hasna Arayta and Constance Grady; Arayata in particular nails the video as reverse cultural appropriation.)
posted by progosk at 4:39 AM on June 17, 2018 [4 favorites]
(Great twitter threads on a lot of the art referenced by Hasna Arayta and Constance Grady; Arayata in particular nails the video as reverse cultural appropriation.)
posted by progosk at 4:39 AM on June 17, 2018 [4 favorites]
Not sure what's encoded in featuring David's Madame Recamier - a reference to her own art-commissioning powers? Or ambition to become legacy (though maybe not as furniture)? Anyone wiser on the two foreground, headdress-bound figures juxtaposed with the painting?
posted by progosk at 4:49 AM on June 17, 2018
posted by progosk at 4:49 AM on June 17, 2018
Other paintings featured:
- at 02:38, Ary Scheffer's Francesca and Paolo (the 1855 version)
- at 02:45, Rosso Fiorentino's Pietà
- at 03:23, Géricault's Officer of the Imperial Horse Guards Charging
- at 04:29, Paolo Veronese's Wedding Feast at Cana, including its details of a black servant and poured alcohol - could be an oblique reference to Mr. Carter's brand of cognac, as there's a replica of this painting in the Château d'Ussée (though it's West&Kardashian who tied the knot there...)
- the great mesh of spears at 04:45 is from J.-L. David's The Intervention of the Sabine Women, a commercially successful, post-jail reconciliatory tribute to the artist's estranged wife, choosing to depict female power (in the guise of Hersilia), instead of the more common theme of the Sabine women's rape.
posted by progosk at 7:14 AM on June 17, 2018 [5 favorites]
- at 02:38, Ary Scheffer's Francesca and Paolo (the 1855 version)
- at 02:45, Rosso Fiorentino's Pietà
- at 03:23, Géricault's Officer of the Imperial Horse Guards Charging
- at 04:29, Paolo Veronese's Wedding Feast at Cana, including its details of a black servant and poured alcohol - could be an oblique reference to Mr. Carter's brand of cognac, as there's a replica of this painting in the Château d'Ussée (though it's West&Kardashian who tied the knot there...)
- the great mesh of spears at 04:45 is from J.-L. David's The Intervention of the Sabine Women, a commercially successful, post-jail reconciliatory tribute to the artist's estranged wife, choosing to depict female power (in the guise of Hersilia), instead of the more common theme of the Sabine women's rape.
posted by progosk at 7:14 AM on June 17, 2018 [5 favorites]
her gold/white/black etc dress with the headpiece reminds me very specifically of something and i can't figure out what.
posted by poffin boffin at 10:16 AM on June 17, 2018
posted by poffin boffin at 10:16 AM on June 17, 2018
Other great twitter thread on video's the art references, by itsmeheidi_h ("Not Becky, still has good hair"), here.
posted by progosk at 11:49 AM on June 17, 2018
posted by progosk at 11:49 AM on June 17, 2018
The focus on VIRGO is for her sign and Gift From Virgo
posted by fluttering hellfire at 4:46 PM on June 17, 2018
posted by fluttering hellfire at 4:46 PM on June 17, 2018
Another thing going on here is the importance of Paris to their relationship - they conceived Blue there (or at least conceived a new beginning to their relationship), Jay convinced her to come back to him there, Beyonce tells the story of their love, separation, and reunion through Paris.
.....and also, the failing of Jay's most public friendship happened after their song about Paris - their connection cemented their, their energy pushed through the ideas of it, anchoring the album they did together (and sadly the 11 times in a row encore of the song seems to no longer be easily unearthed). Right now it seems like that won't be replicated by them. A lot to think about with how Jay Z and Beyonce return to Paris over and over again, together and alone and with other people (also, likely related, the way Beyonce returns to the topic through Louisiana).
posted by I'm Not Even Supposed To Be Here Today! at 5:31 PM on June 17, 2018 [2 favorites]
.....and also, the failing of Jay's most public friendship happened after their song about Paris - their connection cemented their, their energy pushed through the ideas of it, anchoring the album they did together (and sadly the 11 times in a row encore of the song seems to no longer be easily unearthed). Right now it seems like that won't be replicated by them. A lot to think about with how Jay Z and Beyonce return to Paris over and over again, together and alone and with other people (also, likely related, the way Beyonce returns to the topic through Louisiana).
posted by I'm Not Even Supposed To Be Here Today! at 5:31 PM on June 17, 2018 [2 favorites]
Watched this yesterday because I went to high school with the director. Our mutual friend tells me (after I texted her marvelling at them renting the Louvre) that it's pretty common to shoot things there (about ~500 a year) and that it costs about 18000 a day. Which is less than I thought. Anyway, awesome video.
posted by evelvenin at 2:40 AM on June 18, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by evelvenin at 2:40 AM on June 18, 2018 [1 favorite]
Would love to know who did the due diligence on the art & who was the production designer on this?
posted by progosk at 3:03 AM on June 18, 2018
posted by progosk at 3:03 AM on June 18, 2018
A really interesting Twitter thread on how APESHIT is intended to serve as the epilogue to Touki Bouki, the Senegalese film that they crafted the narrative of their tour around.
posted by doublenelson at 7:20 AM on June 18, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by doublenelson at 7:20 AM on June 18, 2018 [1 favorite]
Finally got around to watching this. As everyone says above, it's so visually stunning, way too much to unpack here and I appreciate everyone's comments to help me navigate it.
I'm confused though, why is it credited to The Carters when this is clearly "Beyonce feat. Jay-Z". Kidding. Sorta.
Also I love at 5:29 where Bey is going off in the huge white dress.
Youtube comment for this scene: "When you can't fold the fitted sheet"
(I love the visual too but that comment made me LOL)
There's no reason to overproduce Beyonce's verses like that.
The entire production sounds like the currently chart dominating style of trap music. I'm not a huge fan of the genre but I think they made a great version that's still true to the Carter sound.
posted by like_neon at 2:52 AM on June 19, 2018
I'm confused though, why is it credited to The Carters when this is clearly "Beyonce feat. Jay-Z". Kidding. Sorta.
Also I love at 5:29 where Bey is going off in the huge white dress.
Youtube comment for this scene: "When you can't fold the fitted sheet"
(I love the visual too but that comment made me LOL)
There's no reason to overproduce Beyonce's verses like that.
The entire production sounds like the currently chart dominating style of trap music. I'm not a huge fan of the genre but I think they made a great version that's still true to the Carter sound.
posted by like_neon at 2:52 AM on June 19, 2018
FYI the whole album is on Spotify and Apple Music now.
posted by like_neon at 5:51 AM on June 19, 2018
posted by like_neon at 5:51 AM on June 19, 2018
You don't have to be Beyoncé to rent out the Louvre, it turns out.
posted by Peach at 7:46 PM on June 19, 2018
posted by Peach at 7:46 PM on June 19, 2018
Well, that takes absolutely nothing away from the gloriousness of the video or the artistic metaphors.
posted by Anonymous at 6:33 AM on June 21, 2018
posted by Anonymous at 6:33 AM on June 21, 2018
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