Let’s just get right into it – Beyoncé is THAT BITCH! PERIODTTTT!! ALL THE T’s!!  There is no greater living entertainer on the planet. Period. Before I take it back, I will add more to it.  Argue with your aunties and grandmas don’t argue with me.

Beyoncé  came to Coachella to snatch all the vanilla, #FFFFFF, flower crowns and snatch them she did! Bitch. Beyoncé  is so damn smart. First of all, she knew good and got damn well, we ain’t have no Coachella money. I got bills to pay. I don’t have money to be frolicking through the grass in some crocheted outfit with a floral wreath on my head. Beyoncé  knew that. So, what did she do? Give us a FREE CONCERT when it debuted on YouTube at 2 am in the morning. My ass was up watching that like it was part of repartitions. Thank you rich, White people for paying for our free concert. Hey. Get it how you can get it. Then she stopped the world ONCE AGAIN when her performance along with backstage footage debuted on Netflix.

It is being reported that Beyoncé  made 60 million dollars for the Netflix deal and other projects that are under wraps. Some people came online and spoke about Ariana Grande being paid $8 million dollars in comparison to Beyoncé ‘s $4 million however, I am unsure if that is true because some are reporting they were paid the same amount. What I do know is that Beyoncé  is strategic. Beyoncé  is always thinking of the LONG GAME!  How she can flip this FOUR million to SIXTY million!  She is about her PAPER!  If you listen to her lyrics, she is always reminding women to take the stance of “F.U. Pay me!”  YOU GET A BAG! YOU GET A BAG!  GET ALL THE BAGS BEYONCÉ !

I knew once I watched Homecoming I was going to watch it again and again and again.  First of all, only Beyoncé can get me up dancing for two hours. My trainer would be pleased. He tells me to plank for 30 seconds, and my body is shaking like a lone leaf in Chicago wind, crying after 10 seconds but magically when Beyoncé is on stage, I can dance, twerk, J-set and everything else. And honey when I say twerk I twerked for my soul!! I twerked like it was the 1st of the month and the rent was due. I could hear the beat of the drums, and the ancestors took over my body! I was in my room having a full-blown concert experience. My knee was popping, but I didn’t give a damn! My knee will pop for Beyoncé along with every damn thing else. Let’s get it!

Honey! Whew chillleeeee. Watching Beyoncé  made me think, “Hannah you need to gather your life. I mean ALL OF IT!” She is one of the most disciplined, dedicated people I have witnessed in action. These are just SOME of the lessons I learned watching Homecoming that I will be using in my life.

1. Take A Stand. It would have been EASY for Beyoncé to perform at Coachella and play it safe. But babbyyyyyyy Beyoncé  said, “Not today!” Beyoncé  hit Coachella with “I’m Black yall!” If you didn’t know, because after her Super Bowl performance of Formation many of y’all forgot, Beyoncé  is Black. And honey, at Coachella she slapped you upside the head with a reminder. The entire set was based on Historically Black Colleges and Universities culture-drumlines, stepping, J-setting, everything Black! And just in case you didn’t get it, she hit you with Lift Every Voice and Sannggg not Sing and sing it she did! PROUDLY! And she made NO APOLOGIES FOR IT!

2. If You Have An Opportunity To Stand In A Space, TAKE IT! Coachella is not something that is traditionally a Black space. Beyoncé said it was more important that she bring our culture to Coachella. It was important that she bring Black in that space. I remember I had the opportunity to stand in a White space and I made a choice that that day. I was bringing everything Black, and if they NEVER invited me back, I was okay with that. What was important to me is that I spoke the truth in that space because I had the opportunity. It wasn’t just about me. It was about EVERY little Black girl or boy that I knew would be coming behind me. Some of us are called to be spacemakers so stand, even when you are uncomfortable, and make space for those that you may never see, may never know but that will have the opportunity because you dared to speak the truth in uncomfortable spaces.

3. Being Great Will Take Sacrifice. I noticed watching Beyoncé perform it looks like she doesn’t even break a sweat.  It looks effortless watching her sing and dance flawlessly for hours.  I always say if someone who is at the top of their game makes it look effortless, it is because hours upon hours of practice have gone what they are doing.  Then we see the backstage footage and hear her speak about coming back to her profession after giving birth to twins after having high blood pressure, preeclampsia, and an emergency c-section. Hell, I ain’t fully recovered from my emergency c-section and my daughter is 23. Beyoncé  had to change her diet, her workout, damn near everything to be at Coachella. She was willing to make the sacrifice to achieve what she considered to be her level of greatness. I ask myself this all the time – “Hannah are you preparing for what you are praying for?” Are you willing to sacrifice to achieve what you want to achieve in life?

4. Uplift Others. Beyoncé took the time to highlight so many people that probably would have never been given such a huge stage and spotlight. She isn’t worried about being overshadowed. She knows who she is and doesn’t mind sharing the spotlight. It was wonderful to see Destiny’s Child members Kelly and Michelle come out and share the stage with Beyoncé  on such a historic night. Always remember the spotlight is big enough for everyone. Be secure in who you are and what you are called to do! There is only ONE you but EVERYONE can shine!

5. Stand On Your History. Even as PHENOMENAL as Beyoncé is, she recognizes she didn’t get to where she is today alone. She stands on the shoulders of Black men and women that came before her, and she never forgets that! She even paid homage to the icon Tina Tuner when she said, “Where I’m from, we do things nice and stanky,” which is a play on Tina’s “You see, we never ever do nothing nice and easy. We always do it nice and rough,” line from Proud Mary. Throughout the documentary, Beyoncé  shared quotes from Audre Lorde, Nina Simone, Maya Angelou, Mariam Wright Edelman, WEB Dubois, and many other Black leaders. She never forgets her history and understands because of their sacrifice, she can stand in spaces today.

6. DON’T SETTLE! Too often we settle. Kinda good will just do. Beyoncé doesn’t settle. She seeks, chases after and seizes perfection. And she demands perfection from everyone around her. Beyoncé  said, “I respect things that take work. I respect things that are built from the ground up. I’m super specific about every detail. Every tiny detail had an intention.” Beyoncé  doesn’t settle and lower the bar. She raises the bar and demands that everyone reaches it. Stop settling!

7. If You Have A Platform Use It To Allow Others To See Themselves In Spaces. Babbbbyyyy I was looking at all the dancers, and I saw dancers that did not have what many would consider the “traditional” dancer’s body. It was nice to see dancers with curves KILLING IT! It was nice to see a Black orchestra. Beyoncé had a chance to walk into a space, and she didn’t just hold the door open, she kicked it off the dame hinges and allowed us to bone crush and c-walk right up in Coachella.
8. Learn The Art of a Dignified Read. When Beyoncé stood at the top of the stairs and said, “Thank you for letting me be the first black woman to headline Coachella ain’t that bout a bitch,” she knew EXACTLY WHAT SHE WAS DOING! Sure, Coachella provided the platform, but Beyoncé  was going to let them know it made no sense in 2018 for her to be the first Black woman to headline this event. She thanked them, then read them. Everything doesn’t have to be loud, but a well-placed dignified read can get the job done.  
9. Leave a Legacy to Inspire Others. One of my favorite moments of Homecoming was watching Beyoncé  whisper the words to Lift Every Voice and Sing to her daughter Blue Ivy as she sings the lyrics. What a beautiful moment. Beyoncé  is instilling truth in her daughter. Beyoncé  went on to say, “I feel we made something that made my daughter proud, my mother, my father all of the people that are my brothers and sisters proud around the world. And that’s why I live! That may park a vision, and that shows them to dream big, show them they are limitless it’s possible. If my country ass can do it, they can do it.” Do something that inspires others to dare to try. Anything is possible. We are not called to be Beyoncé , there is only one Beyoncé. But all of us have gifts. Use your gifts to inspire others and leave a legacy for those coming behind you.

Homecoming is a dynamic display of pure and uncut Black Excellence.  Watching Beyoncé ‘s discipline and dedication is inspiring. It should be a reminder to all of us that anything is possible and for many of us, we need to dream bigger, have a gigantic vision, and work to make it happen. I stand in awe of the queen and like she says, “BOW DOWN!”

Beyoncé is THAT BITCH. PERIODT!!!