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Killer Mike On The Message Behind Beyoncé’s ‘Formation’

Killer Mike visited Real Time With Bill Maher this week, where they discussed Beyoncé’s Super Bowl half-time performance among other issues.

Beyonce’s performance of her new track Formation gained a lot of controversy, with some accusing it as being polarising and anti-police. New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani has described the performance as “ridiculous,” saying it was “outrageous that she used it as a platform to attack police officers.”

Mike goes on to explain the message behind her performance. “Let me start by saying this: White people, it’s not always about you.”

“When you hear her talk about the record, she says like first, ‘I’m not in the Illuminati.’ She’s talking to other black people saying, ‘Look stupid, because I’m not at Ferguson when you want me to be doesn’t mean I sold you out.’ And then the rest of the first verse is her telling other black people, ‘I like being black, this is the type of black I am. I like the fact my daughter’s black, I like my old Michael Jackson nose, I like my child with an afro. I like me.’ White people, that conversation wasn’t even for you.”

He linked the performance to black history as taught in school, specifically socialist group Black Panther Party who fought for self defense against the minorities. “The Black Panthers were a socialist group for any downtrodden people, and at that time, they happened to be black, but they said for all people.”

The other panel members, Ana Navarro, Josh Green and Margaret Cho, all chimed in on the conversation. Green looked at those angered by the performance, explaining, “The image of dancing black militants is like their nightmare come to life, and right in the middle of the big game that every Republican is watching.”

Cho remarked, “Black pride doesn’t have to take anything away from white culture. I think this is what Black America needed. It’s what all of us needed.”

During the show, they also spoke about the legislation of marijuana, the war in Iraq and supporting Bernie Sanders.

Watch Mike’s passionate message below.

Image: Pitchfork