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If Fans Get Their Way, The Video Goes Away



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What Beyonce Knowles and Jay-Z do behind closed doors is their own business. The couple has brought a bit of bedroom behavior onto television screens in their new video for Deja Vu. And fans don't like it.

Deja Vu is the lead single off Beyonce's B'Day album that's due out in September. The release is set to drop on Beyonce's b-day.

Fans are dying for the album - but not the video.

There's a petition filed online, complaining that, amongst other things, "The sexual themes and shots between Ms. Knowles and Mr. Sean Carter PKA Jay-Z, are alarming and show unacceptable interactions between the two" is a reason that the video needs to be re-shot.

As of August 1, there were 5,579 signatures on the petition. If it's the video they're worried about, they must not have been listening to the song.

It isn't clever, and it isn't catchy. Jay-Z raps monotonously, and Beyonce belts out her high vocals at inopportune times. And the vocals are actually pretty raunchy.

"I used to run base like Juan Pierre/Now I run the bass, hi hat and the snare/I used to bag girls like Birkin Bags/Now I bag B," Jay-Z raps.

And Beyonce adds: "Boy you hurtin' that."

Beyonce goes on to sing: "Your sexiness is so appealing/I can't let it go."

Video watchers, however, can entirely.

Beyonce doesn't seem to be the goody two-shoes who led Destiny's Child into the spotlight not too long ago. The girl group was named for the Book of Isaiah. I'm not particularly well versed on that book of the Bible, but I'm sure "bagging" isn't something the Lord smiles upon.

Destiny's Child started out as a duo - with nine-year-olds Beyonce and childhood friend LaTavia Roberson performing as Girls Tyme. Adding Kelly Rowland made the group a trio, and LeToya Luckett's addition three years after Girls Tyme was formed made a quartet. It was then that the name was changed to Destiny's Child. Robertson and Luckett were replaced with Michelle Williams and Farrah Franklin in 2000. It was a surprise to the former members, who took legal action. That didn't slow down Destiny's Child. In fact, the publicity around the member changes seemed to give the group more popularity. Destiny's Child eventually lost Franklin due to "personal reasons." It lasted as a trio, but the group called it quits in 2005.

That opened the doors for Beyonce's solo career, which began in 2003. Her debut album, Dangerously In Love took the top spot on the Billboard 200 and R&B charts. Off the album was Crazy In Love, a single with Jay-Z.

That duet flooded the airwaves. Everyone who listens to mainstream radio will be happy if this one doesn't.

The petition can be viewed at http://www.petitiononline.com/dejavu4u/petition.html. And, by all means, sign away.

Comments
great article, beyonces behavior has serverely damaged her image as a sweet southern girl, not just with this last video, i thought the Cater to you video and song was a shocker with the 3 girls naked on a beach.
Posted by: Michelle | August 2, 2006 12:25 PM
Great article Lisa! Your right, noone wants to see or hear any of that. I knew there was a reason i didn;t like Beyonce, Shes ruined her rep. Nice job, Your a great writer. Do you know where this petition is?
Posted by: Stevie | August 2, 2006 01:17 PM
This is a great article but i think that all this commotion is for NOTHING!!!!!I mean,it's not like she is naked in the video and plus her and jay-z have always been all over each other....If this video is going to be taken down because it's "explicit",then all the rap videos out there should also be taken down because we all know how OVER THE TOP they are with girls runnin,shakin their BOOTIES with NO CLOTHES ON!!!!
Posted by: Diana | August 6, 2006 11:20 AM
i think lately beyonce's sexyness has gotten to her head, she needs to tone it down because our young girls are watching her and wanting to be like her., and if sex is all our kids see what's gooing to happen to our future i don't see a very bright one
Posted by: yanira | August 7, 2006 12:42 PM
This is the silliest thing I have heard in awhile. Beyonce is a great entertainer and if someone doesn't like the video--turn the channel. If you don't want your kids to watch it--turn it off. All these explicit, down right raunchy videos that are out and people have the nerve to complain about this one. I wonder if maybe people dedicated more energy and effort into pulling these degrading rap videos off the air--we might actually have a chance at raising a generation of daughters who actually respect themselves and don't feel they have to succumb to the image displayed of women in rap videos. Leave Beyonce alone, there are others who deserve this type of attention a lot more than she does.
Posted by: Crystal | August 8, 2006 03:11 PM
I know that people are used to seeing Beyonce one way but she is a younglady now in a serious relationship. There is nothing in this video that say's this is whats going on in our bedroom it's music. Maybe some of you have never been in love and at some point you know that her style of video would change because she is now on her own. But then it might be safe to say you just dont know the meanig of Deja Vu. Give it a rest you have seen worse.
Posted by: Ne Ne | August 9, 2006 02:00 PM
this article is completely outrageous. There is nothing degrading nor explicit in Beyonce's new video, it's a video. There are other video's out there that are explicit that you need to be worrying about. I agree leave Beyonce alone. This is just another way for people to continue to hate on the multitalented singer. If you don't like the video turn the channel.
Posted by: nadia | August 9, 2006 02:52 PM
beyonce is now a twenty-something. she can shake her sex appeal with legitamcy. there is nothing wrong with the video or the song. it is no worse than all the other moronic videos out there. okay, the worst thing may be that jay-z taps her ass and grabs her crotch. it just shows that he considers his girlfriend a trophy. considering how publicly scrutinized their relationship is he may not want to be sexually graphic with his girlfriend in a music video as though she was just another "video ho". nevertheless, the video does not warrant all the opposition. the dancing is fine. beyonce seems to like simulating african dance in her videos.
Posted by: indigo jones | August 11, 2006 03:27 PM
Beyonce. Sure, she has changed a lot since Girls Tyme and Destiny's Child, but if you compare this video to all the other rapper's videos, you'll notice how pure this video is. Sure, Beyonce and Jay-z kinda show their love, but if you see Eminem's videos, the girls actually strip all the way. How come nobody made a gigantic petition against him? BECAUSE EVERYONE EXPECTS NOTHING BETTER. Stop expecting people to be all pure, because we people aren't pure. I believe people are mad at Beyonce either because they believe she is turning to society or THEY'VE NEVER WATCHED ANYTHING ELSE besides her pure little videos. Suck it up, people, and if you really are hating it, just don't watch it. It's not against the law; the president doesn't care; Beyonce might change it just because Beyonce's nice. My advice: it's their life. It's their video. You're the CONSUMER, the CUSTOMER. You don't like it. You don't buy it. It's a loss for them. Maybe then, they'll change something next time. Remember, life isn't fair, and things don't always change for you.
Posted by: jackie | August 19, 2006 05:58 PM
Get over it... You are just hating on Beyonce because she is beautiful, she works hard to have the beautiful body that she does, she is an adult and she should be able to show whatever she wants, how much she wants, and whenever she wants. The video isn't even bad, I've seen a hell of alot worse, and not only in rap videos, in all genres of music videos. I've also seen Beyonce in videos in alot less clothes than she has on in Deja Vu. Parents should be monitoring what their kids are watching anyhow, so if they feel the video is too explicit for their children then turn the television as simple as that, or better yet don't let your kids watch t.v. at all, because now a days in the 21st century every other channel you turn too has sexual scenes, scantily dressed women, even teens having sex. Get over it, if you don't like it don't listen to it or buy her album or watch her video. People there are a lot of other things in this world to worry about. Instead of worrying about Beyonce and Jay-z's video. How about e-mailing your government for more help for the Katrina victims, or help with fighting poverty, or this Aids epidemic we have. In other words there are more important things in life, and whether you like it or not, BET, and MTV love the video and no matter how many signitures you get the video won't go off air, hell, I just watched it a few minutes ago, it's sexy and unfortunately in this day and time sex sells.
Posted by: Maiya | September 5, 2006 05:06 AM
We all know that Beyonce is not a little girl but an aspiring young woman. Contrary to what they post her age at, we all know she may be older. She has not done anything any different than J-Lo when she was dating Ben Affleck or Madonna when she was a free for all girl selling sex to make it big. My thing is, if you got it, use it, and she has in good taste. She looks great for whatever age she is and has promoted thickness to the utmost. All I can say is, as long as she keeps good business savy and doesn't allow herself to be exploited as most female entertainers do to sell sex for profit and that's all imagery, I say You do you Ms. Knowles!
Posted by: Danielle | September 7, 2006 08:51 AM
I can't believe people are taking her skill and her gift of being creative and making it a bad thing! Jennifer Lopez, Janet Jackson and Ciara to name a few...have done extremely sexy videos and they are very good dancers as well. Stop hating!!!! People, stop hating!!! Please! People are just mad because they can't look that good, and maybe they don't work that hard to earn their money. Nothing wrong with being in love and singing about it. Everyone else is singing about what they want to. If you will make a petition for her to re-shoot her video, then make a petition for these too! CHINGY, JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE, SNOOP DOG, USHER, NELLY, FERGIE, MADONNA THE LIST GOES ON AND ON AND ON! Let this girl grow into her own. She'll learn, lets stop judging everything.
Posted by: Shay | December 10, 2006 02:45 AM
Gimme a brake - the woman is grown - she sings about what she wanna sing about and he too does the same - who are you to say what they should and shouldnt have on they lyrics ... GIMME A BRAKE
Posted by: Lakim | December 27, 2006 06:52 AM
beyonce , i love you u are my favourit singer . did jay-z ever tell u that u are the most beautiful girl in the word .
Posted by: davilla bionao | March 2, 2007 09:45 AM
i love you beyonce your the best,and your my role model keep doing your thing,and let the haters hate.....
Posted by: shante | July 16, 2007 12:03 PM
yall can't be serious what is the matter yall people. Do yall notice and understand that Beyonce is a grown woman. Thats probably why she tryna create a new image. No woman wants to be a little girl all they life. If these young girls do what the see on tv they was gonna do it anyways. Its not the music it the parents. Schools are filled with sexual activity I never saw a parent in schools complaining. Beyonce may be a idol but do you people say all the time she added up with her innocence. Children should never wanna be like a grown woman. She help if she have a body that young boy enjoy looking at most likely the seen closer bodys then that. Beyonce if you ever read this girl write me something on my e-mail cause ill help you all the way. Then you can listen to my music. just kidden but i can sing and write
Posted by: Faith Haywards | November 27, 2007 08:42 AM
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