Just my opinion: I think Solange Knowles LOVES how much attention she’s received since the footage came out of her full-on assault of her brother-in-law. Solange has been doing red carpets, reveling in her fashionista status, and generally looking smug as hell. She not only got away with assaulting Jay-Z, but she’s more famous than ever and people even want to talk to her more than ever. Thus, she is the August cover girl for Lucky Magazine. I’m not really feeling the shoot, but I rarely like Lucky’s editorials. In the interview, Solange briefly touches on the elevator altercation. It’s almost like she doesn’t even realize that this is literally the only reason people want to talk to her.
Solange Knowles is now pulling her punches. In an interview with Lucky Magazine, Beyoncé’s singer sister glosses over her infamous elevator beatdown of brother-in-law Jay Z, calling the shocking showdown “that thing.”
“What’s important is that my family and I are all good,” said Solange, who got dolled up in ’60s chic for the mag’s August issue. “What we had to say collectively was in the statement that we put out, and we all feel at peace with that.”
She unleashed her fury on a stunned Jay Z in an elevator at The Standard hotel during a Met Gala after-party in May. Solange had to be restrained by a bodyguard and left the party steaming.
The family issued a vanilla statement shortly after security footage of the brawl surfaced.
“We love each other and, above all, we are family. We’ve put this behind us and hope everyone else will do the same,” the statement said.
Yes, Solange. “That thing.” That thing where you punched, kicked and spit on your brother-in-law and had to be physically restrained by your sister’s bodyguard so you wouldn’t do more damage. I’m not saying that Jay-Z was or is not a shady character. I’m just saying that I cannot stand how everyone – from Solange herself to members of the media – has minimized a violent assault into a quasi-punchline (so to speak). Ugh.
Photos courtesy of Lucky, WENN.
I don’t know what it is about Solange’s mouth that bugs me, but her bright shades of lipstick and the curve of her upper lip always seem to give her a mustache in the untouched photos. Surely it isn’t my eyes, is it?
Or the fact that hipster garbage comes flying out of it when it moves? That may exacerbate the issue.
No, I also see the ‘Stache and it bugs me so much! I wax mine and so should she
Crazy as hell, and if I were Beyonce I would have a really difficult time forgiving her for putting my business in the streets.
To me, I always got the feeling she has some kind of a chip on her shoulder/is easy to anger. I do not think “that thing” helped her career any. Someone who might have been interested with working with her might be having second thoughts now. But I feel that she probably feels that she showed everyone she is someone to be reckoned with, and actually earned herself some respect. JMHO.
Agree. She’s finally getting that attention she’s been wanting. Part of me thinks she secretly enjoys that it also took her sister down a few notches in the process. But I have a bad case of middle child syndrome, so I may be projecting.
I kind of think you’re right – I imagine she always wanted the same level of fame and she was always only famous as “Bey’s sis”, so she must be enjoying the attention plus her sister’s perfect life starting to crack …
She already said she didn’t because she saw what her sister went through. She’s doing just fine in her own little corner with Janelle Monae and the likes.
Personally I love B’s music but I do prefer Solange’s. She has more artistic freedom and she got the critical acclaim much faster than her sister. Plus her style is banging!
@Artemis: wow, ok, I didn’t even realise she was known for music or anything – for anything other than being Bey’s sis. Good to know!
There’s a vast range between “Beyonce fame” and “Solange fame” and I do agree with the perception that Solange would prefer to be more successful. She has a nice little career, but considering that she owes her sister for every door that opened to her, I would imagine that genuine fame and success would be a validation for her. And I agree with Kaiser’s take. There’s a certain amount of “I deserve this” coming out of that girl.
I think she is a ignorant thug who would do anything for attention…. Want all the rewards of being famous but not willing to do the craft. Or be grateful when she is riding someone else coat tails.
Every family has one. Just trying to shake off a member of my family doing the same. So, I to maybe projecting.
Was “absence without leave” when I was building my business, now thinks she can walk into my office and talk to my staff in a disrespectable.
Artemis: Your comment is what I was trying to say down below, but you said it better. It’s easy for people who weren’t checking for Solange in the first place to say that she’s finally getting the attention she’s wanted. Fans of her music know that Beyonce-type fame is NOT what she wants. She’s very successful in her own lane.
@AlmondJoy:
I read your other comment too. It’s so true though, like who are these people trying to put her in her place and spreading lies when it’s obvious they weren’t checking for her ass until the incident? They know nothing yet hey have a million theories.
@Artemis: no need to be agressive. You clarified a comment, I thanked you for the information. So how about we drop the drama?
With all due respect most of you seem to be projecting and you are half correct and half incorrect. Also a knowledge of the entire arc of the sisters’ careers to gain some perspective is beneficial. Solange was a child star guest appearing on tv commercials and a few sitcoms etc. her career was supposed to be as big as Beyonce’s but in a different way. Those plans were only frustrated when she became a teen mom. So yes she is probably very frustrated and angry about how things turned out but she and her sister are close. They don’t let much come between them and the ebb and flow of relationships and public opinion don’t affect them. Beyonce has credited her sister on her album for teaching her how to shake off and ignore haters. Solange is nany things and not all of them above reproach but she is not passive aggressive about Beyonce. When everything and everyone else is history Bey, Solange and Tina will be standing side by side, tacky get-ups and all.
@dame: I think we can all agree that this is all just speculation – I feel comfortable assuming that none of us know any member of the Knowles family.
Solange indeed got a big push as a child/young adult performer as her sister’s star ascended, and while things were derailed when she got pregnant (and married) the reality was that many of her efforts simply didnt take off, and yet she’s still given opportunities and press that other performers of her stature simply would never get. We’re talking about an incident at the Met Ball for goodness sake. And it could be that she just has a major case of RBF for all we know. But I’ll admit, I’ve always gotten a little bit of an Ashlee Simpson vibe from Solange (not to imply she’s of an Ashlee Simpson level of musical talent) and a bit of a Joe Simpson vibe from Matthew Knowles (though he hasn’t managed her in a while, right?).
Bridget
Sounds fair – I just don’t agree with views of schadenfreude or spite towards Beyonce towards Beyonce from Solange. Otherwise I completely with your take. I wonder if she has any acting chops. Her not quite hidden brand of trouble could smolder on the big screen if the right script could translate it into passion or angst, imo.
ETA heck of a lot of typos but I’m in a hurry to finish dinner lol. Sorry. Bye!
I don’t want to revisit the elevator thing again. Too much drama on the threads. So off to a different angle, I think her style and looks are much more interesting than Beyonce’s.
Solange’s style has always knocked me out! I agree with you on both those points.
Agreed.
Yup. Agree!
I do like her style, she seems like she has a lot more freedom than B.
Not to stoke the drama fire…but it doesn’t seem to me that she called the elevator incident “that thing” . I keep seeing that reported in the media headlines, but from what I am reading here, she calls it simply “that”. Makes a difference in how she comes across, IMO.
Right here with ya! I’m loving the wig-fro on the cover. Wish I could get mine to do that wave thing but it needs growing out some more.
If this was a guy everyone would want see him locked up in jail. Now that she’s a woman she gets to be on a magazine cover?
I hear ya, yet Chris Brown continues to get standing ovations at award shows.
Yes Chris Brown gets awards and standing ovations at awards shows but the media still hold his feet to the fire in interviews about his assault of RiRi. He has never got an applause for beating up RiRi, he was arrested, placed on trial etc. Other celebrities speak out against him all the time as do women’s groups. All of which he deserves and more.
Solange’s attack on Jay Z is no where on the same level of Chris Brown’s almost murder of RiRi and can never be compared. However I hate that she suffered no consequences from her assault and gets positive press for it. The police didn’t even question her.
If he was a guy, he’d be on average six inches taller than her, sixty pounds heavier, and with about 20% more muscle. He would break bones, rupture organs, and induce miscarriage. He would have begun the relationship by presenting himself as the perfect boyfriend, an absolute prince, building her up till she needed him. He would gradually and subtly isolate her from family and friends, start moving her physically away from her support network, and sabotage her birth control because children link a woman with a man forever. Finally, when he’d worn her down, he’d begin hitting her. If she tried to leave, he’d threaten to kill the pets——-or the kids. If she DID leave, the chance are good he WOULD kill her.
Please tell me you are not excusing her behaviour… She is a talentless ignorant violent thug.
Intelligent people both male and female find other ways to fight their battles
So Solange did no wrong? Could Jay-z cause her major physical damage if he wanted to? Absolutely. But he didn’t. And if Solange thought that he might have retalliate, she wouldn’t lose her sh-t that way.
I know it doesn’t apply to this situation but domestic violence is not always commited by the strong one. There are many psychological aspects of it as well. So men cannot be victim of domestic violence because they are stronger argument is bullsh-t.
Not a popular opinion on these threads but I’m with you, fairyvexed.
So tired of people’s need to equalize every scenario in a misguided attempt to claim that everything is a double standard.
The most annoying part is that if you show an ounce of critical thinking on these threads, everyone starts with the reactionary screaming “WHY ARE YOU EXCUSING HER BEHAVIOR?” and it’s impossible to have a rational discussion about the variables and gender imbalances inherent in domestic violence cases. By the way, this incident, unlike Chris Brown and Rihanna, is NOT an incident of domestic violence.
A woman gets beaten by a boyfriend/husband every 15 seconds and 95% of abuse cases are perpetrated by men against women. It doesn’t mean that what Solange did was right, but I save my empathy and sadness for the 4 women that die every day in the US at the hands of a man.
I agree with the opinions expressed here that violence should not be applauded but I don’t see that happening on the Solange threads (at least in this forum). Overwhelmingly, people have been condemning her behavior as crass and appalling, so what exactly is the problem here? People are mad she wasn’t thrown in jail? Why don’t you blame Jay Z for not pressing charges?
And with that I’m out of here because these threads give me a headache.
^Yep, This is exactly the reactionary response I was talking about.
*SIGH*
No one is “victim-blaming”, I’m simply explaining the facts: she was not thrown in jail because Jay Z didn’t press charges. It’s disingenuous and simply factually incorrect to suggest that she wasn’t arrested because she’s a woman. Legally, in order for her to be arrested, Jay Z would have had to press charges.
Yeah no. I never said anything about gender. Domestic violence constitutes a PATTERN of behavior, not ONE incident and I’m pretty shocked that you wouldn’t know that.
But this is what I’m talking about: you extrapolated and jumped all over me with inferences and insinuations without actually reading what I wrote.
Again, impossible to have a rational discussion.
@theoriginalkitten, I am with you on this one.
Jay-Z, who obviously has the physical advantage, could have easily subdued Solange or frankly knocked her the f*ck out. Straight up cold-c*cked her. That’s what Chris Brown did. Repeatedly. Therefore, to imply that this incident is similar to Chris Brown’s battery against RiRi is to dreg up a false equivalence.
@K-“You’re not “simply stating the facts”. You wrote “why don’t you blame Jay for not pressing charges”, downplaying the fact that he was ASSAULTED and implying it was his own damn fault. If I misread you (which I didn’t) try being a little more specific next time.”
Yeah you did misread me. Stating that you didn’t misread me doesn’t actually make it so.
My point was that if you’re angry that Solange didn’t get arrested, then you have no one to blame but Jay Z. That’s how the law works and that’s the simple truth of the matter. Again, if he doesn’t press charges, then she doesn’t go to jail.
Simple fact.
“I’m shocked at people going: “Well, it’s not a big deal, he could have easily beaten her down”. NO! This is the problem. People EXPECT men to beat women. Jay did not lay a single hand on her while she was full-on attacking him and STILL he’s the perpetrator? That doesn’t seem right to me. Plus, there’s the whole “black male rapper, was a drug dealer 30 years ago, he deserved it” – argument that is so racists it’s too disgusting to get into.”
Uh, are you reading the same thread as me? Overwhelmingly, 9 out of 10 comments are saying that Solange was wrong to attack Jay Z, so why all the pearl-clutching again?
Nobody said anything about Jay Z being a black rapper—that’s all you, actually. I’m not even quite sure why you mentioned it as his race has nothing to do with it.
Please stop perpetuating the falsehood that men being abused by women is some sort of societal epidemic. It happens and yes, it is underreported because of the shame factor but to say that it’s on the same level as the rampant abuse and murder of women by men who are their spouse or boyfriend is just ridiculous. Violence is violence and it’s always wrong, but please GET REAL–women are more likely to get killed by a male partner than anyone else. Do you know who’s most likely to kill a man? Another man. We can all agree that what Solange Knowles did was wrong but understand the fact that the epidemic violence against women is the main reason why people get so outraged at the Chris Brown or the Oscar Pristorious incident . We’re just f*cking sick of it. THAT is why women react so strongly. Because it happens TOO. DAMN. OFTEN.
“Also, you don’t know Solange any better than the rest of us do. Who’s to say this was an isolated incident? It looked like a regular occurence to me = domestic violence.”
Well, because I’m a logical person that always takes the approach of “I don’t know what I don’t know”. I have ZERO proof that she’s been physically abusing Jay Z for years. The only thing I know for sure is this one occurrence so no, I’m not going to make a giant leap and assume it’s a perpetual problem without one iota of proof.
My mind isn’t going to change on this issue so yeah, it probably is a waste of your time to keep arguing with me about it.
@OK I have never equalized Chris Brown and Solange. Chris almost killed Rihanna. I agree they shouldn’t be compared. Although I get what you are saying, this kind of behaviour makes men who are victims of domestic violence decide against turning the offender in because they are condescended by people.
I stand my point that if Solange thought that there was a chance Jay-z would struck her, she wouldn’t lose her sh-t. And let’s be honest, most families do have some crazy fights. People are not always on their best behavior. I have been in middle of many family fights like this, Jay-z probably didn’t care as much as we did.
@TheOriginalKitten: Thank you for your very well thought-out arguments. I wish I had your eloquence down thread to help me :). I GREATLY appreciate your comments today … and always have.
I was really frustrated last week about the Assault vs. Domestic Violence argument. I think it was in the Katherine Heigl thread, but I decided not to post it (especially since it would have seemed out of place). I sometimes feel that people are having this intense response to the Solange case to seem “enlightened” or “fair” when it comes to DV. However, I think folks are not aware of how uninformed these responses make them seem. It also concerns me that some posters have been quicker to call out Solange than they have Mel Gibson, Tom Cruise, Charlie Sheen, etc. I think that is a reflection of our society with regards to the way we view women, opinions of how women “should” be treated, what healthy relationships actually look like, and DV overall.
Thank you, TheOriginalKitten, LadySlippers, paranormalgirl, and Kiddo for consistently spreading awareness about DV on these boards.
EDIT: I shouldn’t have said “to say that it’s on the same level..”
It is on the same level. No violence is “lesser” than the other. What I meant to say is that violence perpetuated by women against men hasn’t been destroying the moral fabric of our society for centuries the way DV against women has.
I hate how acknowledging the difference is immediately seen as “minimizing”–it frustrates the hell out of me. I don’t see why it’s perceived as mutually exclusive to say that two things are equally wrong in a moral sense (violence as a whole), but to acknowledge that the legacy of violence against women is tied to the history of women being viewed as property and assigned a gender role that is subservient to men and also other women. This is something men as a whole will never have to experience and that alone makes DV different for us, not “worse” but different- it’s a human rights violation that’s been impeding gender equality for centuries.
Thanks, Hiddles-right back atcha! 😉
I agree with Kitten and Hiddles. No need to restate their excellent points. I’m just sorry that so few people on this thread seem to be unable to understand them without drawing false-equivalencies and trying to make this some sort of misandry!
You’re describing systematic domestic violence. Obviously much different than an isolated assault but that doesn’t mean Solange shouldn’t be held accountable.
I’m just here to +10 TheOriginalKitten.
She also got a ‘you go girl’ and huge applause from a national TV talk show (Wendy Williams). We also don’t refer to the incident as assault, just a beat down or a fight. So sick of the smugness from this woman. If she had any grace or class she wouldn’t be turning an assault into an attempt to get more famous. She would turn down these interviews. We will see where she ends up years down the road when the media gets bored with her.
I liking you more, with every comment you make
Not cool we don’t need this person celebrated for being violent.
I’m not excusing anything but I’m sick of people acting like she’s the same or worse than somebody like Chris Brown. People magnify what women do and minimize what men do. I hate false equivalence and this case is full of it. She’s not Charlie Sheen or Sean Connery.
Luca didn’t compare her to Chris Brown, Charlie Sheen or any violent man. She said we don’t need a violent person celebrated.
Did I miss something about Sean Connery or is that a typo?!
I totally agree. I used to admire her for trying to carve out a niche for herself in the shadow of the family’s perfect child, beyonce. I see now that Solange is petulant and not above violence to get her point across. The only reason she didn’t do Chris Brown level damage is that the bodyguard intervened. I no longer care for her, don’t want to know what she’s wearing, don’t wanna see her on magazine covers and don’t wanna hear beyonce cooing about this chick in need of therapy. It makes me wonder if she’s violent toward the quiet older gentleman she’s been dating for a couple years.
I can’t believe her boyfriend is 20+ years older than her. Yeesh.
“Guys you know you better watch out
Some girls, some girls are only about
That thing, that thing, that t-h-i-n-g”
Now I have the Lauren Hill song stuck in my head.
ha ha me too – thanks mia girl!
I love Lauryn Hill. Don’t tease me like this.
She wouldn’t have gotten that cover, that’s for sure.
I don’t want to burst your bubble, but Solange has been quite successful with her own independent music career for a while
now. She has done a lot of covers and editorials for many “underground” magazines and black publications since her EP. I don’t like people acting like she has blown up because of that assault, and I don’t think nobody would enjoy that kind of negative attention.
‘Nobody would enjoy this type of negative attention’
Yet she clearly does. If this was a man this video would have destroyed her. As an African American well aware of Solange I find it shameful that a woman of color who is embodying some of the worst stereotypes about black women is being celebrated. The fact that she isn’t taking an apologetic tone but instead tries to blow off her behavior as a normal part of her family is twisted and not what I choose to support.
I don’t think she enjoyed being called crazy,uncontrollable or hear that “her biggest hit in years was Jay-Z”. It was definitely embarassing and low for her and I think she definitely regrets it. What I meant with my comment is that she hasn’t been doing anything different from what she used to do pre-assault: having a fashionista status,DJing at events,doing concerts and editorials.She’s not being particularly celebrated.
Since you’re talking about sex reversal, what about Chris Brown? what about Sean Penn? They did even worse but still they are working steadily and getting applauded for their talent. Do I despise it? Yes, but miss me with the sexism.
Don’t bother, B is not liked here but despite the fact that Solange’s music IS better, B is held up as the ‘better’ sister/celeb for all those people who clearly don’t listen or know one iota about Solange’s career. Pitting sisters against each other is good gossip.
They’re mad because the Carter-Knowles just kept on going instead of apologising and grovelling for people who wouldn’t believe them anyway. I loved their statement that said everything while saying NOTHING at all :D.
The fact that this is also made into a ‘black issue’ with all the stereotyping and name-calling is typical. But there’s no racism here of course.
How is it stereotyping to react to an actual event? Solange behaved badly, and unfortunately it was caught on tape and publicly exposed. Do you think it’s normal and acceptable to attack a family member or express your displeasure with their behavior through violence? I honestly don’t understand why it’s racist to disapprove of that, and to say so, regardless of a person’s race, but maybe I’m just not getting your references.
I can’t stand Josh Brolin, Sean Penn, or Chris Brown specifically because of their violent behavior. In the case of Brolin and Penn the media likes to pretend it didn’t happen. In this case it rubs me the wrong way that she is on the cover on the heels of her violence against JayZ without even a mea culpa or a bit of regret .
I don’t have anything to say about Beyoncé she didn’t violently attack anyone on camera so she doesn’t need to apologize to anybody.
@ artemis: +1
I’m not sure I agree with Artemis’s comment in its entirety but I will say this: the repeated use of the word “thug” on this thread reminds me of the way many people stereotyped Trayvon Martin.
I don’t recall this kind of language used in reference to Penn or Brolin.
OKitten, that makes sense. I thought I was missing something.
Thanks for calling out the thug comments. Since we are talking . . . one of my pet peeves is also when we get shooters like Newtown, Columbine and the more resent ones . . . the shooters are always mentally ill. But when its Pookie, Juan, and Enrique, etc. . . . animals, don’t respect life, yadda, yadda, yadda. Never questions re: what’s happening to cause this @ the structural or even at the psychological/emotional level . . . just animals. Or in the case of George Zimmerman . . . a heroic defender of the free-world. Pookie, Juan, and Enrique, etc. will never get those accolades or those “excuses” applied to them. Then poor, white men [who are referred to as trash], it’s as if they don’t exist. Just invisible. And that has repercussions that are at once good and bad from them as a group. Just sayin’ . . .
YES, I really get disturbed by the “thug” comments.
Thanks Artemis!
“She has done a lot of covers and editorials for many “underground” magazines and black publications since her EP. I don’t like people acting like she has blown up because of that assault,”
You just said she was only on the cover of “underground” magazines before the assault and not mainstream ones. Therefore the assay IS the only reason she is finally getting mainstream covers. You are ruining your own argument. Solange hasn’t recently had any big hit, got some fashion contract or won a major award. She is getting this cover ONLY because of her new infamy and it’s obvious that she is enjoying it.
P.S. I don’t even like JayZ just believe as a feminist Solange should not be celebrated for assaulting someone.
Well said T.C. Thank you
Oh please, Lucky Magazine is not Vogue.
I stand firm by my argument : she was featured in Vogue several times as fashion icon,she performed at Glastonbury, her EP was a critical and commericial ( in the indie music world) success.She went to a lot of event and she had a lot of covers when her album was out. Just because you weren’t checking her or her music doesn’t mean she wasn’t successful in her own right. It appears to me that she’s normally going on with her life; not having her profile suddenly risen.
+100000%
There are people with greater talent then this ungrateful spoilt thug. Who has not being held to account for her actions.
She is a vile creature !! As is Chris Brown.
Budget Knowles.
1000% with attitude
The most interesting thing about her is that smackdown, otherwise, she is Budget Knowles. Or as Micheal K. calls her Basement Baby. She is LOVING this attention. And I do too think she is happy that she knocked down her sister’s self-acclaimed I HAVE A PERFECT LIFE, status. Witht that extreme temper, Budget Knowles has shown us that sjhe will inevitably one day write a tell-all book about them. Maybe not soon, but one day, perhaps years and years for now. But that fight showed that Solange wants to be heard and noticed. I get the feeling Solanges would so enjoy bringing down the Carter empire to make up for all her years of neglect.
But that fight showed that Solange wants to be heard and noticed.
What kind of fantasy tales are you weaving? The elevator incident was exposed after a member of staff sold the video and got sacked immediately. It wasn’t meant to come out as it was obtained illegally!
Also, you can see that Solange keeps her composure entering and exiting and only lets loose when she knows they’re in private.
Plus she attacked Jay, not one word or look at her sister. Not even when B stood in front of Jay and they also left together so again these lies that Solange dislikes her own sister when everybody knows the Knowles women are one tight family.
Those shoes look like cloven devil hooves.
Otherwise I got nothing.
She’s walked one or two red carpets since “that thing” and now she loves the attention?
I think Bey brought more attention to it, tbh, with all her “we are still one big happy family” instagram binge.
Agreed.
Her hair and style have always screamed “please look at me”. All her clothes look the same. There is always a loud color or a geometric shape.
Her assault of Jay Z in a public place is clear evidence she’s mentally unstable. She always gives off such a weird vibe.
“It’s almost like she doesn’t even realize that this is literally the only reason people want to talk to her.”
I totally disagree with this statement. The elevator incident might be the only reason the mainstream wants to talk to her. She has a solid following of people that love R&B and neo-soul. Many, many people go to her shows. She is always featured in black magazines and urban websites and is seen by many as a style icon. She is a successful DJ and I actually think she likes flying under the radar of the mainstream and that this incident brought unwanted attention.
Thank you. That’s exactly what I meant with my comment!
Thanks Lea! 😊 And your comment was perfect, I’m in total agreement.
ITA
Solo has been a regular on Black blogs for years and NOTHING has changed.She has walked the RC,done magazine covers,done fashion shows,small concerts ,etc for years.To be honest prior to elevator gate I would see her more than I see her now.
Kim1: Exactly! To me, it’s almost as if she’s been laying low since the incident. I read SandraRose and NecoleBitchie, and she’s on those sites all the time because of her music and style, NOT the elevator incident. Haven’t seen much of her lately.
Yeah so her music, fashion style and DJ gigs got her this cover…riiiigght. Keep minimizing her assault.
Actually, I wasn’t addressing the assault. To be clear, I thought her actions in the elevator were terrible. The sitiation is not to be minimized. I was just pointing out that she had a successful career before it happened.
I’m aware of Solange’s career before the scandal. I like her music off True and I think her fashion, for the most part, is dope. But she’s on this cover because of her assault. Unfortunately not any of her achievements. Lucky mag (like other media outlets) is only interested in her now because she attacked Jay.
The point of my comment was just irritation over what it seemed like people overlooking and downplaying the assault as if it’s not the only reason Solange is now receiving so much attention (which she seems to be enjoying).
So the force her to take her picture and place her on the front cover. Okay right….
She is a fame hungry as all of them, just less attractive and talent.
Yes I said it….
God, I actively cannot stand Solange. She irritates me to no extent.
She’s always had that disgusting smug look on her face like she’s this great talent and everything she has is because of her hard work.
She was a Destiny’s Child back up dancer. I remember when her first album came out BOTH Beyonce & Jay Z would give her time slots when they had appearances to promote her music.
Her neo soul, hipster thing is so calculated and annoying.
I also hate how Jay Z is basically referred to as a bitch and Solange the patron saint of all things good when she was basically a violent disgusting thug.
I can’t stand her, even her boyfriend directs for Beyonce from time to time so she’s getting all that Beyonce money but wants to act like her hard work got her here.
Yep. I’ve lost respect for Solange. She needs to at least acknowledge her behavior was not ok.
Hear hear !!!
@ artemis and @AlmondJoy: Thank you for your comments. Not to attack anyone, but it bothers me that some people keep acting like Solange is irrelevant just because THEY hadn’t heard of her prior to the elevator event. I dislike how black artists do not exist when they are solely R&B and soul artists. Anyway, I agree with you and AlmondJoy in that I highly doubt that Solange appreciates this new-found, negative attention that she is receiving.
Also, this whole “thug” labeling is tinged in racism. As a black woman, I cringe whenever Solange is called that. Words like that are always on the tip of the tongue of people when it comes to people of color. Was the automatic response to call Britney a “thug” in 2007-8? No, so let’s really begin to consciously investigate our own biases. Everyone was bagging on the commenter last week in the Gary Oldman post who said that we all think racist things when we are upset. But the fact is … she wasn’t wrong.
Also, this false equivalency thing with male violence is just absurd. If a taller, stronger man (men have more upper body strength than women) had beaten Solange the same way, she’d be in the hospital. So, yes, there is a difference between male on women violence versus woman on man violence. Note: I am in no way condoning Solange’s behavior. As a DV advocate, it frustrates me that more people seemed upset about this event than have been about Charlie Sheen’s obvious ABUSIVE actions towards Denise Richards, Tom Cruise’s, etc. In those cases, the mental stability of those men was cited as causes for their “crazy” behavior.
+ 1000!
Hiddlesgirl, your comment is SPOT ON. Thank you for getting to the crux of the issue, and addressing the use of the “thug” labeling. 👏👏👏👏👏👏
@AlmondJoy: Thank you for making your very valid points upthread! It gave me the motivation to make this post.
I’m an African-American woman who was aware of Solange and was somewhat of a fan. She wrote many of Beyonce’s hits. I thought she was the brains of the family. But I do feel she got a collective “I ain’t mad at cha girl!” and people even blamed Jay Z since he “mustve done something to Bey that provoked Solo” .
I find it odd and disturbing that she’s not being held accountable for her violent behavior and not being forced into some type of rehab after causing major damage to her own reputation as well as those of her big sis and bro in law who seemed to have supported her in myriad ways. Putting her hands on Jay Z and coming unglued then acting like nothing happened is disturbing …and definitely not the close knit religious family Bey and Mama Tina like to portray.
thanks for this Hiddles.. Totally in agreement with you both about her music (I’ve always liked her stuff miles better than B’s ) and about the little thug crap thrown about without, of course as you said, Justifying Any Violence
A magazine like Lucky is only interested in Solange because of the assault. Not her music, her style or whatever random jobs she does. It’s because of the assault. Simple and plain.
I do agree that the word thug only gets used for black people and it infuriates me too but I’m only not going to defend Solange. At the end of the day she assaulted someone. How do you defend someone when they continually attacked a person, who was not even fighting back, from not being labeled threatening…when they did just that?
Also by pointing out the women are not as stronger than men so it’s “not the same thing”…is an excuse. It’s beside the point and its only purpose is to take less blame off the female assaulter. No one should attack anyone regardless of the gender doing the attacking. Pointing out that females can do less damage to men, only suggest that it’s more acceptable.
@Nick: As I noted above, I am not excusing Solange’s behavior. My point about the abuse was that more people have (seemingly) actively responded to the elevator incident than have to other obvious acts of male abuse towards women (i.e., Charlie Sheen, Tom Cruise, etc.) in those examples, the men were labeled as “crazy”; rather, than what they are, which is abusers. This is something that I find problematic, and I was just highlighting that point.
@GoodNamesAllTaken: I think that’s a bit much. So now Solange is going to go around fighting children too? Look, if you had read my post, you would’ve have seen that I am in no way condoning Solange’s behavior. However, people’s vitriolic, responses to this situation has troubled me, because I have not seen the same vitriol directed towards men who have abused women. In fact, the men have been excused for their behavior. Charlie Sheen has been called “mentally unstable.” Please reread my posts, and give a thoughtful response to the points I have made. I am not interested in having circular discussions.
@Nick
I agree, and if she has that little self control, and uses violence as an outlet to rage, who knows who her next victim will be? A smaller woman? A child? In this case, she was assaulting someone she probably couldn’t hurt badly, but I think it’s irresponsible to say that makes it ok. My first husband was my height and considered a small man, and a larger man could have hurt me worse than he did. Does that make it ok that he shoved me down the stairs? I’m shocked that a DV advocate would say that it’s not as bad when ANY group attacks another, or that height and weight played a role in this disgusting incident. Violence is an unacceptable way to respond to anger. Always. Period.
Ok if that was the intention of your comment then I agree.
When white people act violent (the mass shootings by white males is another prime example) they’re labeled with a mental illness case. Yet when it’s non-whites (typically black people) they’re referred to as thugs or “animals”.
My point (in my second paragraph) was I can’t defend Solange (or Chris Brown, etc.) when they act in such a manner. But it seems I misunderstood your point which was acknowledging that there is a racial double standard at place.
Mel Gibson is another domestic abuser who is consistently allotted the generous label of “mentally ill”.
@Hiddlesgirl85
There’s no need for you to be condescending, and that never helps someone see your point. It only closes you off to them more. I did read your comments, and I am responding to the portion where you stated “Also, this false equivalency thing with male violence is just absurd. If a taller, stronger man (men have more upper body strength than women) had beaten Solange the same way, she’d be in the hospital. So, yes, there is a difference between male on women violence versus woman on man violence. Note: I am in no way condoning Solange’s behavior.”
Where do you think these taller, stronger men learn to react to anger with violence? Who teaches them than explaining your feelings is not necessary when you can just smack someone if you don’t like what they say and do? The people they grow up with, whether male or female. Everyone in our society participates in domestic violence – the mothers who slap their child for spilling her milk, the father who slaps the mother for burning his dinner, the police who consider DV a personal issue, the person who turns a blind eye to the bruises on a stranger’s neck, the people who let someone out of jail 30 seconds after he went in for his 3rd domestic assault, the pop star who beats up her brother-in-law because she’s mad at something he did. It’s all part of a pattern and her behavior DOES matter, and it is just as much to blame as anyone else’s.
I agree with all of your other points, especially that I wish people would get as angry about Charlie Sheen as they seem to be about this. I just don’t accept that one kind of violence is “less” than another kind. It’s all part of the same thing.
Why do you think a lot wannabee celebrities get covers? Amber Heard was just on some cover. For what? Cause she is dating Johnnie Depp. Come on, let’s not be naïve about how the world works. But, you know what, I’ll take that trip too. Perhaps Solange was already slated to be on the cover way before “that thing” happened. We’ll never know.
@GoodNamesAllTaken: My apologies that my last comment was brusque, I tried to edit it, but it had already been approved. I think we are essentially arguing the same thing. Thank you for your very thoughtful comment; I am grateful to have read it.
I am glad that this blog has elicited this thoughtful conversation about DV, labeling, etc.
@Hiddlesgirl85
Thank you for your comment, and I’m glad, too.
+ Whatever number this is now. Spot on!
If she does not want to be called a thug she should not go around hitting people.
I am black, and nobody and I include my manic depressive sister has ever attacked anyone.
This is not a black issue. It is a poorly behaved issue
Completely agree with everything you said, Hiddles. It’s amazing how some people are all over this thread pointing out “double-standards” but don’t see that there are inherent double-standards about who get called a “thug”, who gets called “crazy”, who gets excused, and whose violent tendencies get “minimized”.
MaiGirl,
Would you like Solange to be labelled as crazy ? I didn’t think she would be happy with that.
@Hiddles
I agree that the “thug” title does get thrown too easily about when Black or persons of color are involved. I don’t like the term at all and so have not used it.
Regarding your other points Solange may be know by you and others into R&B, and Soul but until this incident I haven’t encountered her in mainstream press. However there are plenty of big name R&B and Soul artists who get mainstream mentions because they are talented enough to have broken into the mainstream, Solange has not. I am now seeing her in the mainstream BECAUSE of her assault of JayZ not for her talent.
Your other question was why are people making such a big deal about Solange vs other males who have been violent. One word: VIDEO. I have truly never, ever seen such a violent attack in real life. It SHOCKED me and many others. If she had been a Black man caught on tape beating anybody male or female like that, the public would have been at her doorstep due to public outrage.
Video and visuals are powerful. This is the same reason the public at large still hates Chris Brown, we will never ever get the image of Rihanna’s beaten up face from our memory. Same with Halle Berry’s husband beating her Ex’s face to a pulp. Same with Mel Gibson on video/audio saying racist words to cops, his girlfriend. You just can’t erase the image from the public. We don’t have a picture of Sean Penn’s wife’s beaten up face or battered body so the hate directed at him is about his liberal policies and love of Castro. We don’t have pictures of Charlie Sheen’s wife, he is called a drug addict and a crazy person because that is what we have seen videos of him doing. We don’t have pictures of Josh Brolin beating his wife or her face so he is judged many of being an alcoholic who misbehaves in public, never seen any mental health excuse. At the end if the day, all these people with evidence of violet behavior including Solange should have their feet held to the fire is all many of us are saying. No one is saying she is Chris Brown. Feminism means equal treatment and equal consequences.
Wow…. Wish I could have said it as well as you
That family is crazy.
That song sums up “THAT THING” in the elevator funnily…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xw3A4a5lkg4&list=PLB102DF7C9E16BDDF&index=7
Loving the cover, I’m actually tired of over-sexualized pics.
Great point! In all the other drama, I forgot that I was seeing a fully clothed female. Very nice change of pace!
She is so fug, that is all
What does rug mean?
Solange was not held accountable for that elevator beatdown, which will make her think she can try that on ANOTHER GUY. The next dude may not use Jay-Z’s tact and HIT. HER. BACK. Solange will be the first one crying foul, but instead of sympathy her scuffle with her brother-in-law will be played more times than the beating of Rodney King.
she won’t try it with another guy, becuase she is a bully and will only hit someone who won’t hit back. Why do I think this ???????????. watch the video
Her weave looks like wool. Literally. It doesn’t look like hair at all. Was that deliberate?