Not a Country Album, But a Beyoncé Album: A Review of ‘Cowboy Carter’

Beyonce released her highly anticipated album ‘Cowboy Carter’ late last Month.

By Christmaelle Vernet

On March 29, 2024, the multigenerational talent Beyoncé released Cowboy Carter, a 27-track album with country influences. During the Super Bowl, Beyoncé released two singles from the album: “16 Carriages” and “Texas Hold ‘Em”, which have already broken records on numerous streaming platforms. The album was five years in the making, with Beyoncé citing her experience following her performance at the 2016 Country Music Awards as inspiration for taking a deeper dive into the world of country music. Beyoncé is no stranger to the genre, having shown interest in the music style by composing her hit “Daddy’s Lessons”, featured on her critically acclaimed album Lemonade. Later that year, she performed the song with the country music band, The Chicks (formerly known as the Dixie Chicks), and expressed feeling unwelcome in the category. “This album has been over five years in the making. It was born out of an experience that I had years ago where I did not feel welcomed…and it was very clear that I wasn’t,” said Beyoncé in an Instagram post celebrating the ten-day countdown to the album’s release.

The album begins with a beautiful ballad composed of layering harmonious vocals entitled “AMERICAN REQUIEM”. In the song, Beyoncé directly addresses the criticism she received from those who believed that she did not belong in the genre and emphasizes how there is no right way to produce country music. The proceeding track “BLACKBIIRD” features several Black female country artists: Tanner Adell, Brittney Spencer, Tiera Kennedy, and Reyna Roberts. Black country artists are often overlooked in country music spaces, furthering Beyoncé’s mission to promote inclusivity, as today, the genre’s most prominent artists remain predominantly white. The album includes star-studded features with Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, Post Malone, and Miley Cyrus all being included in various tracks. The interludes throughout the album replicate the sounds of a listener flipping through radio stations, and through this body of work, Beyoncé demonstrates a unique blend of various genres such as house with tracks like “SWEET HONEY BUCKIN”, “RIIVERDANCE”, and rap with “SPAGHETTI”. Beyoncé’s experimentation with a variety of genres proves her statement that this album isn’t a country music album but a Beyoncé album.

The album pays tribute to the pop legend’s younger children. Her daughter Rumi’s voice opens the song “PROTECTOR”, and “MY ROSE”, which she dedicates to her son Sir. Beyoncé’s interpretation of the iconic country classic “Jolene” adds new freshness and liveliness to the track, with Beyoncé’s rendition being established as a warning rather than a plea to the infamous Jolene. Beyoncé frequently references Black rights movements throughout the piece, with “BLACKBIIRD” being a cover of the Beatles song Paul McCartney wrote after being inspired by the Little Rock Nine.

This album has definitely brought out a side of Beyoncé I was very excited to see. As a long-time fan, I have noticed her interest in country for a few years, and I was heavily anticipating a full body of work. It was definitely well-executed, paying a beautiful homage to country, Blackness, and artistry in music, as well as honoring some of the biggest names in the genre. I also loved her use of sampling “These Boots are Made For Walkin’” by Nancy Sinatra in “YA YA”. While mostly featuring songs that would be easily categorized as country music, Beyoncé’s personalizations make the project personable and unique to Beyoncé’s discography, and I admire her courage to dabble in other genres, with her three-album run leaving me wanting more. I am curious, as always, about what she will be able to accomplish next with ACT iii.

My picks for notable tracks: “BLACKBIIRD”, “LEVII’S JEANS”, “PROTECTOR”, and “TYRANT”.

Making an IMPACT with Maurice Powe

IMPACT Founder, Maurice Powe at an event. (Photo contributed by the IMPACT movement)

By Diamond Smith

Maurice Powe felt it was his responsibility to take care of those who were vulnerable and those who were less fortunate. The greater his passion, the greater his purpose, giving him the drive to make an impact in his community. Maurice Powell, a junior studying Psychology and English, always felt there was an importance to empowerment and advocacy.

Before becoming president of the IMPACT Movement, Powe took a leap of faith and met with National IMPACT President Jimmy McGee on a flight to Indianapolis after emailing him. Before he knew it, he was off to an event with McGee. Powe felt called to become President of IMPACT as part of the desire to be a part of a change within UMASS Amherst. Since just last year, this organization has had a significant impact on its members. 

Throughout his time at UMass Amherst, Powe has seen a pattern among Black and minority students. There are several other Christian organizations on campus that express their love for God and have fellowship within welcoming environments. When racially charged situations occur on campus, Powe expressed the importance for Black Christian students to want to feel safe within their own spaces. The IMPACT Movement was created to serve as an avenue for young Black Christian students to express themselves, build relationships, and be supported by other UMass Amherst community members. Creating these safe spaces is very beneficial regarding representation and solidarity. In many ways, Powe says “it can be a healing environment.”

“In addition to managing schoolwork and other responsibilities, it can be extremely stressful. Anyone who may feel like they are going through a tough season in classes, on campus, or in any situation, there will always be joy in it. You will make it through, said Powe.

A bible verse Powe shares that rests on his heart is James 1:2-3: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, to endure trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.” There is sometimes tension on campus due to discrimination against minority students. Powe emphasizes that, through his hardships, he is building faith which is very empowering because he is both a student and a leader.

“Sharing your story has a lot of importance when it comes to living a life that exemplifies God’s love toward us and encourages others to seek him. When you share your trials with someone and how you have overcome them, you can change someone’s life a lot.” said Powe.

Powe expands on how IMPACT works to help promote minority students and their stories. “As both a Black student and a Black Christian, you have power. No one shouldn’t feel minimalized for their experiences.” said Powe. IMPACT is dedicated to equipping Black students to “become disciples of Jesus Christ, and impact is implementing their faith into every aspect of their life.”  In addition to helping students grow as servant-leaders, the movement offers opportunities for them to serve others by participating in projects outside of UMASS Amherst that have positive influences on their communities.

The Impact movement goes on trips to Ghana, other states, and cities like Milwaukee, which has been impacted by police brutality. The IMPACT Movement places a lot of emphasis on coming alongside locals and learning from them rather than forcing a particular framework or agenda that might disrupt or even damage those communities and their cultures.

“With this perspective, it allows students to understand that it is our privilege to take part in mission trips, instead of the narrative of foreign countries being privileged enough to receive us. At the end of the day, it’s all about them, and it shouldn’t be about us. We’re supporting and coming alongside rather than intruding and disrupting.” said Powe.

 As a cultural identity student movement, representation, and community engagement matter. “The intersectionality Black Christian students may experience can be understood within spaces like IMPACT. It is an affinity space to decompress and discuss these issues we face.” When we are called to understand our biblical identity in God’s eyes, a big thing members should take away is grounding themselves in the gospel and knowing Jesus Christ died on the cross for us.” said Powe.

The IMPACT Movement is ongoing during the school year and meets Wednesdays at 6:45 p.m. Each session will have different activities that can be attended by all members of IMPACT Club regardless of where you live on campus or what level of involvement someone may have with the organization. IMPACT is more than just fun activities; it’s a way of life. We are left to question how we live out our faith in a way that exemplifies God’s love toward us and encourages others to experience God’s love and grace.

Impact’s Instagram: @Impactumass 

Email: impactumassma@gmail.com

Members of IMPACT (Photo contributed by the IMPACT Movement)

Next time someone says, “What will you do with your English degree?” say this…

(Photo Credits: Pexels)

By Diamond Smith

“What will you do with your English degree?” I hear this all the time when asked about my degree. The question is always asked in a tone of genuine curiosity, but it feels like it is also steeped in the sense of inadequacy. The phrase leaves me unsteady because I’ve been met with: “What do you even do with that degree anyways?” “Are you sure that’s what you want?” It’s almost as if English major students are some elite white-collar priesthood of bespectacled nerds whose only purpose in life is to go to college to be a teacher (which is great, but not every English major is going to college for educational teaching purposes) and eavesdrop on other people through their literary works.

Trying to describe all the benefits I will receive from my English degree will be impossible. But I can say it’s given me a great way to learn about myself and the world around me, and it’s given me an incredible opportunity to read some incredible writers. So if anyone ever says, “What will you do with your English degree?” just say this:

“Literature is the art of discovering something extraordinary
about ordinary people and saying with ordinary words something
extraordinary.” Boris Pasternak

Academia, like a kind and gentle parent (and often a strict, exhausting parent), is always looking to reveal our innermost passions if we allow it through our choice of degrees. So when someone asks you, “What will you do with your English degree?” don’t just say something mundane. Don’t answer like everyone else. Because if you do, I think it’s impossible that you’ll have them understand your path. As with any degree, the English Major combines your skills, passions, life direction, and aspirations.

There is something people outside of the English degree don’t understand about literature: The English major is a kind of trap. It seems accessible, but it’s not.You have to be driven to want to learn about literature. As I see it, if you’re a creative person who loves words, your passion for learning about them will be difficult to ignore because language awakens the desire for understanding. As English majors, we are often grappling with our limited world perspectives and not being afraid of them. In class, we try to learn how little we truly know (if you’re wondering what this means truly means: it means we strip ourselves bare and say: here’s me, here are all my mistakes, as I write, as my peers read my drafts, and here is where I lack ability about said person or societies, but watch me learn about it anyways).

Alternatively: I am a writer, and I am only now discovering what that means.

● You are a writer.
● You are not a person who writes, but one who writes well.
● Writing is not a job, but a way of life.
● Writing is not a career, but an obsession (and you know what I mean by that).

Reading deceased writers like Virginia Woolf or Bell Hooks
honors the brilliance of their lives and the strangeness of their
times.

There is value in learning about the lives and times of deceased writers. It’s important to understand the context of their history and how they were shaped by it. If you want to read something that will give you an idea of what it was like in 1930s London, try reading a book by someone who lived through that time: Jane Austen would be an excellent choice.

“Literature is the best thing humanity has. Poetry is the heart of
literature, the highest concentration of everything that is best in
the world and (humanity). It is the only true food for your soul.”
Lyudmila Ulitskaya

When someone says they don’t like poetry or books, you can always remind them that if you don’t read it, then you are missing out on some of life’s most beautiful experiences. If someone asks what kind of writer you want to be when you grow up, tell them to read any one of these books:

● Toni Morrison – Beloved
● William Faulkner – As I Lay Dying
● Ernest Hemingway – The Sun Also Rises

Meanwhile, the coursework is reading and interpreting; we are –essentially–holding the weight of histories, souls, and truths in our hands.

As part of our coursework, we study literary criticism, historical and cultural pieces, as well as Early American Literature (among other topics); we work to analyze and read critically from various texts. Literature is about the human experience and our history as a people. It gives us an opportunity to explore how others have felt before us; what they endured; what they dreamt of achieving but couldn’t because of circumstances or circumstances imposed by others. Literature gives us an understanding of ourselves – who we are as individuals and where we fit within society at large – which is something that cannot be achieved anywhere else except through literature itself!

The truth is: Sometimes, as English majors, some of us don’t know what our English degree will actually do for us, as do many other majors. In the personal sense (talk about being meta), you’re probably asking yourself this question; maybe it’s because you’re looking for direction in your life. Maybe you’re considering transferring to grad school or regretting your English degree path. Or maybe one day, years from now, you’ll look back on it and realize that — despite the difficulties of classwork — it was an incredibly meaningful experience that had a lot of impact on who you are today and helped shape who you have become.

The only person who knows what you would do with your life is you. So, next time someone scuffles at your degree title or picks at you for it, I would advise you to take writer Cheryl Strayed’s advice, I hope when people ask what you’re going to do with your English and/or creative writing degree, you’ll say:

“Continue my bookish examination of the contradictions and complexities of human motivation and desire; or maybe just: Carry it with me, as I do everything that matters.”

As a fellow English Major and a student, I can confidently say only you will discover what that means on your journey.

Breaking the Color Barrier: The Struggle for Black Players and Quarterbacks in the NFL

Photo by Dave Adamson on Unsplas

By: Nicolás Javaloyes

The National Football League (NFL) has seen a disproportionate number of Black players for decades. However, in the league’s early years, Black players faced significant barriers to entry. From 1933 to 1946, a gentleman’s agreement between all NFL franchises made it nearly impossible for Black players to be accepted into the league, no matter how talented and deserving. Despite their exceptional skills, the NFL ignored players such as Kenny Washington, Jerome “Brud” Holland, and Wilmeth Sidat-Singh.

The situation began to change after the Cleveland Rams relocated to Southern California in 1946, where both Black and White taxpayers paid to support the team. This integration and the “democratic idealism” of World War II helped break down the NFL’s gentleman’s agreement. However, even after the agreement was lifted, Black quarterbacks continued to face barriers due to being thought of as lacking the cognitive capacity to fulfill the role properly. Marlin Briscoe became the first Black quarterback after the agreement was lifted and paved the way for other Black quarterbacks, such as Doug Williams, who won and played a Super Bowl with the Washington Redskins in 1988. Over time, Black quarterbacks have become commonplace in the league, with the most recent season seeing a record-breaking 11 across the league, including the Super Bowl, which featured two Black quarterbacks.

Today, Black players represent a majority of NFL players. According to Statista, in 2021, 58 percent of NFL players were people of color, a sharp contrast with the predominance of white players during the early years of the NFL. A gentlemen’s agreement with all the NFL franchises ensured that even the most talented and deserving players wouldn’t be accepted if they were Black. This gentleman’s agreement was enforced from 1933 to 1946. 

• Case 1: Kenny Washington, a 195-pound halfback, was an exceptional college football player during the late 1930s. “Kenny Washington is the best football player I’ve ever seen,” said Jacky Robinson. With his size, speed, and remarkable strength, Washington had all the potential in the world, which led him to become an All-American. Those who had seen him play claimed that he was not just the best football player on the Pacific Coast that season, but the best in the last ten years, even in the entire history of the region’s football. Despite setting records for career rushing and passing at UCLA, Washington was surprisingly ignored in the 1940 NFL Draft and went on to play for the Chicago Bears in the second-rate AAFC.

• Case 2: New Yorker Jerome “Brud” Holland was the first black player to play for Cornell University, where he’d played varsity all four years. He was well known for his end-around play and excelled in offensive and defensive positions. He was named for five-different All-American teams, becoming the first person of color to do so since Paul Robeson in 1918. In 1938, he received honors again, making him the first Black athlete to be recognized in consecutive years since Robeson. Once again, despite clearly deserving to be in the NFL, he was also snubbed, failing to receive an offer. 

• Case 3: Sidat-Singh was an adopted son of a Hindu physician and attended DeWitt Clinton High School in New York.  He joined the Syracuse varsity team as a junior after being convinced by a coach who noticed him playing intramural football. He became one of the best passers in the nation and helped Syracuse beat rivals such as Penn State and Cornell. However, when playing against colleges in the south, such as the University of Maryland, he was relegated to the bench since those institutions segregated Black players. He, too, did not receive any -offer from the NFL. 

Though Washington was initially barred from joining the NFL, he did eventually join, thus breaking the color barrier, when the Cleveland Rams relocated to the publicly owned Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, funded by black and white taxpayers. Because of this multiracial taxpayer population, there was immediate pressure on the relocated franchise to integrate black players. This and in conjunction with the “democratic idealism” started by the Second World War, helped break down the NFL’s “gentleman’s agreement.”

The quarterback position is often seen as one of the most difficult positions of all American football. It requires a deeper understanding of the game than most positions, as they’re responsible for reading the defense, making decisions on the fly, etc. In other words, it’s the thinking man’s position in football. In 1923, Fritz Pollard was the first Black quarterback to play for Hammond Pros. Still, the subsequent ban on black quarterbacks blocked the position for any future black players in that vital position for 13 years due to being thought of as a “thinking man’s” position. It was thought that black players wouldn’t have the cognitive capacity to fulfill that role properly.

In 1968, Marlin Briscoe, the first black quarterback after the gentlemen’s agreement, led his college team to victory with a 27-11 record and three conference titles. Despite breaking school records, he was asked to switch to defensive back when drafted by Denver. He refused to sign unless he got a quarterback tryout at training camp, and although he performed well, he was given few reps and not chosen. After an injury to the starting quarterback, Briscoe was given his chance to shine during the home opener against the Boston Patriots, where he completed his first pass for 22 yards and led the team on an 80-yard drive, ending with a 12-yard touchdown run.

He soon became a regular starter for the Broncos and had one of the best rookie seasons. Briscoe would then move to a new team, where he was switched to the wide receiver position, despite showing success as a quarterback. After retiring from sports, he became a successful financial broker. Briscoe later worked as a director for the Boys and Girls Club and founded a football camp for kids.

Briscoe, in many ways, paved a path for many black quarterbacks despite his short-lived stint in the position. One of the most influential black quarterbacks to follow up Briscoe is Doug Williams, who was the first black quarterback to win and play a Superbowl with the Washington Redskins in Super Bowl XXII on January 31, 1988, in San Diego, California against the Denver Broncos ushering in a new era. Ever since Super Bowl XXII, there has been a slow uptick in black quarterback starters. 

Since the 1980s and 1990s, black quarterbacks started becoming more commonplace, with notable names such as Doug Williams, Randall Cunningham, Steve McNair, and Warren Moon. The most recent season had a record-breaking 11 black quarterbacks starting in the NFL, including a first-time-ever duel of Black quarterbacks in a Super Bowl, Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs, and Jalen Hurts of the Philadelphia Eagles. The idea that Black players are less intelligent and make up for that deficit with their “natural” athleticism has been rechallenged time and time by their demonstrated excellence in the “thinking man’s” position.

It is thanks to the brave and talented Black athletes of the NFL of the past and present that we can see the flaws in such stereotypes and prejudices. Their hard work and dedication have shattered barriers and paved the way for future generations of Black athletes to thrive in all aspects of the game.

However, while progress has been made, there is still work to be done in terms of equality and representation in sports. It is important for the media, fans, and the industry as a whole to recognize and appreciate the talent and contributions of Black athletes and to actively work towards creating a more inclusive and diverse sports culture.

The NFL’s history of excluding black players is a dark stain on its legacy.

Despite the immense talent and skill possessed by many black athletes, they were denied the opportunity to play in the league for over a decade due to a league-wide “gentleman’s agreement.” However, through the persistence and determination of players like Kenny Washington, Jerome Holland, and Sidat-Singh, the color barrier was eventually broken, paving the way for future generations of Black athletes to make their mark in the league.

Today, the NFL boasts a record-breaking number of Black quarterbacks, and the recent Super Bowl featuring two black quarterbacks facing off against each other is a testament to the progress that has been made. The stories of Fritz Pollard, Marlin Briscoe, and Doug Williams remind us of the challenges Black quarterbacks face and the incredible talent and resilience that has led to their success. It is important to continue to recognize and celebrate the contributions of Black athletes in the NFL and to work towards a future where all players, regardless of race or background, are given an equal opportunity to succeed.

Racism and Rape: A Revolutionary Side to UMass

By: Elienishka Ramos Torres

Everyday when I walk around campus, I see lamp posts with banners on them. ‘BE REVOLUTIONARY’ is what’s written on them in big, bold text. 

I read these banners and remember all the reasons why UMass does the opposite of what they push to their students. This logo has never been about what UMass has stepped up to do, but about everything students have done against the challenges they face here. 

I was a freshman still attending different club meetings, still trying to figure out the bus system, and deciding my favorite dining hall. But all of the fun quintessential college experiences got put to the side as hate crimes began to target black minority students.

During my third week of courses, a hate crime occurred at Melville hall, UMass’predomentality black freshman dorm . I was sure that something would be done to help the students affected, or efforts would be introduced to prevent something of this magnitude from ever happening again. But,I came to realize that institutions like UMass aren’t intentionally built to protect its students, and will fail into protecting those that harm them. 

After multiple incidents targeting Black students took place that semester, students organized and created the UMass Amherst chapter of the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People). This gave me hope, but there was a vital piece to the puzzle missing: Administration. 

Ever since, there hasn’t been a semester where administration hasn’t rushed to mass send emails (even with spelling errors) about occurrences of racism targeted towards Black students. 

Another issue that has progressively gotten more intense this semester is sexual assault. Just in September, we’ve watched how the school hides behind policies that protect alleged rapists, instead of trying to actually change campus policies to help sexual assault survivors. 

The influx of both public and anonymous statements from students telling their stories, many of them accusing Theta Chi and other fraternities on campus, demonstrates that we need a survivor’s bill of rights on campus. In fact, the bill passed in a student referendum vote in March 2020 with 92% approval, but the university has yet to approve it. The history to pass the survivor’s bill of rights goes back to 2015 when UMass was under investigation for Title IX violations. 

Three free therapy sessions and a few excused absences cannot undo the damage that happens when a person gets victimized, and the school perpetuates this state of victimization in their delay of passing this bill. 

In the same month, a racist email was sent to multiple Black student organizations. The eugenics filled email has contributed to the unsafe environment that Black students have felt on campus, but this is nothing new. 

Black at UMass Amherst is an Instagram account created by students in June of 2020, the summer when there was a massive influx of support for the Black Lives Matter movement following the murder of George Floyd. The account’s goal is to show the experiences of Black students at UMass, many recent, and a significant number of incidents going back a few years. These experiences include racism happening in classes, in friends groups, by random people on campus, and even from professors and staff who are supposed to be there to help students. 

Because of these incidents, a student organization called the Racial Justice Coalition submitted a 57-page document proposing what they believe are the steps necessary in developing an anti-racist campus. While the RJC touched upon how to uplift BIPOC students and staff, the administration’s response mainly focused on how we were already reaching those goals. Yet somehow we’re still here. 

The school will host lectures, invite speakers, list resources on campus to go to, but there’s no action to prevent future people from being victimized by their professors and peers. Time and time again students show up to demand action and policy change from the school. The UMass administration assures us they can handle the situation, but we continue to face the same problems every year. 

Subbaswammy’s most recent statement about the racism on campus  shows some action being done about the racist emails but not only should this have been his first response, but there hasn’t been any substantial progress made from the last time he had to address campus. 

Students have been organizing, helping each other, and stepping up when administration fails. UMass, we’re revolutionary, now it’s your turn.