This is something i've noticed for years and I think it finally hit home when I saw a hair color commercial (maybe for Loreal)? featuring Beyonce. She just sounds inarticulate and "country" to me. Just an observation. Has anyone else noticed this?

Well she is from the deep south, money!

Houston, Texas

I personaly love the 'country' accent on black people. Erykah Badu is an example of what I'm talking about.

Harlepolis said:

but that's the thing, erykah badu sounds fine to me when i hear her speak. i actually think some southern accents are cute. i think beyonce doesn't speak clearly enough or soemthing. i can't put my finger on it.

You guys hate her ass, thats it, thats the reason

I love that country accent on her!

She sounds that way because her parents took her (and the original Destiny's Childers) out of school when they were 9. From that point on they spent 6 hours a day practicing singing and performing, and a couple of hours a day being "home-schooled." The home-schooling involved them doing the work "on their own." This I heard from Beyonce herself on the radio in Houston when they first came out with that "No, No, No" song.

Everytime I hear her speak I wish they would have allowed her to remain in school a little longer.

S

dancerella said:

Her voice doesn't bother me at all. She's from the south. But those Loreal commercials? How is she hawkin' hair color when she's blatantly wearing wigs in those commercials?

dancerella said:

I notice something myself, though I don't know if it's that she sounds "country." I think it may be that she's really uncomfortable speaking. A lot of people are fine with singing or performing but are petrified of speaking publicly or on camera. I get that cringe-y feeling when I hear her too, like I'm embarrassed for her. Maybe I'm channeling her fear and discomfort.

She's got a deep voice.

The country accent is one thing but what I notice most is her lack of diction and enunciation.
[Edited 2/16/05 12:41pm]

i think her country accent is cute and kinda sexy. It makes her mor down to earth.

dancerella said:

Yup.

It's not her "country" accent, but her country grammar. I don't want to say she sounds illiterate but.... I don't know, she just sounds like a little girl sometimes. I'm not saying everything out of her mouth has to be intellectually stimulating, but can she even go there?

UptownDeb said:

I edited my post because I also had she sounds like a little girl but I didn't want to be too harsh. Certainly not a woman in her 20s. Hell, I confess--when she speaks she makes me cringe.
[Edited 2/16/05 12:47pm]

lol You guys are being harsh. I'm not a fan of Beyonce, but the girl does work her booty off. She's not the most talented nor the most literate, but so what? Michael Jackson's a musical genius, but literacy isn't his strong point either. Being book smart isn't a priority for everyone.

RipHer2Shreds said:

Two words, Lori Davis...

RipHer2Shreds said:

"There was doo doo - feces - thrown all over the walls, the floor, the ceiling and it stunk so bad."

RipHer2Shreds said:

When he was still sane, Michael never sounded illiterate or quasi-retarded.

Who here is an English Lit professor or a Grammar teacher? I try my best not to speak like I'm illiterate and it annoys me to all hell when I here it in other's speech, but unless everyone here spellchecks their comments before they post, what's your problem? The truth is that we can label at least 40% of today's POP Tarts as illiterate mumblers, but the same can be said about the general population of teens and twenty somethings.


Now that I'm done with my righteous rant, feel free to cast your bricks!!

VoicesCarry said:

Come on, now. I'm not talking severe mentally deficiency! Ever seen any MJ interviews from the 70s? It's clear even then that he's not comfortable in front of the camera, and he struggles sometimes to make some common sense. I've seen interview clips with him from the pre-Off the Wall days, and it was a little uncomfortable.

RipHer2Shreds said:

UNCOMFORTABLE is a lot different from STUPID, which pretty much appears to be a Beyonce speech standard.

RipHer2Shreds said:

I can relate. I've been getting brain cramps often, lately.

No one needs to have an English degree to speak clearly. When you're an actress and a spokesperson for a product and the media and your fans herald you as the second coming, it helps to be understood.

This could be perceived as nit picking but it's just an observation that some people have noticed. Maybe in another 10 years after she's spent more time in Europe and had some serious voice coaching she'll pick up that faux Brit accent that some singers acquire.
[Edited 2/16/05 13:06pm]

JackieBlue said:

thank you very much, that is it! that's what bothers me about the way sounds! you hit right on the head. well done!

UptownDeb said:

jacko said that?

dancerella said:

Either that or something along those lines - to describe his HORRIBLE TREATMENT in the county slammer during his booking.

VoicesCarry said:

yikes! i also heard he once said something to the affect of "MaCauley Culkin be in the baby crib"! apparently, that's what he said when he was talking about his days of hanging out with MaCauley during the 90's. scary or what?

I believe the quote (from his interview with Ed Bradley) was,

"There was doo doo - feces - thrown all over the walls, the floor, the ceiling. And it stunk so bad. Then one of the policemen came by the window. And he made a sarcastic remark... 'How do you like the smell? Is it good?' And I just simply said, 'It's alright. It's okay.' So, I just sat there, and waited."

vanity69 said:

how bizzare!

RipHer2Shreds said:

That's Beyonce's real hair in the commercials. Beyonce has lovely long hair that is pressed when needed and not relaxed. In order to not stress it and cause breakage due to constant styling she wears wigs and extensions. Tina Knowles has discussed this in hair magazines.

The company has a policy that Beyonce has to keep her real hair in a certain condition to be in the commercials.

Harlepolis said:

Trust me, we don't all sound like that. I was in Houston last week watching that commercial with friends and we all hated how she speaks.