When it comes to iconic hip hop breakup albums, Kanye's '808s & Heartbreak', Drake's 'Take Care' and Frank Ocean's 'Blonde' are just a few that come to mind.
Why Beyoncé's 'Lemonade' is still one of the GOAT break-up albums, seven years on
First published by Mai FM
Maybe the most impactful and influential of this genre, though, is Beyoncé's 2016 record 'Lemonade' - and for good reason.
A couple of years on from the infamous Solange vs Jay-Z elevator showdown said to be caused by Jay's cheating, the Grammy-winner dropped 'Lemonade', and in doing so, let her fans in on a deeply personal journey of heartbreak, self-love and forgiveness.
Bey never officially confirmed that 'Lemonade' was written about her relationship, but Jay has admitted he has cheated before, and Queen B is known for weaving her personal life into her work.
Here are just some of the themes covered in 'Lemonade' that make it a crucial part of any break up playlist.
BETRAYAL AND INFIDELITY
In the opening track, 'Pray You Catch Me,'Beyoncé sings about the pain of suspecting her man may have betrayed her. She gets super vulnerable about the gut-wrenching feeling of knowing something ain't right, singing: "You can taste the dishonesty, it's all over your breath."
Throughout 'Lemonade,' Beyoncé takes us on a rollercoaster ride of the emotions that come with discovering infidelity in a relationship. From anger and despair to confusion and sadness, if you've gone through something similar, her words could not be more relatable.
HEALING AND EMPOWERMENT
While 'Lemonade' takes us diving into the depths of heartbreak, it also teaches us a thing or two about hope. Bey doesn't just wallow in her pain; she rises above it. In songs like 'Sorry' and 'Freedom', she asserts her independence and flaunts her self-worth. I mean, have you ever heard more empowerment than in the lyrics "Middle fingers up, put them hands high. Wave it in his face, tell him, boy, bye"?
In 'Freedom', Bey harnesses her inner-strength to show resilience in the face of heartbreak. It's a reminder that even in our darkest moments, we are still powerful and will come back stronger than ever.
REDEMPTION AND FORGIVENESS
Forgiveness is one of the most healing parts of recovering from a broken heart. Staying angry is just a waste of energy, and could hold you back from moving on. Beyoncé explores this in 'Sandcastles', she sings about trying to rebuild after being devastated by her relationship going off the rails. DEEPLY in her feels, she sings: "Every promise don't work out that way."
We have Bey to thank for many great things in music, but we definitely have to give her props for getting so personal with her storytelling and allowing so many to find solace in her lyrics. Seeing and hearing Beyoncé break down and build herself back up again to be her best self, stronger from her past pain, is hella inspiring.
If you're going through a tough break up, I'm gonna recommend a daily dose of 'Lemonade' to help remind you how powerful you are and that this too shall pass.
