A day before returning to the Super Bowl to share the halftime stage with Coldplay, Beyonce has already stolen the spotlight with "Formation," surprise-releasing the single and accompanying video like the Queen of Hype she is.
The video begins with a parental advisory warning for explicit language before cutting to a scene of Beyonce on crouching on the roof of a police car partially submerged in water as a voice intones "What happened after New Orleans."
It's a gritty, provocative track with Beyonce singing, at times, in a raspy, low-pitched whisper, setting the lyrical tone with "Y'all haters corny with that Illuminati mess / Paparazzi catch my fry / Am I cocky fresh?"
The video also stars Blue Ivy Carter, who rocks a swagger well beyond her years as mama offers words of wisdom on making it in this world: "I dream it / I work hard / I run 'til I own it."
