Beyoncé’s Christmas halftime show is the first of its kind for the NFL and Netflix. It was medley of songs from Cowboy Carter, her Grammy-nominated album and the first time the super star has performed the album. The entire performance was a love letter honoring her hometown, the Black Houstonian community and the legacy of the Black cowboy.
A Visual Tribute to Houston’s Black Heritage
The performance began with Bey in an an all-white fuzzy coat which is a representation of the traditional “woolies” worn by Black cowboys. She rode a white horse lead by a Black cowboy who was also in all white while singing “16 Carriages.” Bey was then joined by Tanner Adell, Tiera Kennedy, Reyna Roberts and Brittany Spencer to sing their ballad “Blackbiird” before waking out to the main stage.
Her white bedazzled rodeo outfit paid homage to the eclectic style and interpretations of Houston’s Black rodeo goers. Bey’s dancers seamlessly bridged the gap btween two genres by blending hip-hop choreography and line-dance-inspired moves. During the performance, there was Swangas, SLABs, donks, and the overall car culture of Houston along with elements from the Prairie View Trail Riders.
Special Guests and Collaborators
Beyoncé shared the stage with other big-name country artists including Shaboozey known for his hit “A Bar Song” on their song “Spaghettii”. She also performed her track “Levii’s Jeans” with Post Malone. Even Blue Ivey made an appearance line dancing with her mother with her mother and backup dancers. Beyoncé is not only making space for the country genre to be accessible to artists of all backgrounds and creeds but she is cementing her family’s legacy in Houston’s greater country culture.
Black Rodeo Culture in the Spotlight
The Christmas halftime show was not only a celebration of culture, it was a history lesson. The visuals scattered throughout the show brought focus to the role Black Cowboys have played in shaping American History. Historically, white cattle workers were called cowhands and the use of the word “cowboy” was reserved for Black cattle workers only. The word “boy” was used as a racist diminutive which was and remains common throughout the American South.
The term Cowboy became widely popular for the trade and subsequently was whitewashed to then exclude Black cowhands from the history books. Houston however has never forgotten their Black cowboy roots and its cultural significance is embedded into the city’s culture. The Houston Rodeo and Houston Rodeo Week are staples in the Black community, and Beyoncé herself grew up attending these events with her mother Ms. Tina Knowles, and sister Solange. In August of this year, Beyoncé made a $500,000 donation aimed at supporting Black cowboys through the newly established Black Equestrians Program with the Bill Picket Rodeo circuit.
The love of her native Houston and the rich Black equestrian and cowboy culture within it is something that not only Beyoncé but her sister continues to draw inspiration from. There are many parallels between this Cowboy Carter halftime performance and the visuals used in Solange’s short film “When I Get Home.” The Knowles family has always been unapologetically Houston and has consistently shown the world the rich culture that shaped these legendary artists. With the success of Cowboy Carter the world is now finally taking notice.
A Holiday Gift to the Culture
Beyoncé used her platform and stardom to showcase one of the many facets of what being Black in America looks like. This historic performance elevated the Black Cowboy narrative and celebrated the Black Houstonian community’s contribution to Texan and American culture. Her powerful performance is the perfect blend of artistry with activism and is hailed had one of her most culturally significant moments. By shining a light on Black rodeo and cowboy culture, she ensured that the stories of this vibrant community were center stage, where they have always belonged.