Black Parade

Beyoncé released "Black Parade" on June 19, 2020, without any prior announcement. The timing aligned perfectly with Juneteenth and the height of global protests following the death of George Floyd. Rather than a somber lament, the track offered a vibrant declaration of Black joy and resilience that resonated deeply during a time of national reckoning.

The song opens with a spoken-word sample from Maya Angelou before settling into a mid-tempo groove built on a sample of the 1969 soul track "Shortnin' Bread" by The Unifics. Beyoncé weaves together references to HBCUs, Black-owned businesses, and historical figures like Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and Assata Shakur. The recurring line "I'm going back to the South" reclaims the American South as a place of origin and strength rather than just a site of historical trauma.

Production duties fell to Beyoncé alongside Derek Dixie and Mike Will Made-It, with writing credits shared with Jay-Z and others. She recorded the track in just a few days to respond immediately to the cultural moment. Proceeds from the single went directly to the NAACP's Black-led small business fund and BeyGOOD's Black Business Impact Fund, supporting Black entrepreneurs during the pandemic. [edit]