The whole world is losing its mind because superstar diva Beyoncé released her new single this week, “Bow Down/I Been On.” The song, which sounds like an homage to Houston’s famous “chopped and screwed” hip-hop sound, features the controversial lyric “Bow down, b—hes!” as the hook. It is apparently a sign that we are living in the last days, since Bey up to this point has had a fairly “positive” image and is considered a role model for all independent women out there. And fans’ responses have been swift and severe.
“She’s destroying her career!”
“She’s setting a bad example!”
“I blame Jay-Z!”
“What, pray tell, will Barack and Michelle say?!?”
It even got Keyshia Cole feeling a li’l self-righteous.
But is all the hoopla an overreaction?
There is a long history of squeaky-clean, universally-loved artists doing things to break out of the box. It can be stifling to present oneself in such a pristine light 24/7, and the desire to do something “edgier” is real—so much so that some artists have almost committed career suicide to shake off their middle-of-the-road reputations.
Here are some other recording artists who shocked their fans by going from innocent to edgy…
