Okay…? Beyonce Wins Writing Award From NY Association Of Black Journalists

May 3rd, 2012 - By Brande Victorian

Source: Freshxpress.com

We’ve come to expect Grammy and Billboard music awards for Beyonce, but writing (not related to songs)? Apparently Miss Knowles turned out a heck of an essay for Essence magazine’s July 2011 issue last year because the New York Association of Black Journalists will present her with a writing award for it on May 15.

In the cover piece, “Eat, Pray, Love,” Bey chronicled her journey during her nine-month hiatus from the industry, talking about “savoring” the “tiny moments,” traveling with Jay-Z,  discovering a love for artichokes, and going undercover as a Harajuku girl in Tokyo nightclubs. She called the personal retreat her “creative awakening.”

“I had talked about taking a vacation before, but always ended up in the studio after two weeks, so no one believed me. This time, though, I was serious. I was going to give myself a year to do the things I never get to do. Simple things like play with my nephew, pick him up from school, visit museums, go to concerts, see some Broadway shows, learn to cook a meal and spend time with my husband… Yes, I needed some relaxation, but I wanted inspiration too, from regular everyday things. They did not have to be over-the-top productions. I was looking for tiny moments that would speak to my heart and make me smile…” she wrote.

Essence entertainment director Cori Murray told The NY Daily News that the words were all Bey’s too.

“She’s a real writer. We had to edit her, but everyone gets edited except Toni Morrison.”

The association hasn’t said what exact award Beyonce will receive but she will be honored along with some pretty notable figures including diversity advocate Robert Naylor and the late Gil Noble.

“NYABJ is thrilled to present well-deserved awards to all of our winners and also recognize two luminaries in our field-Robert Naylor and the late Gil Noble,” said NYABJ President Michael J. Feeney. “From News 12 Westchester’s coverage of the Danroy Henry killing to CNN’s coverage of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. monument dedication to recording artist Beyonce Knowles’ Essence magazine article about how a nine-month break changed her life, we congratulate everyone.”

Did you check out Beyonce’s July 2011 cover story? What do you think about this award?

Brande Victorian is a blogger and culture writer in New York City. Follower her on Twitter at @be_vic.

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  • Shon007

    This is crazy, and to think all i have to do is turn in my ”journal” and i can win an award. That is a slap in the face to all the other journalist who have written articles “forever and ten days”. Have you heard her do an interview, i guess they will thank her for the”check” later.

  • STARo

    This makes me question the organization as a whole.  Her essay was essentially the grown up version of “What I did on My Summer Vacation.”  My guess is the organization just wanted to some medida attention, by awarding a mega-watt celeb for something (anything, really) was a sure fire way to achieve that goal.  However, by doing so, NABJ bascially says it’s standards for what it considers to be journalism are shamefully low.  In additon, I do wonder of the members that chose Beyonce to recieve this award, how many were men?  Hmmm (“Hey Bey, just show up . . . please.”)

  • cleva

    awful

  • Janice Dee

    Why do we keep wanting to elevate people who are barely articulate or literate?  When does it stop?  I guess people want to be on the gravy train bandwagon so they heap undeserved accolades on anybody popular and famous.  Shameful!!!!!!! Beyonce and her husband Jay are barely qualified to be described as talented.  Let’s stop acting as if they are God’s gift to humanity and equating them to people of real culture, talent, insight, development and knowledge.  When are their 15 minutes up?  Oh yeah and on the way out can you take your talentless sister Solange who should never speak publicly with you and the designer of the ugliest, tackiest, cheapest and tasteless clothing line ever created mother with you too!!!!!!

  • Twinning

    Welp
    She keeps on winning
    Effortlessly
    I’m gonna say congrats and keep it moving , there is no need  to degrade and tear down another women.
    Congrats to beyonce.

  • LadyLark

    I’m no journalist but I think I’m an okay writer (hobby more than 16 years) and I too was completely shocked and appalled.

    Not to hate, but I was also appalled at the ‘WORLDWIDE NEWS’ of her recieving an ASCAP award (some years ago) for songwriting when she’s average at best and wrote only a few joints that were okay and not classic.

    This is clearly the favoritism of the entertainment industry. I guess they need someone new to worship (as usual) now that Michael Jackson is gone.

  • REFUSING TO DRINK THE KOOL-AID

    She cannot help how this world views fair-skinned and fair-haired but she certainly benefits from and capitalizes on it. If she never shook her butt for celebrity (and everything else) then I could respect the hustle. However, she is not a good standard for black women because she is is a glorified booty-shaker who doesn’t offend the sensibility of white America and Europe. She actually conforms to assimilate.

    • Truthbethere

       ”She actually conforms to assimilate.”
      Of course she does. Do you think if she portrayed herself as a really independent and strong woman celebrating her background she would be that successfull. She worked hard on getting off all the rough edges about her to fit the cookie cut image that appeals to mass media. Nothing independent about her, in fact she is a media h*e, no ther way to mold a career.

  • Just saying!

    Okay…I know it’s not Beyonce’s fault they chose her to win this award but WTF!?!?!? Does being article and educated mean NOTHING anymore?!?!?!? I can’t even. I don’t know wth is wrong with this world. First Nicki Minaj and Lil Wayne win awards for being good teachers and not Beyonce is winning an award for writing? WHY THE HELL am I wasting my time trying get a degree from Wellesley College? You’ve got to be kidding me. Is a good name all that really matters anymore? I just can’t….

    • Just saying!!

      **articulate lol sorry I was so offended that I wrote this like REALLY FAST hahaha

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1571620163 Edie Dixon

    I have an essay (4 pages to be exact) I had to write for my Environmental Science class that awarded me an “A”, and I am very proud of it… Maybe I should submit it to them so I can win something…? I mean since they’re JUST giving them away.. *shrugs*

  • chi….

    wow…can we say pressed.

  • Kitsy

    Beyonce is a fabulous singer and dancer. She is drop-dead gorgeous. HOWEVER, she is neither an actress, scholar nor scribe! And she is not the mother of the savior of the human race!
    I seriously doubt she wrote that essay on her own (more likely she dictated some unintelligible sentences to a poor lackey who then had to perform the miraculous feat of forming it into something coherent). Come on now – we all read that 5th grade-level note she sent to FLOTUS. Do you really think she can put an entire essay together? I wish the media would get off her jock. Seriously this is indicative of the dumbing-down of America.

  • JusSayin

    So this is CLEARLY a case of not what you know but WHO you know. Its Beyonce people. She doesn’t do too much on her own. Her husband is her manager, she has a personal trainer, chef, baby sitter, live in nurse,  personal shopper and singing coach. She didn’t even graduate from high school. But since she can sing and she has a great publicist that hides every single scandal she has “maybe” came into encounter with… she is the perfect candidate to win this award. Its not enlightening, not breath taking and is written similar to that letter she wrote Michele Obama. I guess when you are good in one important subject everyone else plays up your mediocre efforts. Because I don’t see the word, “Charity” at all in that essay… Let me glance it over once more…hmmm nope. Yeah. I’m done.

  • Bluekissess

    Whatever… why couldn’t it be an up and coming journalist. If Beyonce farted she would probably get an award. Congrats anyways

  • Jan

    From what I hear this is not a well known org. They felt what better way to bring recognition to their organization. Give Beyonce an award for one of her ” i’s so inspired, I go to museums, play with my nephew, ride my bike” speeches ! Everything she say sounds so 3rd gradish, and her vocabulary, if you read all her interviews she uses the same 5 words !

    • Guest1234

      LMAO @ “I’s so inspired.”  That’s exactly what bugs me about her.  She’s heralded as some ideal of black womanhood, and when she opens her mouth to speak she sounds like Yosemite Sam on a plantation.  It’s just plain grating.  Why can’t the black female ideal be even the slightest bit intelligent and graceful?   Why must they celebrate ignorance in a blonde wig as if that’s as good as it gets for black women?  Why, oh why…

      • c to the

        Come on folks, let’s not make this a personal attack against Beyonce’. Remember, she is not the one who pulled the trigger on the award. If you are offended, or upset, direction your frustrations to the people who decided to honor her with an award for her essay.

        • KLK

          *Direct your frustrations…
          And yes, I agree. Frankly the only folks who exploit Beyonce is the media, paps, and her fans and the like. I don’t think Bey is looking for any extra lime light than what she already has. I remember reading this article last year in the essence issue, and it was just aiight. Nothing memorable and probably not worth receiving an award but nevertheless it was given. I’m sure she will accept it graciously. But center your frustration at the association who felt she should be rewarded, not her.

          • Guest1234

            I get what you guys are saying, but this is a criticism of those who celebrate her with awards and such.  She is what she is, but she’s NOT an ideal as far as black women go.  She IS ignorant (dropping out of school in the 9th grade will do that to ya.)  And her speech, elocution, apparent intelligence and verbal skills are limited, to say the least.

            I’m criticizing folks who hold that up as the best black women can be.  Even going so far as to give her journalism awards.  It’s a subtle suggestion that as black women go, there are no better… in any area.  And that’s not true.  If you wanna give her an award for booty-shakin, go right ahead.  But handing out awards and recognition for journalism, and for being “the most beautiful woman in the world” feels like charity. It’s a subtle suggestion that black women can do no more than she can.  Natalie Portman is celebrated for being beautiful, a successful actress and going to harvard.  But the black girls can only aspire to be as intellectually accomplished as Beyonce?  The best we can possibly be is light skinned in a blonde wig?  That’s a lie.  And it’s frustrating.

            It has its detrimental effects, but I won’t go into them here.  Suffice it to say, that’s BS.  And it’s not a personal attack on her to point it out. 

  • Guest1234

    That is some pretty bad writing.  It’s probably the work of an average mind, but that’s nothing to celebrate.  Stay classy, NABJ.

  • Ctumbo4

     Of all the people they could fete they chose Beyonce??!! Really?

  • Anonymous

    This must be a joke. First of all, Beyonce doesn’t write most of her songs. She takes a lot of samples from old songs, and put in few verbs to change it up a little bit. Second, Beyonce’s lyrics are too simple, repetitive and amateur. Third, they are doing everything to distract us from her pregnancy conspiracy. Last, artists who put a lot of effort into their songs should get awards.

  • Steph

    As a journalist and former reporter, this really…and I mean REALLY offends me. Lost a little respect for NABJ just now…

    • jasmine

      i agree! i’m graduating college with a degree in journalism and i’m involved in NABJ! this story made me feel like all of my years studying, interning and being involved was a huge waste of time and money. this is extremely discouraging.

    • Cherie

      YES!!! (  gives a virtual high-five to Steph, lol.)
      I feel the exact sentiment, coming from the same professional background ( journalist and former NABJ member). I do not understand why she was picked and what was so astounding about the article. I wrote more intriguing material while in my undergrad.

      • LadyLark

        Cherie you make me smile at 2am. So true!

  • Brooke

    Please. She is no journalist and the Association of Black Journalists no better…. This is horribly sad when others [real journalists] deserve the recognition and this award. Stick to Tumblr B!

    • JaneDoe

      Its an insult to those who busted their azzes in school to be overlooked by someone who can barley put together a few sentences. Her Peoples interview was horrible and even then I am sure they edited.

  • ZzzZzz

    Its hilarious to me that she won this award when she can barely articulate her conversations in interviews. smh

    • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1571620163 Edie Dixon

      That’s the exact same thing I said… lol..

    • LadyLark

      Exactly! I like Beyonce just  like any musically inclined woman today but an award for finally sounding articulate (only in an article nonetheless) is absolutely a marvel in how elistists be winning for Sh*ttin’.
      How many of those Mason rings is her man wearing?!? How many meeting they have to make to get this kind of top billing? Good grief.

      Can I get wind of my favorite bloggers (who can really write) getting a journalism award?

      Celebrating humans…just for breathing. This has got to stop.

    • Mls2698

      Did she finish high school?

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