Is your favorite pop star spreading propaganda?

By Brittany Luse,

Corey Antonio Rose, Jasmine Romero, Barton Girdwood, Veralyn Williams

Published January 13, 2025 at 8:55 AM EST

Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter-themed NFL halftime show performance showcased Black Americana and drew in millions of viewers, but it left some viewers asking: is she America's greatest propagandist? And which version of America is she promoting?

Brittany Luse is joined by music and Black feminism scholar Daphne A. Brooks, and mass communication historian Nick Cull, to unpack what is and isn't propaganda, and how we can sift through political messaging to be more savvy consumers of media.

Support public media and receive ad-free listening & bonus. Join NPR+ today.

Tags

NPR Podcasts

Brittany Luse

Brittany Luse is an award-winning journalist, on-air host, and cultural critic. She is the host of It's Been a Minute and For Colored Nerds. Previously Luse hosted The Nod and Sampler podcasts, and co-hosted and executive produced The Nod with Brittany and Eric, a daily streaming show. She's written for Vulture and Harper's Bazaar, among others, and edited for the podcasts Planet Money and Not Past It. Luse and her work have been profiled by publications like The New York Times, The New Yorker, Vulture, and Teen Vogue.

Corey Antonio Rose

Jasmine Romero

Barton Girdwood

Veralyn Williams

Veralyn Williams (she/her) is a Peabody and Edward R. Murrow award-winning journalist who has been asking hard questions about our world since she picked up her first microphone in 2004. Now she brings her skills (and ears) to her role as executive producer of programming at NPR.