When Scandal‘s Poppa Pope said to his daughter Olivia Pope, “You have to be…twice as good as them to get half of what they have,” many people of color, namely Black people, already knew it and have lived it.
With the news of Beyoncé’s documentary Homecoming landing six Emmy nominations, but not taking home any left Black Twitter collectively asking Emmy voters, “How Sway?”—especially when Homecoming lost the Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-recorded) awards to Carpool Karaoke. To say the dedicated BeyHive were angry is an understatement.
Beyoncé wasn’t the only hard-working person in each of the six categories she was nominated in, however, it’s hard to ignore a camera strapped to a car windshield being considered more creative, outstanding or visually masterful than Bey’s ode to HBCU culture.
“Beyoncé doesn’t need an award to show her influence,” This Is Us actor Niles Fitch shared.
Last Sunday, ESSENCE was on the Primetime Emmys red carpet and we asked several stars and nominees if they felt Beyoncé was snubbed and if they believe in Black people having to work twice has hard to go half as far.
Pose co-creator Steven Canals said, “Black excellence doesn’t stop being Black because it didn’t get an Emmy nomination.”
Check out the video above and let us know your thoughts on Beyoncé’s Emmy shut out.