Beyonce’s “Bigger” from her Black is King soundtrack has an intense link to the Lost Notes: 1980 due to its overall message regarding Black excellence. This song is about the unification of the Black community and how they all encompass a part of a greater whole. With lyrics such as “No matter how hard it gets, You got my blood in ya, And you’re gonna rise” (2:30), Beyonce makes it known that regardless of any struggles or hardships endured, the Black community can overcome all of it for the simple fact that they have a connection deeper than just the surface level. This is apparent in Lost Notes: Stevie Wonder made a massive comeback after a failed album; the Sugar Hill Gang became incredibly successful in the hip-hop world despite claims of their illegitimacy as hip-hop musicians; Miriam Makeba suffered backlash for speaking on civil rights struggles in South Africa yet she never stopped making music and speeches about it; Grace Jones continued to be her most authentic self in spite of criticisms for her outgoing persona; Minnie Riperton demonstrated what it means to be strong as she succeeded in her career while fighting with terminal cancer. All of these people are united by one thing: they are Black, and as a result, they have to fight larger battles than anyone else. “Bigger” redefines Black excellence as something that does not begin with the superficial, but rather the spiritual. There is a spiritual joy in being “Black on purpose for a purpose” (Dillard) and this purpose is what pushes the Black community to continue to thrive in their endeavors regardless of the obstacles in their path. 

“Bigger” by Beyonce https://youtu.be/14di5tJxn7c?t=150

Dillard, Cynthia B. “When Black Is [Queen]: Towards an Endarkened Equity and Excellence in Education.” Equity & Excellence in Education, vol. 54, no. 1, 2021, pp. 19–27, https://doi.org/10.1080/10665684.2020.1863884.

In Episode 5 titled “Basketball Warriors,” we are told about Puerto Rico’s massive sports success, specifically basketball. The narrator walks us through the most important game in Puerto Rican basketball history, in which PR went against the US in the 2004 Olympics in Athens. This game was very nerve-wracking considering the US had its star players such as Alan Iverson, Dwayne Wade, Tim Duncan, and Lebron James. No one expected Puerto Rico to win. During the game, PR had been ahead of the US, and when the US had caught up to the score, Puerto Ricans started to lose hope. However, Puerto Rican player Carlos Arroyo “the young gun,” shocked everyone when in the last minute of the game he managed to bring PR back up 20 points, making them win the game. Arroyo made headlines as he posed for pictures showing off his jersey which said “Puerto Rico” on the front. It was an amazing moment for Puerto Rico since they were finally able to win against the US at their own game.

I was pleasantly surprised as I was listening to this episode. It was very refreshing to hear about an event that was actually used to describe Puerto Rican pride rather than the suffering and hardships Puerto Ricans have had to endure. The emphasis put on Puerto Rico beating the USA is extremely important because it demonstrates how PR was able to beat their “oppressors” and beat the country that was limiting them from reaching their full potential. Although Puerto Rico did not continue to win any games after the 2004 Olympics, this win was sufficient to leave them content for many years to come. It was a new sense of hope for the island and its people.

My question is: Can hope ever be enough to fulfill a person and should people always be expected to be hopeful when put in difficult situations?