Most prominently, the video contains numerous depictions of Louisiana Creole culture. The music video for the song is closely related to its contents and provides many more references to the history of the black culture and its modern environment. Those familiar with the hip-hop scene of the previous decade will likely immediately recognize the reference, which is expected to substantiate the call to action present in the song. These inclusions do not alter the main focus of the song but instead provide additional context to the concerns expressed in the song. While certainly well-represented in the male-centric hip-hop culture, such statements have only recently become popular from the female perspective and are usually meant to take advantage of the perceived contrast between the expectations of the male and female population. Specifically, she promises to look into the possibility of giving her lover a ride in her private helicopter in case he pleases her. Later in the song, Beyonce turns the situation around in a move popular in the contemporary female hip-hop scene by displaying the derogatory attitude towards the male sexual partner (Clay 2008).
The Beyonce’s song does not directly target these issues but includes short snippets (about ten words each) which allude to the era with the characteristic male voice and the use of derogatory statements dense with explicit lyrics. This period in hip hop is characterized by extreme disrespect for women, explicit sexual themes, high level of vulgarity, and sexist motives (Rose 2008). It is also worth pointing out that the song contains numerous references to the hip-hop culture of the early nineties in the form of short interludes in a male voice. Marching is a strong symbol commonly used to depict the aggressive stance and, in some cases, the revolutionary attitudes (Neumeyer 2013). This impression is further strengthened by the tempo and beat chosen for the song, which resembles a military march and is merged with the stomping of the performers closer to the end of the song. In fact, despite the largely peaceful and non-aggressive nature, the song is reminiscent of a call to arms as Beyonce continuously uses the phrase “get information” throughout the song, which evokes the imagery of the military formations and brings up the association with the revolution. The song displays several themes pertinent to the contemporary female hip-hop scene, namely the empowering messages to women and the call to action. “Formation” is arguably a centerpiece of the album, both in terms of content that aligns with the rest of the songs and in terms of media coverage.