Kori Barnes 
The Queen Bey who keeps on giving.
“Chicago, I love you,” is the sentiment that echoed throughout Beyoncé Chicago concert as she expressed the special place in her heart that the city holds. This announcement came with the surprising and kind gesture of BeyGOOD Foundation donating $100,000 to several small Chicago Black businesses.
Not only did Beyoncé donate to these small Chicago Black businesses, but Jay-Z was even spotted in the city while visiting a local Black owned restaurant on 47th and King Drive. According to cbsnews.com., “Mario Coleman and Angie Price own Bronzeville Soul. Price says she talked his presence into existence.”Beyoncé’s concert is in town this weekend. Wouldn’t it be great if they came to the restaurant, and low and behold, it happened,” Price said. Jay-Z’s appearance came quite as a shock for the owners, but they were even more touched that the rapper knew specifically what to order from their restaurant. Coleman expressed that told him that he wanted to support a Black business and that he heard from word of mouth that their restaurant had good food, so he ordered short ribs and pound cake.
Chicago fans have taken to social media to express their admiration and excitement that they were in the same city and breathing the same air as Beyoncé and the Carter family. Although this isn’t the first time that Queen Bey has been generous enough to give back to Black businesses and support Black designers with pieces she’s worn throughout her Renaissance tour, it truly means something special for Beyoncé to choose on our beloved city.
Hopefully, Beyoncé will return soon to Chi-town and we’ll be able to experience more of her … possibly another tour (fingers crossed)? We can only hope!
By Kori Barnes, University of Southern California
Instagram: @korixnicole
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