Beyonce Upgrade U Featuring Jay-Z

The music video for "Upgrade U" by Beyonce has been an audience favorite since the release of her sophomore album. It can be seen on TV and online by thousands of fans all over the world. In this song, Beyonce is proposing her ability to help a man develop professionally and personally. She lists her offerings in an attempt to "Upgrade" someone. The song is pretty hip and gets a lot of airplay on the radio. However, the "Upgrade U" music video by Beyonce may be better than her single.

Beyonce is everywhere and has millions of fans, which makes the "Upgrade U" music video speedily appealing. The singer is known for showing off new hairstyles and fashions. This makes the "Upgrade U" music video great to watch even if you do not like the song. In the video, Beyonce does the double personality thing, which I am not always a great fan of. She recites Jay-Z's lyrics to the song while dressed like a man as the "Upgrade U" music video starts.

Beyonce is a pretty cool singer and performer, so the "Upgrade U" music video is alright to watch just because she is in it. Aside from that, there is nothing really special about this particular music video. Beyonce sings her "Upgrade U" song while emerging out of water and then swimming in it. There is no need to worry about a pool full of boredom with the "Upgrade U" music video. She does more than swim around in water. Beyonce performs a few dance moves with background dancers that exhibit confidence in her "upgrading" skills.

She also moves around inside of what looks like a Rolls Royce automobile and has some other glamour scenes as well. I am curious to know what the significance is of Beyonce sitting in the trunk of a car while performing some of the lyrics. These scenes look very odd, especially for the concept of this song. How are you going to "Upgrade" anyone while sitting in the trunk or a car? Another odd portion is Beyonce's "Upgrade U"music video is the small reptile that walks across a few scenes. What is the significance of the alligator walking alongside Beyonce while she is on the floor?

The technical portion of Beyonce's "Upgrade U" music video is convincing enough to satisfy mostly any viewer. The "Upgrade U" music video is very colorful, mostly golden. There are not many special effects, but the quick shots made the "Upgrade U" music video come alive. One of the most entertaining parts of this video is when Beyonce's alter male ego switches to the actual Jay-Z himself to finish the rapper's lyrics toward the end of the song. The cutaway shots of diamonds and other flawless jewelry is a bit flashy, but I suppose that is the whole idea. Money, glamour and prestige is what Beyonce has to offer for those who want to be upgraded.

There are extra items in the "Upgrade U" music video that Beyonce could have done without. The weird reptile scene is one of them. I also do not think that the Beyonce has to be drenched with water for this particular music video. The dance scenes were entertaining and demonstrate the "Upgrade U" perception. Beyonce's all white apparel is nice as well as her single pony tail hairstyle. I will not be surprised if it becomes a public trend during the summer months.

Grade B- (Yes, that is a B Minus)
Overall, Beyonce's "Upgade U" music video would be a bit plain if put on mute. If this video is only going to consist of the talented singer performing in various dresses and expensive clothing while lying on the floor or sitting in a trunk, the technical side should have been boosted. A few special effects would have eliminated the bore of watching someone recite the lyrics to a song that is played every 15 minutes on the radio. Beyonce did not dance that much, and the greatest highlight of "Upgrade U" was during Jay-Z's appearance. We already know that Beyonce is pretty and she can sing.

Unless, she does more dancing or creates Matrix-like back flips on the side of an office building, Beyonce's music videos like "Upgrade U" will not be much to get excited about. I will give her points for the jewels, a neat Jay-Z switch and points for a nice dance routine. Maybe she can use them to find some pants or a longer shirt to wear during the last rap portion of "Upgrade U". I would have given this music video a C, but I like Beyonce and Jay-Z which allows her to get over the average grade cap a bit. I know that she can do better, so I look forward to seeing it.