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WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Education Department said it has discovered a calculation error in hundreds of thousands of student financial aid applications sent to colleges this month and will need to reprocess them — a blunder that follows a series of others and threatens further delays to this year’s college applications.

A vendor working for the federal government incorrectly calculated a financial aid formula for more than 200,000 students, the department said Friday. The information was sent to colleges to help them prepare financial aid packages but now needs to be recalculated — even as the department works through a backlog of more than 4 million other financial aid applications.

A statement from the Education Department says the problem won’t affect 1.3 million applications that were processed correctly and distributed to colleges this month. Officials said they have fixed the error and it “will not affect future records.”

It’s unlikely that many students, if any, received financial aid offers based on the incorrect information since the department only began sending records in the last two weeks. Once colleges receive that information, it usually takes several weeks to assemble financial aid packages.

Students applying for college have been left in limbo this year as they await the Education Department’s overhaul of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. The form, known as FAFSA, is used to determine eligibility for federal Pell Grants, and colleges and states use it to award their own financial aid to students.

The update was meant to simplify the form but took months longer than expected. It gives colleges less time to make financial aid offers to students, and it gives students less time to decide where to enroll.

“This is another unforced error that will likely cause more processing delays for students,” said Justin Draeger, president and CEO of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators.

After so many delays, he added, “Every error adds up and will be felt acutely by every student who is counting on need-based financial aid to make their postsecondary dreams a reality.”

The latest misstep has to do with the Student Aid Index, a new formula used to determine students’ level of financial need after they submit the FAFSA application. For some students, the department forgot to factor in certain financial assets including investments, savings and total cash, according to an agency memo sent to colleges on Friday.

It resulted in a lower Student Aid Index for those students — indicating they have more financial need than they do in reality.

While the department fixes those students’ records, it’s encouraging colleges to make their own calculations and craft “a tentative aid package.”

Draeger pushed against that idea, saying colleges can only work with “valid and correct data.”

“It is not feasible or realistic to send out incorrect FAFSA data and ask thousands of schools to make real-time calculations and adjustments to the federal formula,” he said.

Advocates fear that the chaos of this year’s process could deter students from going to college at all, especially those for whom finances are a key part of the decision.

Senate Republicans are requesting a hearing with Education Secretary Miguel Cardona to discuss their “serious concerns” about the FAFSA rollout.

In a video message on Friday, Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana said it’s “not right” to ask colleges to fix the department’s mistake.

“You were supposed to get it done right the first time, and you were supposed to get it done right three months ago,” said Cassidy, the ranking Republican on the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions. “We need more accountability, more responsibility, more confidence from the Department of Education.”

The notoriously time-consuming FAFSA form was targeted for an overhaul in 2020 through bipartisan legislation in Congress. The bill promised to simplify the form, going from 100 questions to fewer than 40, and it also changed the underlying formula for student aid, promising to expand it to more low-income students.

But the update has been marred by delays and technical glitches.

The form is typically available to fill out in October, but the Education Department didn’t have it ready until late December. Even then, the agency wasn’t ready to begin processing the forms and sending them to states and colleges, which only started this month.

Along the way, the department has scrambled to fix numerous bugs. Early on, the process failed to account for inflation properly. Another glitch blocked parents from filling out the form if they did not have a Social Security number. That meant many students who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents but whose parents are not could not apply.

The department says those problems have been fixed, and it’s now rushing to process millions of student applications and send them to colleges and states. The agency says it has processed 1.5 million applications out of about 6 million received so far.

The department “will continue delivering large volumes” of records in the coming weeks, its statement said. “We remain focused on helping students and families through this process and supporting colleges produce aid offers as quickly as possible.”

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The Associated Press’ education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

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Despite a chilly evening, Brooklyn Emerge hosted their annual free community Iftar dinner on Rugby Road and Foster Avenue this past weekend to celebrate Islamic traditions and holidays.

Founder and President of Brooklyn Emerge Zakarya Khan has headed a Halal meal share program in Brooklyn since the pandemic, bolstered entrepreneurship and businesses in Brooklyn, invested in a college and career readiness program, and taken in about 30 asylum seekers.

“I really want to thank all of you from the bottom of my heart,” said Khan, “Today is a special day. Some of you are fasting and some are not, but we’re breaking the fast together.”

For the interfaith Iftar dinner, community organizations like Brooklyn Emerge, Muslims Vote Project, and the Young Muslim Democratic Club combined forces to deck out the streets with Ramadan balloons, fully dressed tables with dates and plates, and have outside prayer rugs provided. Dozens of men, women, and children from the community and nearby Masjid-e-Quba eagerly awaited sundown.

“As we break fast, let us also break barriers, build bridges, and celebrate the power of compassion, resilience and unity,” said Alim Bary, Brooklyn Emerge director of community outreach. “At the core of our beloved community we have witnessed the transformative power of generosity and solidarity.” 

A slew of elected officials from the Flatbush area in Brooklyn were also in attendance, including Assemblymember Brian Cunningham, and Councilmembers Farah Louis, Mercedes Narcisse, and Rita Joseph. 

“Compassion,” said Louis at the dinner, “that is something, a trait, a character trait that we should have each and every day. Brooklyn Emerge’s mission is based on compassion, being a space of refuge for people that need the support, to be a place of fortress. During this time when we need peace in this world, you guys bring a sense of peace, and that is what Ramadan is about and this community Iftar is about. I thank you all for your leadership.” 

New York City’s vastly diverse Muslim community has been struggling twofold: under the weight of the city’s migrant crisis and with the current Israel/Palestine war in Gaza. 

Plenty of newly arrived African Musilm migrants were finding it hard to access Halal food and celebrate their traditions this and last month in the city. This is the end of this year’s Ramadan, a month-long period where participants fast from dawn-to-sunset, and Eid al-Fitr, a grand holiday celebrated on the Islamic lunar calendar at the close of the fasting month on April 9-10.

Meanwhile, quite a few grassroots organizations encouraged New York State voters to leave their ballots blank in the recent presidential primary on April 2 as a way of demanding a ceasefire in Gaza, which is an extension of the “uncommitted” ballot box protests in other states.  

“This is a moment of very high concern,” said Congressmember Yvette Clarke at the event. “So in Washington, D.C., we are doing everything we can to make sure that we lift up, not only this community, but communities across this nation that are in great despair in this moment. My prayers are that there will be decisive action taken this week when we return back to Washington D.C. I see that the president and his administration have finally made the move that I think must happen at this moment to save lives and to end atrocities that are happening, particularly to our Palestinian sisters and brothers.” 

At sundown the call to prayer, which is sung in Arabic, was performed. 

Those observing the prayer time gathered on the carpeted section of the street, bowing and kneeling in unison. Afterwards, a flood of chicken and lamb dishes and homemade sweet drinks were passed out for dinner. The breaking of the fasting period was complete. For the next hour or so, guests chatted and ate outside in the well lit, frigid night air to their heart’s content. They closed out the event with free cups of warmed chai and even more takeaway containers of food.
Ariama C. Long is a Report for America corps member and writes about politics for the Amsterdam News. Your donation to match our RFA grant helps keep her writing stories like this one; please consider making a tax-deductible gift of any amount today by visiting https://bit.ly/amnews1.

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Every election year, petitioning season proves to be the most grueling part of a time-honored process. This year is no different as New York State Assembly, Senate, and Congress candidates battle for ballots the closer we get to the primary this June.

“When you get right down to it, democracy is people having conversations with other people. That’s why it’s so important to me that our campaign is rooted in the grassroots,” said Congressmember Jamaal Bowman in a statement. 

Bowman, the first Black representative in Congressional District 16, is embroiled in a heated reelection bid to hold onto his seat against challenger, Westchester County Executive George Latimer. Bowman said he’s raised over $1.3 million this quarter from 10,000 donations, with 75% of that coming from small donations under $30. 

Candidates running for an elected office in this state can’t get their names on the ballot without filing a petition containing a specified number of signatures from local residents. The current political parties are the Democratic, Republican, Conservative, and Working Families parties. There’s also an option to write-in the name of an unspecified person. 

The required number varies depending on which office they’re running for and if they’re seeking a party nomination, but it’s a baseline of 500 to thousands of signatures that need to be acquired by April 1. This June primary will have congressional district races (1,250 signatures needed per candidate), state senatorial district races (1,000 signatures needed per candidate), and a bunch of assembly district races (500 signatures needed per candidate).

Every petition signature is presumed valid when filed unless objected to within a certain time frame after the final filing date.

Canvassing photos contributed by respective campaigns

“From Tarrytown to Co-Op City, our people-powered campaign gathered almost four times the necessary signatures and knocked on over a thousand doors last Sunday during our district-wide canvass launch through the organized power of volunteers,” said Bowman. “This is what democracy looks like, and it’s how we’re going to defend the people’s seat from special interests and Republican megadonors interfering in our Democratic primary.”

The state implemented the first version of the petitioning system about a decade after the U.S. Constitution ratified the 15th Amendment, supposedly giving Black American men the right to vote in 1870. New York was plagued with political scandals and corruption at the time, and began requiring “ballot listing” for candidates. A candidate had to be either nominated or submit nominating petitions to get on it. In 1890, the state passed a law that created the first primary election to choose the party’s candidates. 

By 1965, after women finally got the right to vote in 1920, the federal government addressed the vicious, nearly century-long effort to suppress the Black vote by passing the national Voting Rights Act. Shortly after, Black voters sued to create the first ever Black congressional district in Brooklyn in 1967, electing Shirley Chisholm as the first black woman ever in the U.S. House of Representatives the next year. 

The climate of petitioning season has evolved over the decades for candidates of color seeking elected offices and the approach has especially shifted somewhat since the COVID-19 pandemic, but still they persist: Hitting the streets, knocking on doors, staking out subways during morning commute, and networking with local volunteers to collect signatures.

“I believe that when you are able to get as many people as possible to sign your petitions, it shows that you’re worthy of the position that you’re running for,” said 70th Assembly District candidate Jordan J.G. Wright, who submitted close to a whooping 4,000 signatures on the first eligible filing day. Wright is in a packed assembly race that started off with six other candidates: Shana Harmongoff (about 2,300 signatures), Craig Schley (1,210 signatures), Joshua Clennon, Maria Ordonez, Alpheaus E. Marcus, and Seson Adams.

“Our team collaborated with local Democratic clubs made up of people who are experienced and knowledgeable about our village which was key to making sure we didn’t just collect signatures, but that we did it right,” said Wright.

Ariama C. Long is a Report for America corps member and writes about politics for the Amsterdam News. Your donation to match our RFA grant helps keep her writing stories like this one; please consider making a tax-deductible gift of any amount today by visiting https://bit.ly/amnews1.

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Will the Knicks be a No. 3 or No. 6 seed when the NBA playoffs begin on April 20?

With three regular season games remaining, including tonight on the road versus the Boston Celtics and games at Madison Square Garden versus the Brooklyn Nets and Chicago Bulls on Friday and Sunday, respectively, the Knicks’ positioning in the Eastern Conference playoff seeding battle remains fluid. Their 128-117 road victory over the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday lifted by Jalen Brunson’s 45 points moved them up to the No. 3 seed when last night’s slate of league games tipped off.

The Knicks were 47-32 and tenuously holding on to the spot, looking at the Orlando Magic and Cleveland Cavaliers bearing down on them, who are only one game behind at 46-33. The Magic played at Milwaukee last night against the No.2 seed Bucks, who were without Giannis Antetokounmpo. The perennial league MVP candidate strained his left calf on Tuesday night in the third quarter and limped to the locker room as his team went on to defeat the No. 1 seed Boston Celtics 104-91. Antetokounmpo is expected to be out until at least the start of the playoffs.

That benefits the Magic, who end the regular season on Sunday at home facing the Bucks again. They also play the current No. 7 seed Philadelphia 76ers tomorrow, who are in the mix for a higher seed as they are closely behind the Knicks, Magic, and Cavaliers at 45-35. Right in front of the 76ers are the 46-34, No. 6 seed Indiana Pacers, sitting only a game and a half behind the Knicks and heading into last night’s schedule, a minuscule one-half game below the Magic and Cavaliers.

Are you following?  

To paraphrase the late, great Biggie Smalls, if you didn’t know, now you know why the Eastern Conference playoff scenario won’t be decided until Sunday’s games are over and why the Knicks’ remaining two games are extremely consequential.

Center Isaiah Hartenstein encapsulated the Knicks’ collective mindset in the midst of the playoff race after they overcame a 21-point deficit to defeat the Sacramento Kings by 120-109 last week at the Garden.

“You pay attention to it a little bit, but you can’t get too far ahead of yourself. You really have to take it day-by-day. I think sometimes when you get too ahead of yourself, like some games, you’re not as focused,” said Hartenstein.

“So that’s our kind of approach, Thib’s [head coach Tom Thibodeau’s] approach all year that we don’t get too ahead of ourselves. We focus day-to-day, who we have at that moment, and I think that’s been helping us out a lot.”

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Although the 2024 MLB season is just at the end of its second full week, there are several teams that have shown clear improvement from a year ago. 

One team that has surpassed expectations is the Los Angeles Angels, managed by Ron Washington. Last season the Angels finished 73-89 and haven’t made a playoff appearance since 2014 despite having superstars Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani, the latter playing for the Angels from 2018 to last season. Ohtani signed a record 10-year, $700 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers in December, the largest in professional sports history.   

When Washington was hired by the Angels  last November, the team looked to lean on his 40-plus years of experience. The last time the 71-year-old New Orleans native managed a squad, he reached consecutive World Series with the Texas Rangers in 2010 and 2011.

Washington also won a World Series as the third-base coach for the Atlanta Braves in 2021. Many Angels fans felt like they were destined for another losing season when they started this campaign 0-2, losing both games in blowout fashion to the Baltimore Orioles by 11-3 and 13-4. 

However, after the second loss, Washington called a team meeting. It seemed premature but Washington knows what it takes to be successful and it was clear his ballclub was not showing those traits. The Angels would win the next game against the Orioles 4-1, and then go on to sweep the Miami Marlins.

They were in second place in the American League West at 6-5 before facing the Tampa Bay Rays last night (Wednesday). A telling sign of Washington establishing a positive and hopeful culture is that he has the belief of veteran Trout, an 11-time All-Star and 3-time AL MVP, who has experienced numerous losing seasons with the Angels.

“Coming in, just the energy he brings. When things aren’t right, he fixes it,” Trout said to Nick Hamilton of MLBbro.com. 

With one of the best players in the game in Trout reinvigorated, the potential breakout of 25-year-old outfielder Jo Adell and a possible resurgence of veteran outfielder Aaron Hicks, the Angels may be a surprising contender for the AL West title. That won’t be determined until well into the summer in the long 162-game marathon, but Washington has the Angels seemingly up for the challenge.

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Brooklyn Nets owner Joe Tsai should be in constant evaluation mode. Everyone who leads an NBA franchise from the top is making regular assessments of their organization. Losing teams, and those that do not make the playoffs and aren’t on the rise such as the Nets have many major decisions to make heading into the off-season.

The Nets were 31-48 ahead of yesterday’s home finale against the Toronto Raptors as the disappointing season will end without them having a playoff or even play-in spot; they are in 11th place in the 15-team Eastern Conference. They play their final game Sunday on the road versus the Philadelphia 76ers. 

The futures of GM Sean Marks and interim head coach Kevin Ollie are uncertain. Tsai has to take a deep look at how he can move the franchise forward and if Marks and Ollie are the best options at their positions. Roster reconstruction and player development are priorities. Marks hasn’t shaped a consistent winner since becoming the Nets GM in February of 2016. Notably, the short-lived Kevin Durant-Kyrie Irving-James Harden experiment failed.

Ollie took over as the head coach when Jacque Vaughn was fired this past February and while Tsai has not spoken publicly on his intentions, it’s likely Ollie won’t be back—even if he hasn’t had enough time to prove himself. He was in his first year as an assistant with the Nets before moving up to interim head coach. Ollie had a record of 10-15 after Sunday’s embarrassing 107-77 loss to the Sacramento Kings at Barclays Center where the team trailed by as many as 33 points.

One of the few bright spots for the team this season has been 6-foot-3-inch guard Cam Thomas, who has led the Nets in scoring in seven consecutive games going into last night. He was averaging 22.2 points per game through Sunday. Thomas, drafted by the Nets in the first round in 2021 with the 27th overall pick out of LSU is just 22 years old.

Rookie Noah Clowney, a 6-9 forward taken with the 21st pick in last season’s NBA draft, had the best two games of his young career scoring a career-high 22 points and grabbing 10 rebounds in a 115-111 win over the Indiana Pacers on April 3 followed by 17 points, 6 rebounds and 4 blocks as Brooklyn overcame a 19-point deficit to defeat the Detroit Pistons on Saturday, 113-103.

“Before I went in, coach (Ollie) said ‘protect the rim’ so I went and did just that,” Clowney shared after Saturday’s win. “As far as the offensive end, I think I got a few rebounds. I think I got a cut on one, some free throws, a three. I don’t really remember the exact (details), but just trying to play [and] get my shots up within the game. They were in the flow of the game, not forcing anything.”

Brooklyn closes out the season at Madison Square Garden versus the New York Knicks on Friday and against the 76ers in Philadelphia on Sunday.

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U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris recently hosted a unique gathering at her home with more than 100 women influential in sports. There were Olympians, Paralympians, athletic directors, sports broadcasters, and team presidents. Some of the most notable names were four-time Olympic basketball gold medalist Lisa Leslie, history-making Olympic ice dance champion Meryl Davis, Big East Commissioner Val Ackerman, and Atlanta Dream co-owner Renee Montgomery.

“It was inspiring to be surrounded by individuals who have made significant contributions to their respective fields, breaking barriers and paving the way for future generations. The energy in the room was filled with passion, determination, and a shared commitment to advancing women’s representation in sports,” said Melody Webb, director of athletics at Norfolk State University.

Other athletic directors in attendance included Nina King of Duke; Dr. Alecia Shields-Gadson of Delaware State; Candice Storey Lee of Vanderbilt; Jennifer Cohen of the University of Southern California; and Dena Freeman-Patton of Morgan State. Webb noted that it was a celebration of diversity and inclusion in sports that encouraged her to keep advocating for equal opportunities.

“Seeing the Vice President acknowledge the importance of diversity and representation in sports reaffirms the significance of our efforts to break down barriers and promote gender equality in athletics,” Webb said. “It underscores the idea that sports transcend mere competition; they are a platform for empowerment, leadership, and social change.”

A report published last week by Dr. Shaun Harper, founder and executive director of the University of Southern California Race and Equity Center, noted that in 2023 only 13 Black women were athletic directors at Division I institutions—just 3.7% of the 352 DI schools. Six of these women, including Webb, are at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

“The inclusion of HBCUs [by the Vice President] highlights the importance of recognizing and celebrating the significant contributions of these institutions to the world of athletics,” said Webb. Norfolk State’s women’s basketball team competed in this year’s NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Tournament.

“Overall, having our female athletes perform on such a big stage not only brings pride to our athletics department, but also helps to elevate the profile of women’s sports and promote gender equality within the athletic arena,” said Webb.

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The Yankees are playing like a team intent on ending a 15-year World Series drought.

When they hosted the Miami Marlins last night at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, their 10-2 record reflected a squad with a loaded lineup flexing its muscles. It was the best in Major League Baseball, two better in the loss column than the 10-4 Los Angeles Dodgers, which came into this season favored by sports gaming companies to win the World Series.

Right fielder Juan Soto and shortstop Anthony Volpe have powered the Yankees out of the gate. Before taking the field against the Marlins last night in the final game of a three-game set, Soto was pacing the team with 16 hits, 11 RBIs and an .456 OBP (on-base percentage). Volpe topped the Yanks in batting at .375 and OPS (on-base plus slugging) at 1.044.  

The Yankees still have 149 regular season games and five and half months of baseball in front of them. But the indicators thus far are they should be, barring serious injuries to core players, a contending force. Ace Gerrit Cole, the reigning Cy Young Award winner, is a vital piece. Cole has begun the season on the 60-day injured list due to nerve inflammation in his right elbow.

The right-hander is eligible to come off the IR on May 27 but more realistic projections have Cole returning in early June if that soon. On Sunday, Yankees manager Aaron Boone informed reporters that Cole would begin throwing this week as the next phase of his rehab. The 33 year old was 15-4 with 222 strikeouts and 2.63 ERA last season.

This season the Yankees have gone with the five-man rotation of Nestor Cortes, Carlos Rodon, Marcus Stroman, Clarke Schmidt, and Luis Gil. Rodon has been particularly good after a rough 2023 with the franchise, his first after being signed to a six-year, $162 million contract in December 2022. In three starts this season the lefty has allowed just three earned runs in 15.2 innings pitched for a 1.72 ERA.

On Tuesday, Rodon took a shutout into the seventh inning in the Yankees 3-2 victory over the Marlins. The Yankees 10 wins was tied for the most in 12 games to begin a season in franchise history. They were also 10-2 in 1922, 1949 and 2003. The Yankees will begin a six-game road trip tomorrow with three scheduled in Cleveland versus the Guardians and then in Toronto for three from Monday through Wednesday versus the Blue Jays.

As for the Mets, after opening 0-5, they were 4-7 prior to taking on the Atlanta Braves on the road last night. They close out a four-game series against the Braves this afternoon (12:20 p.m.) and will play the Kansas City Royals three games at Citi Field tomorrow through Sunday and the Pittsburgh Pirates in a three-game series in Queens Monday through Wednesday.

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Beyoncé forewarned the world, “this ain’t a country album, it’s a Beyoncé album!” She has stopped the world, again, with her highly anticipated, “Cowboy Carter.” Her new project, released on Friday, March 29, helped Beyoncé become the first Black woman to achieve a number one album on the Billboard country chart. She has also hit number one in 10 countries so far including Australia, Ireland, and Scotland. 

Beyoncé’s resistance to only being pigeonholed as an R&B, hip-hop, or pop star is indicative of her new era. She blends genres while breaking barriers of how her music is “supposed to sound.” When accepting the Innovator Award at the iHeart Radio Awards on Monday, Apr. 1, Beyoncé said, “Being an innovator often means being criticized, which often will test your mental strength.” The superstar continued, “My hope is that we’re more open to the joy and liberation that comes from enjoying art with no preconceived notions.” She dedicated her award to innovators who devote their lives to creating shifts within art.

Pushing boundaries musically allows her to be liberated as well as honest through her creativity. For years, she has declined sit-down interviews and is very selective about which publications have access to her. Nearly 30 years into her career, the entertainer intentionally let her music speak loudly. In her opening track, “Ameriican Requiem,” Beyoncé revealed, “Used to say I spoke, ‘too country’ / and then the rejection came, said I wasn’t country enough.” This is interpreted as a response to the backlash against her after the Country Music Awards, despite her performance with The Chicks (formerly The Dixie Chicks) in 2016 bringing the show’s highest-rated 15 minutes in history.

One BeyHive member, the name given to super Beyoncé fans, recalls the rejection from that award show. Aynesa Moore, 25, also from the south, empathizes and understands Beyoncé referencing and living her country roots throughout her career.  “Beyoncé is synonymous with country,” said Moore. “Bey paying homage to so many country legends such as Dolly Parton, I think, proves this was not a random leap.”

Beyoncé didn’t randomly choose the name of her chart-topping album and it might not be solely based on her married name, either. The Carter Family, an extremely influential country music act, were considered the “First Family of Country Music. Their standout star Maybelle Carter learned her guitar skills from Lesley “Esley” Riddle, a Black musician. This example of African Americans roots in the genre is illustrated through “Cowboy Carter.”
Moore refers to the new release as, “a skillfully crafted work of art.” “It showcases her vocal ability and many of the amazing things she can do with her voice,” she added. A fan favorite is Beyoncé’s rendition of Dolly Parton’s, “Jolene.” Beyoncé added a more aggressive tone to her version which remained country inspired. Another distinct song is her duet with Miley Cyrus, “II Most Wanted.” Cyrus has also dabbled with various genres including hip-hop, pop, and country. 

Another major collaboration was Beyoncé’s “Blackbiird,” featuring lesser-known Black country artists Tanner Adell, Brittney Spencer, Tiera Kennedy and Reyna Roberts. These four ladies are now receiving global recognition that will likely boost their careers. “I love how Beyoncé used her influence, her talent, and her exposure to bring light to newer artists who are getting their footing in the industry,” said Moore. “A co-sign from a legend like Beyoncé is life changing.”

A legend like Paul McCartney endorsing the “Queen Bey” to cover “Blackbiird” was also exceptional and significant. McCartney originally wrote the song in 1968 after learning about Little Rock Nine and the Civil Rights Movement. “I am so happy with Beyoncé’s version of my song ‘Blackbird,’” said Paul McCartney on his official Instagram. “I think she does a magnificent version of it and it reinforces the civil rights message that inspired me to write the song in the first place.” The Beatles singer intended for the record to be from a Black girl’s perspective.

Beyoncé’s including “Blackbiird” and featuring another genre blending artists like Shaboozey displays how calculated she was with creating “Cowboy Carter.” “Mrs. Carter has done her homework; she loves and respects the genre,” said Moore. Beyoncé’s genre blending, history telling and celebration of newer artists all come together on “Cowboy Carter.” Beyoncé exhibits how liberated she is with doing whatever she wants to do musically.

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