"Partition" is a song by American singer Beyoncé from her fifth recorded album, Beyoncé (2013). Beyoncé wrote and helped create the song with Justin Timberlake, Timbaland, Jerome "J-Roc" Harmon, Dwane "Key Wane" Weir, and Mike Dean. Additional writing was done by The-Dream, and additional production was done by Jordy "Boots" Asher. "Partition" was released to US urban contemporary radio on February 25, 2014, as the third single from Beyoncé.
The song has two parts, titled "Yoncé" and "Partition." "Partition" combines sounds from electro-R&B and hip-hop music. Its production includes simple electronic sounds, a strong bassline, and a powerful drumbeat. The song explores themes related to Beyoncé’s personal life, including a scene describing an event that happens in the back of a limousine. The final minute of the song includes a spoken part taken from the French version of the 1998 movie The Big Lebowski, originally spoken by Julianne Moore.
"Partition" reached number 23 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, number nine on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, and number one on the US Hot Dance Club Songs chart. Music videos for "Yoncé" and "Partition" were released on December 13, 2013. The "Yoncé" video was directed by Ricky Saiz and filmed on the streets of Brooklyn, New York. The "Partition" video was directed by Jake Nava and filmed at the Parisian cabaret club Crazy Horse. Both songs were included in Beyoncé’s live performances during the second European leg of The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour (2013–14) and later during The On the Run Tour (2014), The Formation World Tour (2016), and The Renaissance World Tour (2023).
Conception and release
The song "Partition" was created as two parts, with the first part named "Yoncé." "Yoncé" was written by Beyoncé and Terius Nash, with music composed by Timothy Mosley, Justin Timberlake, Dwane Weir, Jerome Harmon, and Mike Dean. "Partition" was written by Beyoncé, with music by Dwane Weir and Mike Dean. The production team included Timberlake, Beyoncé, Mosley, Harmon, and Wane, who used their stage names Timbaland, J-Roc, and Key Wane, along with additional help from Mike Dean and Boots. The original drumbeat for "Yoncé" was made by Timberlake using a bucket. Mike Dean later added sounds like 808 beats, synthesizers, claps, and strings. Beyoncé called this sound "organic" and compared it to free-styling during middle school lunch breaks. The beat was first given to British rapper Dizzee Rascal, but he did not use it because he could not think of lyrics. The group decided to keep the bucket sound because Beyoncé wanted an organic feel. Later, The-Dream wrote some lyrics, including "Yoncé all on his mouth like liquor." Beyoncé initially found this phrase awkward but later loved it, which inspired her new name, Yoncé. She said she felt embarrassed after recording "Partition" because of its very sexual lyrics.
The song was produced at Jungle City Studios and Oven Studios in New York City. After the music was arranged by the production team, it was recorded by Stuart White, Chris Godbey, Ann Mincieli, and Bart Schoudel. White and Tony Maserati mixed the track, while James Krausse and Matt Weber handled the audio engineering with help from Justin Hergett, Chris Tabron, Matt Wiggers, and Ramon Rivas. The final audio mastering was done by Tom Coyne and Aya Merrill. Timberlake and Timbaland provided backing vocals, and Beyoncé's vocals were recorded with their help. The spoken section at the end of "Partition" was recorded by Hajiba Fahmy, one of Beyoncé's dancers. "Partition" was first played on US urban contemporary radio on February 25, 2014, as the third single from Beyoncé. It was also played on radio stations in Italy on March 28, 2014.
Composition
"Partition" is a song that mixes elements of electronic music and R&B. It starts with a soft, girl-group pop sound and changes to a style similar to hip-hop from the southern United States. The music uses a smooth Caribbean rhythm and deep, echoing beats created by a special drum machine called the Roland TR-808. The song also includes short sounds from a synthesizer, quick musical movements, and the sound of fingers snapping. The lyrics are very direct about sexual topics. Melissa Locker from Time magazine said the song does not leave any sexual hints unmentioned. Annie Zaleski from Las Vegas Weekly noted that Beyoncé uses different singing styles in the song. She uses trills, which are quick changes between two nearby musical notes, and sometimes sings in a style called doo-wop, which uses harmonies and vocal sounds. She also makes soft, murmuring sounds that express pleasure.
The song begins with a short recording from Beyoncé’s concert tour, where she asks the audience to say “Hayyy Ms. Carter!” It then moves into a song called “Yoncé,” which Andrew Hampp from Billboard magazine described as a “lady thug anthem.” In the first part of the song, Beyoncé sings and raps about teasing men in a club. She warns other women in the club, “Every girl on here gotta look me up and down / All on Instagram cake by the pound.” In another part, she says, “I sneezed on the beat and the beat got sicker.” The song ends with Beyoncé repeating the line, “Yoncé all on his mouth like liquor,” while a siren sound rises above a short, sharp bass rhythm.
The second part of the song, also called “Partition,” starts with the sound of cameras clicking and a window opening, which separates it from the first part. “Partition” has a broken, uneven musical style and describes a woman having sex with her romantic partner in the back of a limousine. Caitlin White from The 405 said the song shows women taking control during sexual moments and finding pleasure in the act. The song became famous for its explicit lyrics, which include references to a line from the first part where Beyoncé tells her driver to raise the partition in the limousine.
In the repeated parts of the song, Beyoncé sings softly, saying, “Take all of me / I just wanna be the girl you like, girl you like.” The final minute of the song includes a French voiceover that says, “Do you like sex? Sex. I mean, the physical activity. Coitus. Do you like it? You're not interested in sex? Men think that feminists hate sex, but it's a very stimulating and natural activity that women love.” David Haglund and Forrest Wickman from Slate magazine noticed that this part sounds similar to a quote from actress Julianne Moore in the 1998 movie The Big Lebowski. In 2014, Monica Lewinsky, who was mentioned in the song, said in an interview with Vanity Fair, “Thanks, Beyoncé, but if we're verbing, I think you meant 'Bill Clinton'd all on my gown.'"
Critical reception
Glenn Gamboa of Newsday wrote that Beyoncé "channels her inner Prince, moving from a sweet, girl-group pop sound to Dirty South hip-hop." Michael Cragg of The Guardian noted that Beyoncé best explains the album's purpose with the line, "Radio say speed it up / I just go slower." He also praised how Beyoncé half-raps "with a delicious snarl" in the first part of the song. Many critics, including Una Mullalay of The Irish Times and Greg Kot of the Chicago Tribune, welcomed Beyoncé's rapping on "Partition" and compared it to the work of British artist M.I.A. Andrew Barker of Variety magazine said that among the songs discussing sexuality on Beyoncé, "none hold a candle to the absolutely scorching 'Partition'." He also praised how Beyoncé "tosses off a few old-school battle rhymes," with the line, "I sneezed on the beat, and the beat got sicker," standing out. Miles Marshall Lewis of Ebony magazine noted that lines like, "I sneezed on the beat and the beat got sicker / Yoncé all on his mouth like liquor," would make listeners smile. He praised how Beyoncé "spills lyrics … in a confident flow" and concluded, "As a singing rapper, she's still way more precious than ferocious."
Andrew Hampp of Billboard magazine commended the memorability of the lyrics and wrote that "'Partition' is yet another 'gettin' freaky with my baby' jam, with some of Bey's most frankly sexual lines yet." Eliana Dockterman of Time magazine praised the lyrical content of "Partition," noting that it exemplifies "embodiment of modern feminism for a generation that has been reluctant to claim the word" and praised how Beyoncé "expresses her desire to please [her partner] while still projecting a fierce, independent persona." Melissa Locker of Time magazine suggested that Beyoncé should work with Timbaland more often, as "his sultry beats paired with her R-rated lyrics and the catchy chorus 'It took 45 minutes to get all dressed up / And we ain’t even gonna make it to this club,' make a captivating combination." Chris Bosman of the same publication wrote an extensive review of the song.
Ryan B. Patrick of Exclaim! noted that songs like "Partition" effectively display genre diversity, Beyoncé's vocal range, and "a penchant for musical experimentation." Matthew Perpetua of BuzzFeed praised the French spoken section on "Partition," comparing it to the Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie sample on "Flawless," saying, "It's good that these ideas aren't directly expressed by Beyoncé herself – in context, these bits are like reblogged quotes that frame her artistic intentions – because she knows she doesn't need to be so didactic when she's actually singing about sex, and to do so would defeat her point about owning her pleasures." Caitlin White of The 405 wrote that "Partition" shows Beyoncé "catapults herself out of her very femininity into personhood by positioning female sexuality as a powerful, amorphous construct—one that transcends the female body even while uplifting it." She concluded that Beyoncé does not exalt herself to become "the highest sex object or an egotistical pop princess" but "anoints herself as a sexual goddess, she is at once desiring and desired, fulfilled and fulfilling." Mikael Wood of the Los Angeles Times wrote that "the spooky, almost perversely stripped-down 'Partition' reflect[s] [Beyoncé's] determination, rare among superstars, to keep pushing creatively."
In the annual Pazz and Jop mass critics poll of the year's best in music in 2013, "Partition" was ranked at number 124. In July the following year, the writers of Spin magazine placed it at number four on the list of the 57 best songs so far, with a writer noting something "intensely gratifying about all the raunchiness on the strip-tease, booty-dropping banger" and adding that it "oozes stunty swag and immediately became a coy anthem for pop-loving women; a song to flash and strut and snap to, and not only because the beat does too." Pitchfork Media listed the song 26th on its year-end list for 2014. Cosmopolitan editor Eliza Thompson ranked "Partition" as the Best Song of 2014 on her year-end list. Consequence of Sound considered "Partition" the 62nd best song of the 2010s.
Chart performance
The song "Partition" by Beyoncé first appeared on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart at number 86 for the week ending January 25, 2014, even though it was not released as a single. Over the next several weeks, it moved up and down the chart. By the week ending March 15, 2014, in its eighth week on the chart, it reached its highest position of number 23. The song remained on the chart for a total of 21 weeks and was last listed at number 44. "Partition" became Beyoncé's tenth number-one song on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart, helping her set a record for the most number-one songs among women. It also became her twentieth number-one song on the US Hot Dance Club Songs chart for the issue dated May 17, 2014, making her the third artist with the most number-one songs on that chart, following Madonna (43) and Rihanna (22). The song was later certified quintuple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), which means it had sales and streams totaling 5,000,000 units in the United States.
In the United Kingdom, "Partition" entered the UK Singles Chart at number 90 and the UK R&B Chart at number 15 for the week ending March 8, 2014. The next week, it moved to number 74 on the UK Singles Chart and number 12 on the UK R&B Chart, which were its highest positions. In Ireland, the song entered the Irish Singles Chart at its peak position of number 57 for the week ending March 13, 2014. The following week, it dropped to number 83 and spent a total of two weeks on the chart. In other countries, "Partition" appeared on the Ultratip charts in both regions of Belgium (Wallonia and Flanders), as well as in France and South Korea.
Music videos
Music videos for "Yoncé" and "Partition" were released on December 13, 2013, through the iTunes Store. The "Partition" video was uploaded to Beyoncé's official Vevo account on February 25, 2014. The "Yoncé" video was uploaded on November 24, 2014, to match the release of Beyoncé: Platinum Edition.
The "Yoncé" video was directed by Ricky Saiz and features models Chanel Iman, Jourdan Dunn, and Joan Smalls. Filming took place on the streets of Brooklyn, New York. Saiz aimed to create a rough, simple, and dark look that felt like New York. In the video, Beyoncé introduces her new character, Yoncé, who enjoys Brooklyn, her grill, and being the most popular girl in the club. Beyoncé was inspired by the 1990 video for George Michael's "Freedom," directed by David Fincher, and wanted to make a modern version of that clip. The "Freedom" video also included supermodels performing.
Saiz wanted the video to focus on the models rather than telling a story. He said Beyoncé would not sing the lyrics in the video, and he described the clip as "sexy and provocative" but not too obvious. He mentioned the video had references to 1990s eroticism and Madonna's 1995 video for "Human Nature." Saiz said the cast worked together without a strict script and described them as spontaneous. Joan Smalls said one scene, where she licked Beyoncé's chest, was her idea, inspired by the song's lyrics.
The "Yoncé" video begins with a close-up of a woman's mouth. Beyoncé and the models wore leather, fishnets, and straps, posing against brick walls. The video includes scenes of Beyoncé in a molded bodysuit by Yves Saint Laurent, denim shorts, a leather jacket, and a cut-out orange bodysuit. The clip ends with Beyoncé walking on a runway, matching the song's lyrics "Welcome to Paris."
Critics described the video as "contemporary, gritty, and voyeuristic," with "nineties-era eroticism and subtle sexuality." Some called it "two minutes and four seconds of fashion and sex," while others praised the singer's bold image.
The "Partition" video was directed by Jake Nava and filmed at the Parisian cabaret club Crazy Horse and the Château de Ferrières. Jay Z made a brief appearance in the video. Beyoncé said she was inspired to film the video after visiting Crazy Horse with her husband on his birthday. Nava said Beyoncé wanted to be "even more risque" than before and to capture "genuine intimacy" with her husband.
The video shows Beyoncé as a rich, bored housewife trying to seduce her husband. It begins with Beyoncé in a mansion, trying to get her husband's attention. She wears a white robe and later performs in a Victorian outfit, a limousine, and at the Crazy Horse club. The video includes scenes of Beyoncé dancing on a piano, performing a pole dance, and doing a chair dance. The ending shows Beyoncé dancing with another woman, and the final scene returns to the breakfast table. Beyoncé wore an archival corset by Christian Lacroix, lace gloves by Chanel, and a crystal mask by Atelier Swarovski.
Critics called the video "extravagant" and praised its dance moves. Some described it as "highly stylized" and a "reclaim of the singer's sexuality." Others called it the best video on Beyoncé's album, highlighting its combination of eroticism and her post-childbirth confidence.
Live performances
"Partition" and "Yoncé" were included in the setlist of the second European leg of The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour. Both songs were first performed in Glasgow at the SSE Hydro arena on February 20, 2014. During these performances, Beyoncé used choreography similar to the music videos for the songs, with her background dancers. At the end of "Partition," Beyoncé appeared as a silhouette, dancing on a couch. Robert Copsey from Digital Spy wrote that the chair dance during "Partition" was the most memorable dance moment of the concert. Graeme Virtue of The Guardian said "Partition," along with "Blow" and "Naughty Girl," showed Beyoncé as a powerful and confident performer. Mark Savage of BBC News noted that Beyoncé's new songs displayed a wide range of vocal styles, including the "urban swagger" in "Yoncé."
"Partition" and "Yoncé" were also performed separately during Beyoncé and Jay-Z's co-headlining On the Run Tour (2014). The performance of "Partition" began with Jay-Z singing a new half-minute rap verse while seated under red lights. After his part, Beyoncé appeared on stage in front of a digital screen, dancing with her female dancers on stripper poles. Alex Young from Consequence of Sound called "Partition" one of the standout moments of the tour. A pre-recorded version of the performance was shown at the 2014 BET Awards on June 29, 2014. Lily Harrison of E! Online said the performance was "sexy" and praised Beyoncé's appearance and choreography. Maurice Bobb of MTV News said the BET Awards performance was "exciting" and noted Jay-Z's style in his rap. Colin Joyce of Spin called the duo's performance "stunning." In 2016, both songs were included in the setlist of The Formation World Tour. "Partition" was also part of the Renaissance World Tour, and "Yoncé" was played as an interlude.
At the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards on August 25, Beyoncé performed "Partition" and "Yoncé" as part of a medley from her fifth studio album. For "Partition," she wore a bejeweled bodysuit and danced on a pole. Later, she performed "Yoncé" during her set. Melinda Newman of HitFix said the "Partition" performance used poses and looks from the song's music video. Nadeska Alexis of MTV News said Beyoncé's performance of "Yoncé" kept the audience excited. Hilary Hughes of Fuse wrote that the performance caused the audience to feel "chills" and cheer loudly.
Cover versions
On January 9, 2014, Azealia Banks shared an unofficial remix of the song on her SoundCloud account. The remix included Busta Rhymes and added a 90-second introduction where the rappers performed lines described as "dirty." Some reviewers criticized Busta Rhymes' part, with Marc Hogan from Spin calling it "conventionally porny" and Hayden Manders from Refinery29 saying it turned the original song's tease into "sleaze." Azealia Banks' performance was praised for showing her strong rhyming skills without competing with the other artists in the remix. Hogan also noted her ability to match the deep, calm beat from Beyoncé's original version, and Carolyn Menyes from Music Times said her work fit well with the track.
After the album and the song "Partition" were released, many dance groups on YouTube created their own versions of the song. Billboard writers William Gruger and Jason Lipshutz believed these dance videos helped "Partition" appear on music charts like the Hot 100, even though no official videos were made and the song was not available on digital platforms like Spotify or Pandora. They compared "Partition" to "Harlem Shake," which became popular through viral videos and later became a meme. However, they noted that "Partition" was mostly performed by professional choreographers, unlike "Harlem Shake." On March 13, 2014, Vanessa Hudgens posted a video of herself dancing to "Yoncé," a choreography created by Michelle "Jersey" Maniscalco, along with four other female dancers.