In the past, Beyoncé hasn’t celebrated any milestone anniversaries of her albums as thoroughly as she has B’Day. Her second album — which turns 20 years old today, which is also her 45th birthday — received an ambitious extended release that includes
remixed and remastered recordings, plus previously unreleased music. Leading up to the anniversary, Beyoncé launched pre-orders for a deluxe vinyl being sold for $150. It will pair well with the wooden box she’s also selling for the low price of $948.01.
Bey Hive members took a break from the anniversary celebrations to gawk at the “Bee Keeper Collector’s Box,” released in a limited quantity of 500. Beyoncé’s official website clarifies that this item, an 18 inch by 14.75 inch by 14 inch box handcrafted from solid pine wood and lined with green velvet, does not come with any vinyl records from her catalog. But it does have a faux gator-skin leather carrying strap with gold hardware, if that counts for anything.
Some fans think the box is a test to see how far the Bey Hive is willing to go for their Queen Bey. While it doesn’t appear to be sold out yet (pre-orders are still live at the time of writing), a few have been claimed by fans who proudly posted their confirmation email on social media. Others have slammed the release as exploitative. “I hope you guys are not going to have this lady make half a million dollars by buying those 500 empty boxes,” one user posted on X. “If you do, she’s not the one who lost her mind.”
The Bee Keeper Collector’s Box has also drawn comparisons from another box release from the Carter family. Earlier this summer, Jay-Z celebrated the 30th anniversary of Reasonable Doubt with the “JAŸ-Z: 30th Anniversary Collector’s Crate.” The limited-edition release, priced at $1,500, includes all 13 solo studio albums on vinyl, including 4:44, which was not previously pressed. The albums are housed in a black and silver custom archival crate. His haven’t sold out, either.
It could be argued these items are meant to appeal solely to fans who treasure being in an exclusive tier of fandom and believe they can achieve such status through limited and extravagant purchases. It could also be argued that $948 is too high of a price point for an empty wooden box. But that’s the thing about free will — no one can tell you how to spend it.
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