LAUSR

Abstract Beyoncé and Jay Z’s “Drunk in Love” has been praised for its artistry and criticized for its violent content. Intimate partner violence and non-partner violence against women have been a major struggle around the world for centuries. Today, in the United States, they are considered a public health threat. This study unpacks the contrapuntal text of “Drunk in Love.” The researcher used frame analysis and close textual analysis to explore its polyphonic text. The question is how does “Drunk in Love” function to either perpetuate patriarchy or challenge the foundations of the institution? This article analyzes three frames: “The Carters” explores intimate partner violence; “The Hook-Up” investigates non-partner violence; and “The Shrews Tamed,” through the lens of intimate partner violence, interrogates “Drunk in Love” as an adaptation of The Taming of the Shrew, the most compelling of the frames.