This year marks the 20th anniversary of Beyoncé's second solo album, "B'Day," which is being celebrated with events such as a dance party at Brooklyn venue Baby's All Right and a remixed, remastered deluxe edition featuring previously unreleased material. The retrospective piece argues that "B'Day" was the record that first established Beyoncé's artistic identity, laying the groundwork for the acclaim later afforded to albums such as "Lemonade," "Cowboy Carter" and the self-titled "Beyoncé," even though it received less scholarly attention at the time of release.

The 20th anniversary edition adds tracks including "Can I Watch You," produced by Pharrell Williams, alongside bonus songs originally exclusive to certain retailers or overseas releases, as well as a new song, "Lost Yo Mind." The article credits the album's producers, including Rich Harrison, Swizz Beatz, Sean Garrett, Darkchild and Stargate, and traces a direct line from "B'Day" tracks such as "Upgrade U," "Kitty Kat" and "Get Me Bodied" to later hits including "Diva," "Ego" and "Countdown," positioning the record as foundational to Beyoncé's subsequent career.