After tackling the airwaves this year with “Bootylicious,” the Destiny’s Child singer has moved on to sampling K.C. and the Sunshine Band’s 1976 disco hit “(Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty” on a song for the next Austin Powers movie, “Austin Powers in Goldmember.”
Beyoncé plays the lead female role, Foxy Cleopatra, opposite Mike Myers, who wrote the “Booty”-sampling song, titled “Hey, Goldmember.”
“It’s not a serious song – it’s really funny and crazy” Beyoncé said recently at a Los Angeles recording studio where she was working on it. “It is actually [in the movie] the first time you see Foxy Cleopatra. I’m not a singer in the movie, but it makes me feel a little bit more comfortable that the first time people see me I’m up there [dancing], doing what they are used to seeing me do.”
Beyoncé’s sister, Solange Knowles, and Devon, another singer under their father’s management, contributed background vocals on “Hey, Goldmember.” Damon Elliott (Pink, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony), who has produced tracks for Destiny’s Child in the past, manned the boards for the song.
Foxy Cleopatra, Beyoncé said, was inspired by the title characters in two ’70s films: “Foxy Brown” (Pam Grier) and “Cleopatra Jones” (Tamara Dobson). “The character is very strong and sassy, and she’s got a lot of attitude.”
Beyoncé wouldn’t reveal much more about her character, except to say she is Powers’ sidekick and is “picking up where the other ladies and Austin Powers left off.”
Right now she’s most excited about the costumes she’ll wear when she begins shooting next week. “My outfits are very sexy. I’m getting the chance to wear all the clothes that my mom wore in her day. All the hip-huggers, all the cool ’70s clothes – I know the ’70s influenced fashion so much. Now we’re wearing a lot of that stuff.”
Solange and Devon will also appear in the movie, Beyoncé said. And Britney Spears has already filmed a cameo. “Her part is hilarious,” Beyoncé said.
While Beyoncé is shooting her scenes, her Destiny’s Child partners will work on their solo projects. Beyoncé said Michelle Williams has recorded three songs for her gospel soul album already. “They are so hot,” she said.
