NSFW: The lyric video for Only, Nicki Minaj’s new single featuring Drake, Chris Brown and Lil Wayne, includes visual elements that everyone with eyes thinks are a bit like a Nazi rally, particularly its color scheme and Young Money logo. In the animated video, Minaj plays a dictator who sits on a throne before thousands of uniformed soldiers. Everyone is upset by the fascist overtones, to say nothing of the nastiest lyrics I’ve ever read in gigantic block letters. This made me flash on Janet Jackson’s Rhythm Nation video, which just turned 25, which also uses military garb, is black and white and has a black woman as it’s star, but that’s where the similarities end. The spoken word goes;
“We are a nation with no geographic boundaries, bound together through our beliefs. We are like-minded individuals, sharing a common vision, pushing toward a world rid of color-lines.”
At the time, Miss Jackson had this to say about her idea;
“I thought it would be great if we could create our own nation… one that would have a positive message and that everyone would be free to join.”
OK, maybe not an earth-shattering concept but there was an idea here to the song and video which Janet articulates. By contrast, Nincky Minaj said this about the video of her song with HER name on it on Twitter;
“The artist who made the lyric video for ‘Only’ was influenced by a cartoon on Cartoon Network called ‘Metalocalypse’ & Sin City. I didn’t come up w/ the concept but I’m very sorry & take full responsibility if it has offended anyone. I’d never condone Nazism in my art.”
There’s SO much wrong with this, the least of which is Nazi imagery. It wasn’t her idea? How about there IS no idea here. I’m not interested in the media’s response on Twitter bashing here but the worst is, IT’S BAD there IS no idea to begin with. The director refuses to apologize or say what it’s about. (Mostly f*cking, it seems?) There are lots ways to reference the world, but if you implement them with NO IDEAS, it’s just pop culture in a blender, kids and you get a murky good that is crap. Let’s go back 500 years or so to to sum up, shall we;
“It is a tale. Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury. Signifying nothing.” –William Shakespeare, Macbeth
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