Well, with a cover art like that, the racy video that dropped at midnight should have been expected. I woke up to my twitter timeline filled with drool and praise for the new video and I had to see it. I did and I was scratching my head. Hear me out.
I like me some Nicki. When she first came out and the whole jocking Lil Kim’s style, fake booty saga was going on, it didn’t bother me one bit. I think she is talented and I enjoy her music ( I mean, that verse on Kanye’s “Monster” is everything). I should also add that I am not bothered by sexy, racy videos. I understand sex sells in the business (perhaps not for Ciara) but ultimately it does.
No pun intended but Nicki went balls to the wall with this video. No attempt to dial it down or be subtle. Nope, none at all. She and a bunch of other booty blessed women let it all hang out and wobble all the way out. At some point, she was working out in a thong bikini, another, she had sweats pulled down to reveal a gstring, she crawled on all 4’s and gave Drake a lap dance, was in a cute pink bathing suit and served us her fierce, pretty face.
The video bothered me but not for the raciness, not at all , she’s hot why not? (Can I just say how gorgeous she looked in her Alexander McQueen and Balmain outfits). Then I came across a tweet on my TL that said something to the effect of her acting like her career was on Joseline (of Love and Hip Hop fame) level and it nailed what bothered me. This video was straight ratchet – I know Beyonce in Partition and Rihanna in Pour it Up showed as much skin but somehow it just didn’t seem as trashy as this.
At some point there was coconut milk dribbling down a coconut, she practically deep throated a banana and sprayed whipped cream all over herself. She is currently the queen of rap, no contest right now..I don’t know..she shouldn’t have to go this far. Yes, people are talking but it’s hard enough to make it as a female rapper, you shouldn’t give them an opportunity to maybe see you as a joke. A lot of comments weren’t even about the song which a lot of people seem to think is terrible actually ( I don’t think it’s half bad, especially as it samples the famous Sir Mix-A-Lot song “Baby Got Back”)
Another thing that rubbed me the wrong way was, Nicki always speaks about being feminist and women supporting each other and at some point she starts screaming “fuck those skinny bitches in the club”, that’s putting down a body type, no? Maybe it’s not that serious and I usually don’t take these things that seriously, but I am rooting for Nicki and I want her to last long. It’s one thing to salivate over a video, it’s another to have respect in the business. Hopefully the video doesn’t take away from her credibility.
Here’s the video. What do you think?
