The video for Nicki Minaj’s new track, Anaconda , has dropped, and depending on where you work it might be NSFW.
After weeks of teasers and promos, Nicki Minaj’s video is packed tight with sexual references, a cameo by Drake and lots and lots of twerking. According to Time Magazine , the song Anaconda is Nicki Minaj’s tribute to women who “ain’t missin’ no meals” while also taking to task all the “skinny bitches in the club.”
According to Time,
“It’s also sure to spawn countless articles on any and all of the following: female sexuality; sexual objectification; sexual objectification in hip-hop; and race.”
The Anaconda single was released on August 4th and went straight to number one on iTunes. The song takes its title from the Sir Mix-A-Lot’s 1992 track, Baby Got Back from his Mack Daddy album. Nicki Minaj also samples Baby Got Back in Anaconda .
Ever since the single was released, Anaconda and its cover have been the subject of scrutiny – even within the hip-hop world. Chuck Creekmur, the CEO of AllHip-Hop.com wrote an open letter to Nicki Minaj and basically berated her for the sexual nature of the single’s cover – (partially shown below, you’ll have to Google it to see the whole thing, but you can use your imagination).
Creekmur, the CEO of a site that routinely features songs, videos and pictures of male rappers that wield hyper-sexuality and the exploitation of women with no backlash, wrote the following in his letter, according to Mommy Noire :
“I’m trying to raise a young girl that will eventually grown into someone greater than the both of us. I know that this requires great parenting, great education, great luck and an assortment of great influences. I’m sure you know the influence you wield, but now, if you told the ‘Barbs’ to scratch my eyes out, some would attack without thinking about it. I’m sure some will also replicate the ‘Anaconda’ photo without thinking about it too.”
Creekmur went on to tell Nicki Minaj, “Make no mistake, you’re a leader now.”
He also went on to ask the rap superstar several tough questions:
“What is your higher purpose with young girls (and boys)?”
“What is the message you are sending when you determine how you will inspire these young people?”
“How will boys, already conditioned to sexualize girls at any age, internalize this big booty of yours?”
“Where does the gimmick end and you begin?”
Nicki Minaj had no response to the letter, but Jezebel.com did. In the summation of their response, Kara Brown wrote :
“Now, I say this not just to Chuck Creekmur but to all the men and women who ascribe to the condescending, sexist and dated beliefs of this letter: Maybe if you spent less time policing the actions of grown men and women, you would have more time to have conversations with your own daughters and sons about how they will choose to navigate, succeed and fight back against a world steeped in patriarchy and capitalism. Nicki Minaj has already got it all figured out. She doesn’t need your help.”
Here’s the video for Nicki Minaj’s latest video, Anaconda :
image via NecoleBitchie