Two Minds

We apologise for the double Minaj post, we don't want to become one of those blogs that only post about one artist, constantly, like an inane, blindly loving fansite. BUT. This morning along with the official tracklist for her debut album, Pink Friday, Nicki released a track to iTunes, "Roman's Revenge". The track, as was already revealed in an MTV interview, features Eminem, and is notable not only because it plays host to Marshall's infamous alter ego, Slim Shady, but also Minaj's already equally notorious alter ego: Roman.

According to some sources, Roman Zolanski is a gay man, which is incredibly controversial considering the hip hop community's attitude towards homosexuals (Nicki Minaj has already flouted expectations by appearing in a gay lifestyle magazine, saying she believes there'll be an openly gay rapper in her lifetime). So what is both disturbing and surprising is that on "Roman's Revenge" (above), not only do we hear Eminem rapping about forcibly urinating on someone (apparently Mariah Carey?!) - disgusting, by anyone's standards - but also using the word 'faggots' and the phrase 'no homo'. If you're not familiar with 'no homo' we suggest you watch this.

So why has Minaj, supposedly a gay rights advocate - or at the very least a tolerant supporter, who has performed at an actual gay pride parade - allowed the world's most successful rapper to spout casually homophobic bile on her record? We've heard explanations that claim Slim Shady and Roman, the alter egos, are attempting to outdo each other in terms of nastiness, or that Eminem's derogatory term is contextualised by the fact that he's playing a character, or that there's some sort of story. But it still disturbs us. Nicki Minaj has accrued a huge number of gay fans, and this feels like a slight. There's nothing 'fierce' or 'fiery' or 'raw' about a man violently spitting: "All you lil faggots can suck it, no homo, but I’ma stick it to ‘em like refrigerator magnets". The sting is double, considering the latest slew of gay teen suicides. It's not the worst or most homophobic thing we've ever heard from a mainstream rapper, but that doesn't excuse it, and it doesn't sit well with us at all.

Perhaps Nicki Minaj didn't have a choice? Imagine you are a much-hyped new artist, but still don't even have an album out and you're lucky enough to get the world's biggest selling rapper on your track - are you in a position to criticise the lyrics he chooses to use? Probably not. But even so, that doesn't excuse her from the violent misogyny she employs elsewhere: "I’m a bad bitch, I’m a cunt, and I’ll kick that ho, punt" and "You lil brag-a-lot, I beat you with a padlock". We understand that hip hop often features violent bragging and posturing that doesn't actually translate to real life violence, but it sounds specifically shocking coming from a female rapper who has so far made her name through playfulness, drag queen-style wigs, colourful (i.e. filthy) rhymes, and a refreshing attitude towards the gay community.

Missy Elliott never raps about committing acts of violence, does she? So it's not necessary. Does it say anything? Does it mean anything?

Having said that, the beat, as the kids say, is sick.

Speaking of videos shot entirely in close up...

Earlier today we wrote about the new one-continuous-shot-entirely-in-close-up Janelle Monáe video. Well here's another, but this time, Rihanna's beautiful face which looms glossily towards the camera as she makes love to it, is intercut with the Irish hobbit making tongue-love to Megan Urban Frogs. Sorry Urban Fox. Fox. Does this glamorise domestic violence? Well, no, it's clearly a work of post-modern fantasy because the hobbit catches on fire and Megan seems to have genie powers. Plus, the anguish portrayed by Rihanna's claws is enough to put anyone off giving their partner a slap-up, so it's really a deterrent.

Incredible.

We're not Eminem fans (he not our cup of coff - in fact his vocals make us 'baulk') but this Rihanna hook/chorus is so tasty we're tempted to make an exception. Of course, this song would be a million times better to us if it were just Rihanna, but there we go. We realise bajillions of Eminem fans exist so we won't protest any further.

A typically mixed Eminem video

It's not THAT bad, is it? But making fun of Jessica Simpson's carwash scene is a bit, y'know, P!nk circa 2005 or whatever. Even with the added 'fat' component (which, by the way, is extremely morally worrying or whatever).

Anyway, it's all a bit 'been there done that', although the Star Trek thing is ok and we did LOL a tiny bit at his fart making the Eskimo vom.

We are a little worried at Eminem's views on lesbians though. During the song, he 'jokes' that he wants Lindsay Lohan who is "practically a 10" to come back to seeing men because apparently Ronson is practically a man, anyway. Er... that's not really how lesbians work, Eminem. He also asks Portia de Rossi what she sees in Ellen Degeneres. What does she have that Eminem doesn't? Er... try 'a vagina'. We would add 'breasts' but seeing as he's been working out like the big old gay lady that he is... he has those.