Derrick Jean-Baptise
Staff Writer
With each passing day it, seems as if the music industry continues to push out controversy after controversy. The latest argument within this controversial media comes from one Nicki Minaj and her infamous new single “Anaconda.”
I must admit I am not familiar with Ms. Anaconda’s body of work. The only reason that nugget of information is important is because all throughout my life I have been told that in order to truly critique something, you must know all you can about it.
So in order to write this piece I had to first immerse myself in all things Nicki. After a well wasted hour of meditating on the aforementioned performer’s music I only have two points to make. 1) Wow and 2) I understand.
In reference to my first point, it seems that this particular musician has built a career on controversy. Yes Miss Nicki “Anaconda” Minaj herself has supported her very lucrative career on the throes of the negative press generated by her controversy. Her music and/or music videos don’t personally offend me, yet I see why they may have the potential to inflict in a seemingly negative way on some of its younger more impressionable audiences
In at least my own strange, strange world I understand. I understand why Miss Minaj would make a song like this, I understand why there such an uproar about the suggestive themes this song(as well as other ones similar to it) pumps out, and I also understand why we as a society always bring the topic up of “How far is too far in music”
Say what you will about the song and the video that accompanied it but it generated tons of press for Nicki, leading to even more people listening to her song. As they say in the entertainment world there is no such thing as negative press. So it’s plausible to think that the writers of the song and the producers of the video wanted an uproar. The public has certainly given them that.
So in response to the question “How Far is too Far in Music?”, I don’t actually have an answer.
In my eyes it’s not really fair to even ask this question. Music is in inherently subjective entity; each and every one of us brings something unique to ourselves whenever we listen to music.
I see that you may not want your kids exposed to the types of themes that populate this type of music but, that kind of falls on you as a parent/guardian. I am not blind to the fact that you can’t control what your kids listen to so in response you want to condemn the entertainer for the themes that their music is immersed in.
Yet, you, yes you, the parent you must take the time to teach your kids what is and what is not a romance, or what is and what is not considered appropriate behavior. If you do that your kids themselves might still listen to the music but strictly as entertainment as in its attended use.
I truly believe that music hasn’t went too far, only are society is ever changing. In fact there was a time when the great Elvis Presley was condemned the way in which Nicki Minaj and stars like her are being condemned. So I say just take everything you see in the music world as face value don’t use it as a guide point in your life and just appreciate for what it is entertainment.
