Nicki Minaj had the whole world talking about her “Anaconda” video this week when she accused MTV of being racist after she was snubbed for a Video of the Year nomination for the VMAs. After being criticized by Taylor Swift, who has now apologized, Minaj is now facing more criticism from “The View” co-host Raven-Symone.
As previously reported, Minaj complained about Black female artists not getting their fair recognition or appreciation from awards shows and mainstream media for their contribution to culture. And she argued that “Anaconda” would’ve been nominated and better received had she been white and skinnier.
When the ladies of the “The View” discussed Minaj’s dust-up with MTV and Swift, Raven explained that she took issue with “Anaconda” and she praised Swift’s “Bad Blood” video, which was nominated for Video of The Year, saying that it promotes “girl power.”“I don’t think they’re saying if you have a big body, you’re not gonna be nominated. I don’t know which Taylor Swift video is being nominated, but if it’s her last one, “Bad Blood,” that’s like empowerment. These girls are whooping butt in that video,” Raven said.
Ironically enough, after Swift criticized Minaj for “pitting women against each other” by crying foul against MTV, Perry called out Swift for her faux-feminist statement and for saying her “Bad Blood” song and video were inspired by Perry betraying her in real life.
“Finding it ironic to parade the pit women against other women argument about as one unmeasurably [sic] capitalizes on the take down of a woman …,” Perry tweeted about Swift.
Swift later apologized to Minaj, but never apologized to Perry for the damaging song.
However, Raven went on to explain on “The View” that she felt “Anaconda” sent out a bad message to young girls about nudity and hypersexuality.
“I know about the strip clubs, I’m down for the strip clubs, handle your business. I’m there. But you don’t need videos where girls are naked that way. We need a healthy balance between overly sexed and non-overly sexed. And you need different kinds of music to cater to different things. You have to realize you’re catering to people under the age of 18,” Raven said.
Clearly, Minaj’s video isn’t appropriate for young kids, but what Raven and many others seem to be missing is that Minaj wasn’t just complaining because her own video was snubbed. She was complaining because there’s a tragic history of Black women contributing to and pushing entertainment and culture with their art, but not getting any accolades and benefits for their work like their White counterparts do. To diminish Minaj’s argument to concerns about the level of booty in the video diminishes the point and leaves Black female artists like her voiceless.
