It's a simple question.
July 28, 2014 10:44 PM   Subscribe

Do you like butts? (NSFW) It's a simple question – yes or no? (All links NSFW)

SFW: racialicious, "Nicki Minaj: The Flyest Feminist" by April Gregory (also posted at Static)

Bonus: animated gif
posted by joseph conrad is fully awesome (14 comments total)

This post was deleted for the following reason: Hey, this is worth discussing, and it would be great if we could have a decent conversation about it, but if we don't want an entire thread filled up with people talking about how much they like butts, maybe it could be framed in a way that doesn't make this question the hook? -- taz



 
I cannot lie.
posted by idlewords at 10:57 PM on July 28, 2014


Obviously the only answer is yes, but I'm surprised she chose a photo that looks like the cover of any number of dancehall mixtapes -- her videos take risks, so why not this cover?
posted by Dip Flash at 11:00 PM on July 28, 2014


Man it shits me when a female artist with strongly held, significant opinions does something provocative and the main thing people seem to take away from it (e.g. Guardian commenters) is 'good job PR team' or 'lol trying to sell to teenage boys'
posted by Quilford at 11:16 PM on July 28, 2014


I read all the links, and I still don't get it.

Black, white, rapper, pop star, swimsuit model, Minaj, Taylor Swift: I don't care who it is, I don't find two huge naked squatting ass cheeks to be great cover 'art'. It's soft-porn, basically.

I watched the video clip, and on first listening I only got the word 'nigga' (x about 1000), 'fuck', and a bunch of machine-gun fire.

Admittedly, I don't know anything about rap. Can someone point me to what I should be reading about this? (Serious question.) What are her 'strongly held, significant opinions' that are advanced by baring her ass?
posted by Salamander at 11:23 PM on July 28, 2014 [2 favorites]


I did appreciate the visual pun of on the one hand showing off this super sexualized hyper-feminine body, and on the other, striking a pose that makes her entire body look like a big phallus.
posted by en forme de poire at 11:36 PM on July 28, 2014 [1 favorite]


What are her 'strongly held, significant opinions' that are advanced by baring her ass?

That it (the ass) is fly in the extreme.
posted by Sebmojo at 11:45 PM on July 28, 2014 [2 favorites]


Black, white, rapper, pop star, swimsuit model, Minaj, Taylor Swift: I don't care who it is, I don't find two huge naked squatting ass cheeks to be great cover 'art'. It's soft-porn, basically.

Honest question: How do you feel about Sticky Fingers?

Admittedly, I don't know anything about rap. Can someone point me to what I should be reading about this? (Serious question.) What are her 'strongly held, significant opinions' that are advanced by baring her ass?

The Racialicious article in the OP is a good starting point.

was there a punny comment that got deleted?
posted by kagredon at 11:56 PM on July 28, 2014


I watched the video clip, and on first listening I only got the word 'nigga' (x about 1000), 'fuck', and a bunch of machine-gun fire... What are her 'strongly held, significant opinions' that are advanced by baring her ass?

From the accompanying article:

She spits out verses about the various incarnations of pathetic “lookin’ ass niggas” she’s encountered, peacocking proudly and thrusting the curves of her body to and fro. Sexual provocation and verbal antagonism complement each other as Minaj appears to use her body to distract straight male viewers from the venom she’s directing their way.

And that's not even subtext she's picking up on. It's explicit (in both senses) throughout the video that the hypersexualized Minaj is able to go to town on these motherfuckers, because she's using her body to control their attention. The hardened toughs let a wave of verbal fuck-yous completely wash over them because they aren't taking seriously what Minaj has to say, choosing instead to drool over the sight of her ass.

But hey, we weren't talking about that video! Today we're discussing Nicki Minaj because she... she did what? Oh. I see.
posted by EmGeeJay at 11:58 PM on July 28, 2014 [1 favorite]


Why I *do* like bums as it happens.
posted by GallonOfAlan at 12:28 AM on July 29, 2014 [1 favorite]


*kagredon*, I meant about rap/hip-hop in general. As a 40-year-old white woman, there are no doubt a lot of subtexts I'm not picking up on...

Honest question: How do you feel about Sticky Fingers?

Honest answer: Kind of soft-porny as well, but with less bare flesh on display, so a bit less blatant? I mean, I don't have a huge issue with it, or with the Minaj cover, I just don't really see how either of them are bold, empowering art.

I did read the Racialicious article. The author quotes her lyrics:

Pink wig, thick ass, give ‘em whiplash
I think big, get cash, make ‘em blink fast
Now look at what you just saw
This is what you live for
[Screams] I’m a muthaf-ckin monster!

'Nicki takes patriarchal notions of femininity and womanhood, reclaims them, and makes them work for her. In doing so, she reverses the paradigm of female inferiority and submissiveness and creates a model of empowerment for those who look up to her.'

This reads like one of those Feminism 101 undergrad essays that uses the accepted words and phrases of the genre to look legit, without actually saying anything much. I don't see anything that complex in these lyrics; which 'patriarchal notions' is she 'reclaiming'?

It seems pretty straightforward to me: 'I mesmerise people with my physical assets and make lots of money and you all worship me'. I don't know what kind of 'model of empowerment' that is for most young girls...amazing ass + lots of money = you can tell people to fuck off and they'll still fawn over you? Sure, but what's new about that, and is it really the way the majority of girls are going to 'empower' themselves in life?
posted by Salamander at 12:31 AM on July 29, 2014


Mod note: Comment removed; we're not having the Kanye-hate derail again, Vibrissae.
posted by taz (staff) at 12:40 AM on July 29, 2014


The hardened toughs let a wave of verbal fuck-yous completely wash over them because they aren't taking seriously what Minaj has to say, choosing instead to drool over the sight of her ass.

And this is a good thing? What's the point of telling someone "fuck you" if you deliberately make sure they pay no attention to your words?
posted by billiebee at 12:43 AM on July 29, 2014


I just wanted to put myself on record as being pro-ass
posted by Ray Walston, Luck Dragon at 12:58 AM on July 29, 2014


I can't really get past the sheer absurdity of the image enough to address its possible significance.
posted by Segundus at 1:16 AM on July 29, 2014


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