Our Life on Christ

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Explain to Your Fans Why Barbie Has Her Hands in Another Woman's Pants: Song to Nicki Minaj



We have said before how influential hip hop is in our culture and community. In Bizzle's song to Nicki Minaj, he poses very good questions and presents relevant points regarding Nicki's music (and, really all secular rap/hip hop). What do you think about what he has to say; is his argument strong enough to cause you to shield your children from such music?

Because Bizzle is largely a "mixtape artist," this beat is from another song. We are just not sure which one because it has been a long while since we listened to the radio!

Let us know what you think about the song. Leave a comment below!

12 comments:

  1. I really love the lyrics because it pinpoints the reality of what little black girls listen to. We all want to inspire our baby girls to see themselves as the princess and queens that they are. Then a influential female rapper comes along and try to undo all you have done. To be modest and love all your gifts given to them by God is key. Keep writing and putting God first. If one person gets convicted, and stop to think twice about how they are influencing our kids....Give God the
    praise

    ReplyDelete
  2. I think Bizzle's criticism is misplaced. 99% of the responsibility for the content of these songs and videos belongs with the record labels. They intentionally select and encourage artists to be as "edgy" as possible because they think it will be more profitable. Not to mention the original "Barbie" has always been designed to present a highly sexualized image of womanhood to young girls.

    Conscious/positive artists, let alone Christian artists, have very little chance of getting promoted by a major record label. Even if Nicki Minaj were to retire tomorrow, or change her style she would immediately be replaced by someone else just like her.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I agree with almost everything you said but I think the point of the song was missed.

    Nicki Minaj probably won't ever hear the song but if one mother heard it and was convicted to not allow her daughter(s) to listen to Nicki's music (or similar degrading music), the song was successful. That is the point of the song: to change listeners' thinking, not to change the music industry.
    Bizzle, along with other conscious/positive/Christian artists are not necessarily even trying to get promoted or signed to major record labels. They are simply doing what God has called them to do and sharing God's message through their art form. Their goal, I believe, is to reach as many people as possible. Those people will, in turn, share with others (as we have done) and the cycle will continue. The message will still get out, even if not on a super large scale.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thank you, we plan to keep writing!

    The song really does reveal the reality of what we are exposing ourselves and our kids to. It's sad but it is the norm.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Sorry I haven't been able to reply sooner.  I still don't see this particular song as being that productive.  It reminds me most of the story of the adulterous woman.  The song seems more like casting stones at an easy target than really addressing the issue.  If Bizzle wanted to address parents he could have directed his message toward them instead.

    When it comes to mainstream hip hop, out of everyone responsible (record labels, individual artists, and parents) the individual artists have the *least* responsibility and control over their content.  Most do not even write the lyrics they perform.

    I appreciate the work that artists like Bizzle and other Christian/conscious rappers are doing, but I still feel that he is a little off track with this particular song.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I guess we will have to agree to disagree! *smile*

    I agree with you that Bizzle *could* have directed the song to parents but the fact that he directed it to an artist is just fine with me. Record labels wouldn't have anything to produce if artists would be responsible for what they were willing to put out. I know, though, that this is not realistic; in our world, someone will always be willing to do it. Like you said, if Nicki was convicted to change her image and music, someone else would be there to replace her.

    The fact that person A (who is doing something that is harmful to him/herself and/or others) will be replaced by person B if person A discontinues a specific behavior does not mean that we, as Christians or just people lovers, shouldn't reach out to person A to express our concern for them. Look at Galatians 6:1, Matthew 18:15-17, 1 Timothy 5:20, and 2 Thessalonians 3:15.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Actually, I do agree with you on your point that artists still have a lot of responsibility for what they, individually choose to produce.  After all, they can choose to go independent or get a different job if they don't like the conditions.  I just don't think they can be held responsible for the condition of the music industry as a whole.

    It also doesn't sit right with me because women are usually the ones who are being exploited the most in our culture and then end up getting blamed for the consequences of that exploitation.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Right, a single artist cannot be held responsible for the music industry as a whole--they can only be held accountable for how they contribute to it.

    And true, women are always getting hit from both sides. Bizzle, though, will call out anybody and NIcki is the only female, as far as I know (I guess because she's the main female rapper right now).

    I think women have more power than they realize and they allow people to exploit and mistreat them. Not every woman in our culture is being exploited. Before you (or anyone reading this comment thread) gets upset, I am not trying to blame victims and, by doing so, re-victimize them. Some women, like trafficking victims, are TRUE victims. Others, like Ms. Minaj, willingly flaunt what is supposed to be sacred and do things that they may not necessarily agree with because they want money, fame, recognition, etc. There are probably some underlying reasons why they do such things but those issues don't lessen the effects that these women's personas have on the girls in our society (who then aspire to live a similar life).

    Basically, people need to take responsibility for what they do and not allow themselves to bought. I guess if you are not striving to please God and to uphold His standards, anything goes, right?

    ReplyDelete
  9. The way I see it, no one is ever completely a victim or completely free.  It just bothers me when people with more freedom tell those with less what they should be doing instead of working within their own sphere of influence to make sure they have that freedom.

    At the end of Bizzle's song he mentions how there are no mainstream female hip-hop artists who do not show their body.  They do it because if they don't they won't get the opportunity to become mainstream hip hop artists.  That kind of choice isn't freedom, it's coercion.

    Of course, we are all still responsible for our decisions, and it's clear what the right choice should be as a Christian.  But as Christians we are also given much more freedom to say "no" because of our faith.

    However, as far as I know Nicki Minaj isn't a Christian (or at least isn't practicing).  And even if she is a Christian, the biblical requirement from Matthew 18:15-17 is actually to talk to someone one on one, and then in a small group, before calling them out publicly.

    Anyway that's my take on it...I get where you're coming from though, and I can see why Nicki Minaj makes such a good example of everything that is wrong with the mainstream music industry (not just hip-hop) and how it can affect people, not only young girls but boys and adult men and women too.

    ReplyDelete
  10. The way I see it, no one is ever completely a victim or completely free.  It just bothers me when people with more freedom tell those with less what they should be doing instead of working within their own sphere of influence to make sure they have that freedom.

    At the end of Bizzle's song he mentions how there are no mainstream female hip-hop artists who do not show their body.  They do it because if they don't they won't get the opportunity to become mainstream hip hop artists.  That kind of choice isn't freedom, it's coercion.

    Of course, we are all still responsible for our decisions, and it's clear what the right choice should be as a Christian.  But as Christians we are also given much more freedom to say "no" because of our faith.

    However, as far as I know Nicki Minaj isn't a Christian (or at least isn't practicing).  And even if she is a Christian, the biblical requirement from Matthew 18:15-17 is actually to talk to someone one on one, and then in a small group, before calling them out publicly.

    Anyway that's my take on it...I get where you're coming from though, and I can see why Nicki Minaj makes such a good example of everything that is wrong with the mainstream music industry (not just hip-hop) and how it can affect people, not only young girls but boys and adult men and women too.

    ReplyDelete
  11. The way I see it, no one is ever completely a victim or completely free.  It just bothers me when people with more freedom tell those with less what they should be doing instead of working within their own sphere of influence to make sure they have that freedom.
    At the end of Bizzle's song he mentions how there are no mainstream female hip-hop artists who do not show their body.  They do it because if they don't they won't get the opportunity to become mainstream hip hop artists.  That kind of choice isn't freedom, it's coercion.

    Of course, we are all still responsible for our decisions, and it's clear what the right choice should be as a Christian.  But as Christians we are also given much more freedom to say "no" because of our faith.

    However, as far as I know Nicki Minaj isn't a Christian (or at least isn't practicing).  And even if she is a Christian, the biblical requirement from Matthew 18:15-17 is actually to talk to someone one on one, and then in a small group, before calling them out publicly.

    Anyway that's my take on it...I get where you're coming from though, and I can see why Nicki Minaj makes such a good example of everything that is wrong with the mainstream music industry (not just hip-hop) and how it can affect people, not only young girls but boys and adult men and women too.

    ReplyDelete
  12. This is a really late response but here it is, anyway:

    I think there are some instances when people are completely the victim (like trafficked victims) but, I don't think that applies here.

    Yes, I agree that female artists are coerced into being over sexual in order to "make it" in the industry but, just as you said, it IS ultimately their decision.

    Nicki Minaj, from all estimations, is not a Christian. I just really believe that the song, while it is technically being aimed at Nicki, is a message for listeners.

    Thanks for commenting back and forth with us!

    ReplyDelete