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I might be the first blogger to say this, but I think Nicki Minaj is the greatest female rapper evaaaar! I’ve been a fan of hers since her battle-rap days leading up to transitioning into mainstream hip-hop. She even got a nod on my “Top 10 Hawt Chicks I’d Like to Bang” blog. (http://khalilamani.ning.com/profiles/blogs/top-10-chicks-i-d-bang-i…) (What an honor for her!) And this new, more au naturale look is beautiful! I think it’s time for her to lose the clown get-ups. Gosh darn does Nicki look 100% better like this? Hell yeah!
Having said that…
The hell was she thinking putting our dear brother Malcolm X—El Hajj Malik el Shabazz—our shining Black Prince on the cover of her new single, “Lookin’ Ass N#####?” Are there any sacred cows in hip-hop? This ranks right up there with Nas & Kanye’s portrayal of Jesus on Rolling Stone & Nas’ “Hate Me Now” video. Epic fail! Faux pas! (Misstep) Pure f**kery and disrespect on an unfathomable level!
Yes! I read Nicki’s apology to Malcolm’s family and I read what she had to say about the picture and I’m glad she’s removed the imagery, but the damage is already done! Malcolm X belonged to a nation of black people who were either in the black liberation struggle or have read about his life. Nicki offended many.
Don’t get a brotha wrong! I understand the whole artistic thingy—you know, interpret the art, push the envelope, but hot dayum! This is either one coonerific idea she wants us to buy into or she’s putting Malcolm in the category with the Negroes she’s rapping about.
Maybe it’s just a coincidence or maybe she’s heard about the Loaded Lux vs. Hollow Da Don rap battle a few weeks ago, where Loaded Lux & Company came on stage dressed like Black Panthers, while holding that SAME picture of Malcolm staring out the window. But, unlike Darling Nicki, Lux actually incorporated the idea of uplifting the Black Nation in his raps.
(The Malcolm X picture on left at January’s rap battle)
But dissing n##### with a Malcolm picture?
I listened to the song and never heard a Malcolm X reference. This song is a new-jack “Scrubs” anthem—a dissing of the average Joe—the blue collar working man who has nowhere near the money she has, but likes to go clubbing and chips in for bottle & V.I.P. service to feel special on the weekend. (Since when can’t n##### share a bottle? We share blunts!) Even the brothas who are “ballin’ on a budget” (Star’s words)—flo’ showin’, fakin’-it-till-you-makin’-it, slangin’ grams instead of bricks—she threw a blanket over erry conceivable kinda dude in the club! And then she did the improbable! Diss the rich n#### who flew her to Dubai! (All I know is that if I ever get in position to fly Nicki or the local hoodrat to Dubai—she’s giving up ass on top of ass!)
It never occurs to Nicki that the Average Joes & Average Booqueeshas Barbies put their pennies together to make her rich. She don’ sat her phat-ass on the toilet-seat of party-going masculinity and took a big-ol’ doo-doo on us! (I haven’t forgotten our brother Malcolm! Just hold on!)
So here it is—Black History Month. Is “Lookin’ Ass N#####” Nicki’s way of exposing young impressionable Barbies & Kens to Malcolm X? Indeed, Malcolm was “watchin’ for ni***s a####” (pause) who had turned against him because of what he had spoken about the Honorable Elijah Muhammad (fathering children by teenage chicks). Malcolm wasn’t in a speakeasy or afterhours joint poppin’ bottles. He had done that many years prior to joining the Nation of Islam. Malcolm was about that liberation life—having to watch his back from agent provocateurs, Hoover’s FBI Counter Intelligence Program (Cointelpro.) and Nation of Islam shooters that wanted his head.
In the context of watchin’ these “lookin’ ass n#####” so that they don’t harm you, I get that Nicki, but the imagery just doesn’t sit well with what you’re rapping about. Malcolm was really watching these “lookin’ ass nas” to save his life! In contrast, Nicki is just clowin’ “lookin’ ass nas” for admiring her steez/swag. She ain’t in fear of her life and that’s what makes the imagery so disturbing and blasphemous.
And this is how one of the “bestest” names in the game chooses to pay homage to a Towering Giant in Black History Month? Smh.
Dare I say, if Malcolm X were here today he’d be one jaded m########### (like Bill Cosby) behind hip-hop’s fuckery? He might even flip his famous phrase, “The Chickens have come home to roost” (referring to America’s violence against countries now being perpetuated by Americans on Americans) to “The Chicken-head has come home to roost!” (A diss to Nicki) Couldja really blame him? I’m jus’ sayin’… (I still love you Nicki and that was great of you to acknowledge your error! Movin’ on…)
Khalil Amani is a blogger for AllHipHop. He also writes for DJ Kay Slay’s Originators Magazine & Straight Stuntin Magazine. Amani also writes for Hoodgrown, Maybach and Sext Magazines. He is the author of six books, including the ground-breaking book, “Hip-Hop Homophobes…” iuniverse.com 07). Amani is gay hip-hop’s self-proclaimed straight advocate. Visit The Coonerific One athttp://www.khalilamani.ning.com Follow on Facebook/Twitter @khalilamani. Youtube @ yahweh 12 Khalilamani@yahoo.com