Malcolm X family upset with Nicki Minaj for photo
Last edited Fri Feb 14, 2014, 08:50 PM - Edit history (1)
Source: AP
NEW YORK (AP) — Malcolm X's family and estate said Nicki Minaj's use of a famous photo of the black nationalist with a rifle in his hands and juxtaposing it with a racial slur for her new song's artwork is disrespectful and offensive.
In an exclusive statement to The Associated Press on Friday, Malcolm X's daughter, Ilyasah Shabazz, said Minaj's use of the picture "in no way is endorsed by our family."
"Ms. Minaj's artwork for her single does not depict the truth of Malcolm X's legacy," Shabazz's statement said.
Minaj apologized Thursday. She pulled the artwork after she was criticized on social media platforms for using the photo for the cover of her new male-bashing song, "Lookin (Expletive) (Expletive)." The title uses the N-word.
Read more: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/malcolm-x-family-upset-nicki-minaj-photo
Cover & original photo
Song "Lookin Ass Nigga":
For a woman who can actually rap, listen to Eve, Queen Latifah, Salt n Pepa, Yo-Yo, Lil Kim (2005 & earlier), Missy Elliott, or TLC.
For hip hop that RESPECTFULLY samples Malcolm X speeches, listen to any song listed in this article.
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Last edited Fri Mar 7, 2014, 08:30 PM - Edit history (2)
Not to be confused with Beyonce's recent use of audio from the space shuttle Challenger right after it exploded:
Controversy for controversy's sake. But then again, what do you expect them to do -- get dressed and sing for a living?
rocktivity
A fake wannabe no respect for those who bleed, fought and died for the struggle rice crispy foul mouth woman, wearing fake hair, a faux behind, a complete faux front chest side to boot....who has the gull and nerves to put any figure, likeness or otherwise associated et. al., of the Honorable, Late Great Leader Malcolm X on a CD Cover promoting her faux existence. 
What a insult to the Shabazz Family, indeed. 
Above is a song by Sister Souljah (yes that one) that came out when Minaj was just 10 years old, 22 years ago...
It's like nothing has changed (although I know it has at a different level). Yet the Nicki Minaj song that was posted is the personification of everything that many struggled to get rid of over the past 20 years. Sadly, a new generation seemingly found it, and have trotted it back out again.
If one is going to use the genre, use it for a purpose. Folk music, particularly that in the '60s, put a message out there as poetry in motion during turbulent times... and when a community was under siege, rap was also a medium for putting a message out there during turbulent times.
Her use of that imagery for her bullshit album with that bullshit song is the ultimate in disrespect because there is zero analogy there. To her (or whoever plucked out that image for the album cover - I expect it wasn't her originally), it's just a picture of a man holding an assault-style rifle. She probably would have done better putting this on there -
That might have started an intersting conversation...
Using that photo in that way was a crappy thing to do though.
If Minaj & Co. DIDN'T use images and sampling that would be sure to trigger controversy, people WOULDN'T pay attention to them!
rocktivity
