By shelz.
Flaming Lips is an acquired taste, especially in the realm of mass market Hip-Pop. Their recent material is odd and their side projects, i.e the skull and fetus gummies (You heard me. An edible pink fetus) stomp all over societal convention in a way even the open-minded have a hard time accepting. Their video for “Girl, You’re So Weird,” featuring New Fumes made it to the front page of Planet Ill anyway.
I don’t really like the song. (Sorry Flaming Lips) The video is a pretty low budget affair. Smoke machines, puffing out candy-colored wafts on a bare set with the band performing the song is all you get. Well, except for the naked women. Still not a big deal. We’re used to groups painting outside the SFW box and throwing some bare ass into the mix. But The Lips repped for all the screwfaced black chicks who don’t like seeing all those half-dressed non black knock-kneed bimbos walking like h0es in rap videos. The band said you can have those bimbos and kept them women like Flo Jo. Word to Sir Mix a lot.
I know the black community has new found distaste for mentioning any and all things race related in a world that they think no longer sees color (-_-). That kind of consideration disrupts the racial harmony continuum that rap music produced. But I still hear the grumbles when that rainbow coalition concept culminates with rapper X engulfed in a sea of blondes. What’s wrong with us? Where’s the love? Why can’t we be objectified in the visuals for rapper X’s latest club hit, “Kill That B*tch and Bury Her In Grandmas Basement?”
In a media world saturated with cliché and the dreaded knee jerk reflex (Flooouurrrrrr Tortilaaaaaaaas), questioning the quality of your particular group’s depiction is wise. It would be nice if that depiction was always representative of who you are and you are regularly included. Sometimes it isn’t and you aren’t, but if seeing nude black chicks shaking to the beat in an artist’s video is your idea of racial equality and respect for black beauty, then Flaming Lips has your back.
“Girl You’re So Weird” is not quite the pinnacle of video girl awesomeness. Even with booty butt naked soul sistas, it’s still tame for 2012. We all know you don’t really earn your video girl money until you pop that coochie with supreme chutzpa and they don’t mention anything about breaking her back and then giving her cab fare in pennies. It’s a start though. They even have a dark one and a light one for those of you who feel like when black women are incorporated, the redbones get all the best upskirt shots. As a matter of fact you don’t have to worry about that because they aren’t wearing any.
Take a look and feel the pride ladies.
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