Fri 3 Jun 2011
News: Rihanna Defends “Man Down”, Kanye Performs at Gil Scott-Heron’s Funeral, T-Pain Quits Autotune
Posted by Mikey Fresh under Quotes , Videos[17] Comments
Rihanna has been under a firestorm of controversy since her “Man Down” video dropped this past Tuesday. In the video, RiRi is portrayed shooting a man, who we later find out sexually assaulted RiRi in the storyline. Groups such as the Parents Television Council are fighting to have the video banned from major networks. But RiRi is sticking by her art, she sent out a message through Twitter and even phoned into 106 & Park to further explain herself.
“I’m a 23-year old rock star with NO KIDS! What’s up with everybody wantin me to be a parent? I’m just a girl, I can only be your/our voice!” she wrote on Thursday. “Cuz we all know how difficult/embarrassing it is to communicate touchy subject matters to anyone especially our parents! And this is why! … Cuz we turn the other cheek! U can’t hide your kids from society, or they’ll never learn how to adapt! This is the REAL WORLD! … The music industry isn’t exactly Parents R Us! We have the freedom to make art, LET US! It’s your job to make sure they don’t turn out like US.”
more from Rihanna, photos of Kanye at Gil Scott Heron’s funeral and news on T-Pain after the jump…
Her phone call to BET:
“Rape is, unfortunately, happening all over the world and in our own homes, and we continue to cover it up and pretend it doesn’t happen,” Rihanna said. “Boys and girls feel compelled to be embarrassed about it and hide it from everyone, including their teachers, their parents and their friends. That only continues to empower the abusers.”
“Making that into a mini-movie or video, we needed to go back to why it happened,” she explained. “Obviously, she’s not a cold-blooded killer. It had to be something so offensive. And we decided to hone in on a very serious matter that people are afraid to address, especially if you’ve been victimized in this scenario.”
“I’ve been abused in the past, and you don’t see me running around killing people in my spare time,” she said. “I just really want girls to be careful. Have fun, be sassy, be innocent, be sweet, be everything that you are. But just try not to be naive. That’s not coming from a parent but from a peer.” – MTVNews
Gothamist – Kanye West Pays Tribute To Gil Scott-Heron At Memorial Service
NY Daily News – Kanye West performs at memorial service for ‘Godfather of Rap’ Gil Scott-Heron in Harlem
Rap-Up – Kanye West Developing Fashion Line in Paris
In an exclusive statement issued to AllHipHop.com today (June 2nd), T-Pain vowed to ditch the Auto-Tune technology for his own new, vocal processor.
“I vow right here, right now, to never use Auto-Tune again,” T-Pain told AllHipHop.com in an exclusive statement. “I’m onto something that I think is bigger and better called ‘The T-Pain Effect.'”
The Grammy award-winning producer and platinum selling rapper has partnered with Izotope, an audio technology company, which is the exclusive provider of the new ‘T-Pain effect.’ – AHH
June 3rd, 2011 at 10:14 am
I love how celebs do that. One minute they claim they wanna be a role model for young girls and such. Then they get mad when people question their actions. You can’t have it both ways. I understand her with the being aware rape happens thing (we don’t know this yet?) But I can’t get with the way that she handled it in the video.
Why couldn’t she have fought the dude off her and got away? Why not have the dude get arrested at the end? Because it causes no controversy. Simply put, artist like her and Lady GaGa do shit like this to purposely get a rise out of groups and organizations then turn around and play dumb.
BTW, the woman Rihanna is protraying IS a cold blooded killer. It’s one thing to kill in self defense, it’s another to hide out days later snipe a nigga from a far. That would be premeditated murder. Watch Snapped.
June 3rd, 2011 at 10:55 am
I AGREE W/RHIANNA ITs important I’m a parent of 2 girls THIS VIDEO RAISED QUESTIONS &CONCERNS THAT MAY HAVE BEEN PUT OFF TUL A
June 3rd, 2011 at 11:07 am
I get what you’re saying but I also see it from RiRi’s view. Maybe the way she went about it was wrong but the message is strong. It is premeditated murder but it happens like that sometimes. Abusers go about their business while victims have to live with it forever. When something like that sits on someone for a time you never know what they will be driven to when they confort that person and are able to defend themselves. It may not be politically correct but i’m sure it gives the victim a sense of peace and closure however brief.
As far as the child issue, I think parents should stop using stars as scapegoats. Parents should sit their kids down and explain the video to them. Explain why they shouldn’t react like RiRi. Once that kid drops out the poopoo you become a full time teacher and counselor with no days off. We can’t count on 20 somethings to raise our kids. I loved gangster rap and gangster movies coming up but I never picked up a gun a day in my life. I knew my mom would set my ass on fire if I turned up in jail. We’ve got to put values and morals in our kids because once they walk out the door that’s all they have.
June 3rd, 2011 at 12:06 pm
First and foremost, may I just state that rape, whether the violation of a female or male is a very heinous act and should not be taken lightly. However, Rhianna is an artist that thrives of controversy and hoopla. You know that, I know that, we all know that!
If she were making a video advocating for victims of abuse wouldn’t she use something a little more tasteful; considering it’s a touchy subject. For example, if I made a video about retaliating a murder of a lost one; the consensus would be that murder is murder and there is no justification for it.
As far as raising children in this society, there has to be some fundamental guidelines as to what we can/cannot have children exposed to. For one to say raise your children and don’t place any moral responsibility on celebrities is an inane ideology all by itself! You can agree to disagree as to what we should or should not expose our children to. Example: If I regulate as to what type of media my children digest; it will only go so far, because in the information age it’s everywhere. Children are now allowed to bring iPod and PSP’s, etc. to school whereas 20+ years ago the equivalent (Walk man + Gameboy) were restricted. My point is, a parent can’t stop that child from listening to his friends music at recess. It’s impossible. In addition, the access to lewd material is very accessible now.
Lastly,if an artist want to be raunchy or have strong themes in their videos, they should be regulated to specialty channels that are subscriber based or aired during times that are not suitable for younger audiences to view.
June 3rd, 2011 at 1:15 pm
This is a great comment. She is an idiot to think that this video is ok. The machine still allows the song to be played on the radio which should be taken down as well.
Give parents a real chance to be parents. Don’t make this type a music a single.
June 3rd, 2011 at 3:23 pm
Really ? With Rap ,Rock and Country Vids and songs ? Rhianna’s need to be banned ?
June 3rd, 2011 at 3:24 pm
Her Shy Ronnie 2 video was worse! I mean, she robbed a bank and then grabbed a guy to have sex with. That’s like, rape yo!
In all seriousness, this shit is stupid. Little kids look up to these people as role models because they are attractive and can sing. THAT is ridiculous. There’s no reason why society should put so much weight on music artists, who aren’t the smartest pickles, in the first place. It’s our fault for creating and living in a celebrity obsessed world.
To Rihanna: this ain’t art. This shit is weak. But more importantly, this is just plain business. This video, like all your videos, is focused on making you look hot and sexy. No human being is a piece of artwork and thus, your videos are not art.
June 3rd, 2011 at 3:38 pm
Well said!
June 3rd, 2011 at 3:40 pm
I haven’t seen the video but the song is called man down, the lyrics talk about killing a man. They built a video around the lyrics they didn’t just make a video with her killing someone. And from the way it sounds they tried to give a good reason for her killing someone.
June 3rd, 2011 at 4:00 pm
She says that we should not hide our kids from the ways of society, but she has no right to decide what is and isn’t acceptable. Children do not need to be exposed to everything that goes down around them.
June 3rd, 2011 at 5:01 pm
LOL getting in a fight and losing is not the same as abuse RHIANNA!!
ABUSE DON’T JUST HAPPEN ONE TIME EITHER. lol I love how people try to cover up they fuck ups and take absolutely no blame for shit.
But yeah, aint nothing wrong with that video. Lady gaga has lesbian shit and hella sexual and violent shit in all her videos. So does beyonce and a lot of rockers, r&b singers, rappers etc etc.
June 3rd, 2011 at 7:20 pm
I’m really miss Gil Scott-Heron. There was a man who was one of the last beacons of greatness from a long gone era of revolutionaries and hope for the future. Considering that Gil had such a tremendous impact on people like Kanye and so many others in the rap game, its at least a little poignant that K’d be there to pay his last respects. I’d only hope that Gil’s passing might spark an outpouring of fresh new ideas to help perserve his legacy of passing truth and intelligent conversation in our communities.
June 3rd, 2011 at 11:05 pm
parents have the ability to block channels. i fully support the video, things like this happen, it’s the real world. you’re not being a good parent by hiding all the ugly in the world from your child. it’s a good song and it paints a painful picture.
June 3rd, 2011 at 11:07 pm
very few other pop artists are talking about subjects like this. you basically just said film can’t be art since it focuses on people…false statement.
June 4th, 2011 at 3:50 am
This is just art people if u as parents don’t agree than u shouldn’t allow ur kids 2 watch this video this is wat makes this country great freedom of speech relax people it’s just a video no different from the Jodie foster movie were the cop let’s her get away murder it’s just art am sure rhianna got wat she wanted n that was controversy n in the end she wins cuz everybody Is talking about it peace out from the CHI
June 16th, 2011 at 3:26 am
uh autotune is pretty much known as “T-Pain effect” already…
June 16th, 2011 at 3:32 am
wait, so it’s still autotune but he just put his name on it so he could cash in on it now?