Watch "Monster" by Kanye West [MONSTER, Kanye West] then read Latoya Peterson's "Black Monsters/White Corpses: Kanye's Racialized Gender Politics" and assess Peterson's reading of the video. Do you think that she's correct in suggesting that "Kanye is...upholding the ideals of white supremacy" or is she tailoring the video to meet her own expectations? Clarify and support your answer.
N.B. This video contains language and images that may disturb some people.
In the video for Kanye West's "Monster," Kanye, the beginning is a bunch of super models hanging dead by a noose. This was my first indication that this music video was going to be extremely controversial. Latoya Peterson’s response titled, "Black Women/White Corpses: Kanye's Racialized Gender Politics," it points out the obvious issues from the video and she explains that it takes more explication than a rap video really should. Women tend to pose stoically in rap videos, and are so here they're frozen either a monster or dead. Peterson points out that seems to be the white women who are dead and the African American women who pose as the monsters, or “very alive”. I believe there are some truths to this, but I also did not see enough of this claim to support that it signifies white supremacy.
ReplyDeleteI honestly believe that Kanye West’s main intention in this video is to promote himself. I do not believe the controversy that most people are complaining about is quite the case, the music video is almost a wanna-be satire piece. To an extent, I see that he is trying to communicate a message, but I could not quite figure out if he was trying to empower American American’s by making them monsters, and making them be perceived as strong and authoritative beings overcoming hardships, or if he is mocking societies negative stereotypes of African Americans as violent and the minority. From past events, it’s no secret that West is arrogant, and he is not afraid to say what is on his mind no matter how offensive (Taylor Swift’s music video award for example). When Kanye says he is a “monster”, I think he is mostly talking about his fame, and the fact that he is so powerful that he can control people, just like a monster. The scene that supports this is when he is laying on a bed with two dead white models, and he is controlling them by making them touch one another. Also, there are many instances where Kanye contained, but zombie-like women are trying to reach for him and are straddling him. This could symbolize his fans.
While it may seem cheap to simply state "I agree with the above opinion", the original commentor has a valid point. The idea of West portraying those of African-American heritage as powerful and authoritative figures is plausible. Throught history, (or least before modern times)African Americans took a back seat to Caucasians in regards to prominence and power. West could be suggesting that his race is now an allergory of power within the 21st century. The scene with the two white models being telepathically controlled by West is particularly useful when supporting this claim. Also note the passive, more obedient persona of Minaj- she could be representing the subdued image of African-Americans characteristic of previous generations.
DeleteI agree that it can be looked at that he is upholding the ideals of white suprmacy, because in the music video the only truly living and powerful looking are the African Americans (except for the white female randomly shown smoking). I could agree that Kanye West is saying African American's are monsters, because the negative sterotype shows that in society they are the minority. However, I think there's a possibility that West is promoting them as well because monsters can also be viewed as strong and dominant figures. It goes both ways, just depending on how one looks at it.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI think there are more general themes to Monster than just white supremacy, it seems quite the opposite of white supremacy in the music video because it looks more like black supremacy. Peterson focuses mostly on the women in particular. She is most likely trying to meet her expectations. Like when she idenifies the two Nickis, one good and one evil, she says that Nicki sexually acts against herself and that female suffering is sexy. She says that as if all people know that's the only thing sexy about females is their suffering. Her statement is a mere matter of opinion. We all view so many different things about females to be sexy (not regarding anything physical); like their personalities based on sensitivity, innocence, hard-core feelings, etc. There are some people that would find female suffering t be sexy but to others it seems a bit sexually sadistic.
ReplyDeleteGood point. I think you are right in saying there are more general themes than only white supremacy. I think Kanye does a great job in making the video open to interpretation. He throws so many controversial subjects into the mix that you almost have to decide for yourself what he's trying to get across to the audience. One could probably come up with 5-10 different thoughts on that subject and that's what keeps people interested and talking which is what Kanye really wanted.
DeleteI agree with you Meghan in regards to how one could most likely come up with numerous interpretations of the video because Kanye is a very versatile artist and although I have a tendancy to listen to the lyrics of songs rather than watch the usually exaggerated music videos, If you take the lyrics and music away from the video there are a number of things that one would focus on, for example the dead bodies. What do they stand represent? As well as the continuous visual of the hands, which in my opinion starts to get creepy.
Delete@Elucya: What is it about the hands that you're noticing?
Delete@Elucya: It's true that there is a tendency in videos to forget the content of the lyrics, but here, these tend to make the issue more problematic. That West's lyrics are overtly misogynist in this song(the best women can hope for is not a scholarship, but a "swallowship," and his aim is to put the "pussy in a sarcophagus"), the reduction of women in these lyrics to their genitalia or to their sexual use, appears to me to be part of what Peterson is responding to.
DeleteI do not believe that Kanye West is holding up the ideals of white supremacy in his music video "Monster". I think, instead, he is somewhat ridiculing it, while at the same time reinforcing African-American success and equality. I think the representation of black females as monsters gives them a kind of platform in which they can be viewed as worthy and powerful. They do not have to hide in the background, being overshadowed by white women, who supposedly claim the ideal look for society. With monsters, one typically respects the fiend (to an extent, of course) in order to spare his or her own life. The monstrous image Kanye West gives black women, then, suggests that these women are just as worthy of respect and dignity that white women are given. I think his lyrics express the fact that African-American people are just as capable of achieving a successful career and life as white people are. I think the fact that the white women are being presented as dead corpses exemplifies the power and stronghold the black women have. The black women can at last stand out against the whites, and they are no longer forced into the background. Their monstrous characterization represents a strange, though undeniable, beauty the comes from being different from what may be considered normal.
ReplyDeleteI agree with how you say that the music video portrays African-American men and women as normal people that are just as capable and successful of particular achievements as much as white people are. And I also agree with how you said that the monstrous characterization of the black women represents a strange and undeniable beauty that comes from being different. I believe the way some people characterize the word normal is more of an understatement, we are all normal in our own ways. Normal doesn't mean we all have to be exactly the same. Being different is what unifies us all and sometimes it can either be beautiful or repulsive, not both or niether. You can only have/get one or the other. Polar opposites have to coexist.
Delete@Cameron at what point in the music video did it become evident that Kanye West was attempting to purvey that "black people are now equal to the white race"?
DeleteWas it the scene where the white/asian models were hanging from their necks surrounding a rapping-rick-ross? Or rather the scene where Kanye West was holding the head of a White female?
Maybe I missed the message.
@Genna I had mixed ideas about the video but I can agree with the thought that the themes were opposing white supremacy. Also at the same time it was trying to reinforce the idea behind African American success and equality. I think it could very well be argued either way though.
DeleteI too agree that the video had mixed images towards black and white supremacy. All through out the video it showed "white corpses" but also at the same time, all the rapers were black. That is some evidence that the parts of the song are not about how the white female body is pure and the black female body is unpure. At the same time there were also parts, like the female raper, where she presented herself in a degrading way. it is a two sided coin and the only person that really knows the answer is Kanye.
DeleteI disagree with your statement, Genna, that the black woman are given a sort of platform and do not have to hide in the background in the video. To me, the white women were the ones focused on. They were in better lighting and had more video time. The black "monster" women were only in a couple shots and most of the time were in the dark or low lighting.
DeleteAll i can say is that you get it. You trully are one of the few that didn't blinded by the flashyness of the dead woman and the black clothing and the surface level content. He did create a platform for those elegant black woman sitting with great posture as if brought up in high class and society. The true message and focus of this song is simply that the rappers are montrers. The music video itself allows the artists to broaden and add what you said to the center of it all. *High Five* Genna, *High five*
DeleteI think Peterson is tailoring the video to meet her expectations. I also feel she may have read in to it too far or maybe the wrong way. The video definitely is a controversy. I can't say that I wasn't disturbed by what I saw but the thought of black vs white never came into my mind until I read Peterson's article. I think in Kanye's mind he knew that his video would cause much controversy, in turn turning more and more attention to him. He is aware of his power and monster-like actions and he quite enjoys it. I think Kanye was brilliant in the making of this video. There's enough shocking images to get people talking but I feel he also leaves it open to interpretation. Even Peterson has an "or" on what she takes away from the video. Who is it putting on the pedestal? Black women, black men, white women? I think the real answer is Kanye.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you in that the racial content of the video did not offend or disturb me. I have seen this video before reading Peterson's analyzation and did not feel like it was aimed against white women. The theme of the monster is shown but I also think it attributes power to Kanye and all the other artists. In my opinion, the images in the video are shocking because they show dead people not because the dead people are white. Peterson in many ways over exaggerates the purpose of the images to confirm her theory.
DeleteFair enough. But do consider that neither Kanye, Rick Ross or Jay-Z needed to be monstrified--all three appear in suits some or all of the time--but Minaj is required to wear a wedding dress (in her whitened alter-ego, "Barbie")and hypersexualized BDSM wear (in her darkened, black alter-go "Nikki"). The iteration of the Manichean "Madonna-Whore" complex is relatively evident here and pretty clearly racially coded. Why?
DeleteIn my opinion Kanye is definatley not holding up the ideals of white supremacy. I would just like to state that although Kanye West has a repretation of being an "asshole" in the music industry, as well as cocky, he doesn't strike me as the type of person that would go against his African American culture or race. There's a lot of details one could pull out from the video besides him allegedly upholding ideals of white supremacy. The constant string of dead,caucasion females would probably offend white audiences. I do think that Peterson is tailoring the video to fit her expectations of it because everyone has different ways of viewing the controversial messages that are in most of today's videos. If anything, I view that Kanye is defending his position in the music industry, similar to the other artist featured in the video.
ReplyDeleteKanye is definitely defending his position through the "Monster" music video. I think he, as well as the other artists in the video, are almost throwing their success in the viewer's face. I also believe that the issue of white supremacy should be dismissed here. It is quite possible that the white corpses were set up to make the artists appear more powerful in their monstrosity, but I do not think it is an issue of racism on either side.
DeleteI don't know, Mattie. I think if you reversed the situation, it would be hard not to see a powerful white man manipulating and engaging in a sexual manner with two black corpses outside of a racial setting. This may not be *fair*, but it is difficult to avoid. The overpresence (if not, indeed, omni-presence) of the racial make up of living and dead women in the original leaked version (to which Peterson is responding) as opposed to the formal release (which seems consciously to have amended this to blunt the criticism) allows for inquiry without necessarily suggesting that Peterson's retort isn't overdetermined.
DeleteLatoya Peterson makes some interesting points in her article "Black Monsters/White Corpses: Kanye's Racialized Gender Politics", but I believe that what she says draws a few misconceptions. The gist of this video was to promote the success of Kanye, Nicki Minaj, Jay-Z, and the other rappers that composed “Monster”. Their monstrosity is their greatest success. It could be argued that “white supremacy” is being exemplified here because of the lack of “dead” black women, but there were also a few white women who were alive (i.e. the white woman smoking a cigarette). Peterson also argues that the black women are made monsters, which is true, but there are many white women who play the part of monster as well (i.e. zombies and hands grabbing Kanye). The main monsters here are the artists themselves, which tells me the opposite of Peterson’s claim. They are showing that they are successful African Americans because they are monsters, not that they are viewed as monsters because of white supremacy.
ReplyDeleteThis is a good point, but recall my caveat in the email. The woman with the cigarette was added after the initial "leak," which created a controversy in which Peterson's was a typical voice. Additionally ,clearly presented dead black women were provided. Their absence in the original leak (and clear focus in the formal release) suggests the possibility that West was reacting to the criticism and seeking to disarm it (as with his forward essentially ordering his viewers to avoid interpreting it in non-authorized ways). Notice, however, that the male rappers are dressed in suits, smoking jackets, and only with West, in a sexualized manner (and even he switches to a suit) whereas Minaj is crafted into BDSM wear and placed in an odd context of auto-eroticism. In this sense, while the "artists themselves" may be the monsters, only Minaj is "monstrified," whereas the male artists are free to be themselves.
DeleteLaura Peterson’s article Black Monsters/White Corpses analyzes Kanye West’s music video Monster. I think Peterson is reading the video in a way that already confirms her beliefs about white supremacy. Beginning the video are images of dead women on nooses. There is an African American woman hanging as well as a white woman. Yes, depicting the white women as dead and powerless could be a metaphor but I do not think that was the goal of the video. In all music videos the artists are put on a pedestal as the artists are in this video. The black monsters and the white corpses in the video I think show African American pride as opposed to racial prejudice. The subject matter of the song requires the video to have monsters and the artists of the song fill this position, they would not have been portrayed as the victims. The scene of Nicki Minaj’s alter ego, Peterson claims, is meant to show that “female suffering is sexy”. I disagree; I think both Nicki’s show power. One is tied up but still shows strength. It seems more of a battle between good and evil within than of race between the two. The very first message we see claims that the video is not meant to be misogynistic or negative, therefore, I believe Peterson is picking out elements of the video that simply confirm her ideas.
ReplyDeleteThe desire to read exhibits "in a way that already confirms" the author's beliefs is always a danger, and I think you're right to identify Peterson's overstatement of the case. However, consider what the egos represent in Minaj's scene. Her alter-ego, with her straight pink-dyed platinum hair, over-enunciated delivery, and name "Barbie" is coded as white, is she not? If not, how to explain these features? So what's at stake in staging her "white" and "black" selves in violently sexualized play reminiscent of Abu Ghraib prison imagery (where the sexualized torture of men by female officers was staged as an emasculating gesture)?
DeleteI find your idea that black women are represented in the video as powerful beings is true, however, I also believe their sexuality is being represented as well. Nikki Minaj's sex appeal in the video is just as pronounced as her power as a monster. Besides power playing a part in the video, I think Kanye West was also saying that black women obtain just as much sex appeal as white women. In fact, I think the amount of power Minaj displays in the video is meant to arouse viewers because a women in power is seen as "sexy". Despite what Latoya Perterson says in her article, the possession of this power makes the African American women stand out more than the white females in the video because they are expressing their dominance and inner fierceness.
DeleteIn Kanye West’s music video of his single “Monster,” a slew of disturbing images are displayed, all portraying either someone dead or someone who is supposed to be “monstrous.” The themes behind this cornucopia of musical gore can be, and have been, interpreted in a multitude of ways. Latoya Peterson forms her own opinion in her article “Black Monsters/White Corpses: Kanye’s Racialized Gender Politics.” She states that Kanye’s choice to depict the white females as delicate corpses and the black females as grotesque-like background monsters is an illusion towards white supremacy. Peterson believes that not only are women in general used for the sake of sexual desire of men, but that the race of the women is a factor in the ostracism as well.
ReplyDeleteWhen looking back after having watched the video, I can sort of see where Peterson is coming from. The majority of the dead women are white and they do have that delicate, doll look about them. However, I also noticed that in the beginning of the video, one of the women hanging dead was black. I can grasp a sort of racial tension going on in the video, but I’m not sure if it goes as in-depth as Peterson suggests. I find it hard to believe that Kanye or his team was trying to portray such a layered message. There is even a disclaimer at the beginning of the video stating that they are not trying to offend anyone and that it is just art. Maybe they decided that given the lighting of the video was so dark, that the white women would stand more, creating a bigger contrast, thus looking more eerie when dead. Maybe the black women who were made as monsters had better acting abilities then the white women that showed up for work. Or maybe Peterson was right and Kanye is a closet cultural genius.
I hadn't even really thought of that. Now that I read your response and look back at the video, I can definitely see where you are coming from and you make a great point. I don't think that Kanye is trying to glorify the white women in the video. I think that, like you said, that maybe he is doing a parody of society and what it expects. He uses the strong black women and the delicately placed white women to show that one while some may think that one race is stronger, its not. He is trying to show that while sometimes black women might appear monstrous, it's a farce, and that in reality, they are often misinterpreted. I hold the opinion that Kanye might have had some message to show, but that he didn't intend for it to hold such in depth social themes as Peterson suggests. However, you make a great point and it is highly possible that Kanye may have been trying to portray what you suggested- your opinion makes a little more sense than some of Peterson's.
ReplyDeleteIn The Music Video Monster By Kanye West, I Don't Believe That The Context Of The Video Was Geared Towards White Supremacy. It Seems To Be More Of A Enlightenment Of How Power Or Hierarchy Has Changed. Throughout The Video I Witnessed Many African Americans That Showed Their Superiority Over Caucasians. Every Person That Had A Speaking, Rapping, Singing Role Were From The African American Race. The Caucasian Women Were Either Dead, Bound Behind Doors, Or Brutally Eaten.
ReplyDeleteWithin The Article By Peterson, He States That The African American Women Gave Off A Monstrous Outlook. In My Opinion I See This Monstrous Image As One With Power. In Society We Fear Those Whom Possess More Power Then We Have. Thus, Having The African American Women Thought Of As A Monster Gives Them A Higher Stature In The Hierarchy Of Power.
In A Way, I Feel As Though, The Entire Video Has Brightened the Eyes Of The Views That African Americans Can Rise to The Top. Things can Change, Society Can Change, And Power Isn't Permanent.
I agree that the video is most likely trying to portray African American women as strong, dominant people. It shows that black women everywhere have this power to be the one in charge and I think that was the message that Kanye, Jay Z, and Nicki were aiming for rather than bashing on white supremacy. All of the white females were pale, thin, corpses hanging and lying around everywhere. It shows white women as being the weaker ones in this situation which is why so many people were offended by these depictions. I do agree with you overall though.
DeleteLatoya Peterson's article Black Monsters/ White Corpses analyzes Kanye West's music video "Monster". His video at first seems like the normal self-centered, women-objectifying, hip hop music video. Then after reading Latoya's article, you begin to see the details she points out that could be interpreted as representing the message of white supremacy. I think Latoya may have pulled out some details and tailored them to her own strong beliefs about white versus black, but I have to say that I would not be surprised at all if Kanye came forward and admitted that the message he was trying to portray was in fact about white supremacy. In the original leaked version the only girls who were dead were white and weak. The monsters were all black and strong women. I do not see how this could be a coincidence when music videos are so well thought out and produced down to the last detail. It could be simply the fact that the artists who made this song are all black and therefore had to be the monsters in the video and so made the rest of the monsters black as well. It could also be a statement of pride in being a strong black woman capable of anything any other race is. You can read into the film however you wish because there are several interpretations that could fit. I think overall Kanye's video makes the monsters into strong, sexual symbols which would be a positive thing he might have wanted to associate with the black men and women. Making a racial statement in a music video is never a good idea even if it was meant to be a positive message. People get carried away with it much like how Latoya took offense to the details in it.
ReplyDeleteI, too, didn't notice many of the details Peterson did until I read her article. I agree with you that this is no coincidence - music videos (music in general) is an art form, and these artists spend lots of time and money producing something that they want to make an impact with. Kanye was trying to uphold white supremacy in this video. I agree that Kanye wanted to focus on the black women and men in the video as strong and capable - especially in Nicki's role as a "dungeon dominatrix".
DeleteI hold myself with great restrai to try and not a novel on the subject. Kanye West is MAKING MUSIC. Latoya Peterson is finding her own nitch of Kanye West and the record label Roc entertainment to write about. The biggest "secret message" and "unknown influence" organization is supposedly the Illuminati which the aforementioned parties are a part of. Its part of his style to be cryptic and lay hidden messages and poke a little fun at those that are too serious. It's not surprising that Peterson's evidence directly support her ideas because that's how it was meant to be taken. This isn't meant to educate or declare any ideas but that tease and entertain those that aren't caught up in the drama.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading your journal entry I also agree that Peterson is just trying to ridicule someone for their talent. Kanye West is different and has a different genre then other people. Peterson is just trying to find something to pick at. Just because their are many weird parts of the video I now agree with you that West is just trying to make music. The video was meant for entertainment for the viewers, I don't think it was meant to be something that people pick apart and say everything he is doing wrong.
Delete@ Omega: I think you're overestimating authorial intent and control here, and while the video may or may not be West's brainchild, elements of it certainly are and whether or not West consciously attempts to make a political statement, in the end representational agency inevitably leads to politicization.
DeleteFor example, Peterson may be over-applying her feminist lens, but what she's noticing is certainly there. You can't have a video full of dead half-naked women and fully clothed, powerful men (in some cases having their way with the dead women) and not answer some pretty basic questions: what *is* at stake in having a room full of mostly white women hanging from the ceiling while Ross leans back in a smoking jacket surveying his work? What's at play in Kanye's sexualized treatment of the dead white women in his bed? Why are Minaj's dual egos coded white (Barbie) and black (Nikki) and why is the white also coded for purity (wedding dress) and servility (tied down) while the black is coded for sexuality and aggression (Dominatrix gear)? Why are Ross, West, and Jay-Z as artists, marked for their monstrosity based on success alone--they can be monsters and still look like professionals--but Minaj must be reduced to her sexual features (T & A, the latter on full display by the end of her verses) and must be additionally monstrified by her fangs and lycanthropic transformation: is a woman's financial success not enough?
You can dodge the questions, but like monsters themselves, they return to bite you.
Kanye is known for his black pride. It’s been a central theme in his persona since he began. "Is hip hop just a euphemism for a new religion?
DeleteThe soul music for the slaves that the youth is missing
This is more than just my road to redemption
Malcolm West had the whole nation standing at attention
As long as I’m in Polo smiling, they think they got me
But they would try to crack me if they ever see a black me" so please don't be surprised that black is beautiful, black is sexy, and black is power can be seen through every second of that video. As for the use of dead white women, also part of Kanye’s style. Most music videos are filled with black women shaking their booty and no having no other significance. He's breaking the day to day boredom that is rap music. He chooses to use white women but not just any old girls. Did you notice that each had soft features and resembled models? The video diva and video vixen segment of the music industry is dominated by African American women because the music is made by African American men. So Kanye breaks more convention by using white women that aren't the stereotypical big breasted big booty white girls shaking it for his video. Is he going to take another step to shock and maybe anger audiences? Dead white women. Look at it less as there are dead white women and the black women are alive but instead why are any woman dead to begin with. Why do they lay motionless like living paintings? To emphasize those they are beautiful women subdued by the power of the great black monsters. They are bouncing around shaking about and flaunting but instead lay there to be looked at. Jay-Z, Rick Ross, and Kanye look at the dead girls not because they are gyrating but simply because of their beauty. As for why Ross, West, and Mr. Carter need success to be monstrous the answer too is simple. No one would care if they didn't have success. Women are the desired beauties of our society who can gain everything simply from looks. Men have to work for it (in most cases). Don't mistake me for saying that women gain success simply from looks. I'm saying that they are able to easily while it's almost unheard of with men. And lastly Nikki and her "Harajuku Barbie." The white dress hair and makeup have been part of her persona since her mainstream release into music. I do not disagree that they put sexy black Nikki as the counterpart of tied down white nikki but they would not have done this parallel of personalities with any other rapper because it would have been directly what Peterson is claiming about white supremacy. But because of her already established personalities, Nikki is a perfect choice for that role. Once again, Kanye re- Ross, West, and Mr. Carter have undoubtedly paid their dues. They all have a resume that would over shadow 80% of the rap industry individually. Nikki is being given an honor to join the ranks of these monstrous successes of the game. It’s almost a trophy or a right of recognition that she has fangs and monstrous teeth now. She is embracing these attributes as well as the sexuality because it is meant to empower Nikki herself. To sum up, this song is about West, Minaj, Ross, and Carter’s monstrosities respectively and not the social construct of black and white or gender roles. Peterson was most definitely nit picking.
Bravo Omega! I completly agree with you because Kanye, Nikki, and Ross are by far a few of the most successful artist of this year and last year. Peterson was definatley just trying to write a good artical as well as pick at Kanye, (which of course is not a surprise because of Kanyes huge ego in the music industry) because Kanye is cocky and he knows whether he makes a video with positive images and underlying messages, He's still going to get media bashed, he's Kanye West. I agree with you that the artist in the music video are major and I also feel that the images and messages in the video have little to do with what they are actually saying in their verses, they are just trying to get more views by adding a little craziness to the video, hence the dead corpses and creepy spirit fingers.
DeleteI don't know, Omega. I think it's a hard sell to suggest that moving women from objects of the sexual gaze to dead objects of the sexual gaze constitutes a step forward in the history of women's representation in cultural media. I don't question whether Kanye's message is "black is beautiful," only that beauty as a construct is as likely to repeat and perpetuate expectations surrounding gender than it is to force a rethinking and disruption of them. In the same way, Peterson suggests indirectly that one can, quite incidentally, perpetuate stereotypes (say, about the bestial, sexual African female) even as one thinks s/he is attacking them.
DeleteI think the charge of "nit picking" reflects subconscious discomfort with having otherwise safe cultural outlets questioned, and I suggest that rather than attempting to dismiss the urge to read more deeply into Kanye's work (an act that would tend to compliment it as being worth such critical attention) you should attend more closely to the details of her argument and find alternative readings of those same details that fit your, more supportive, interpretation of West's aims.
I have two concerns with this article. Fist she states that "All the dead women are white, with the possible exception of the second model in the bed". This is not true there are plenty of white women in the video that are alive and well. There are also a few dead black women in the video, most noticeable the one lying on the table with Rick Ross and the chainsaw.
ReplyDeleteMy second concern with this video is when she says "Even at her moment of lyrical greatness, the perception of her body trumps all", referring to Nicki Minaj. Nicki's seen as sexual because her lyrics do not and never have stood up to the likes of Kayne and Jay-Z. Her entire career has been sexual. She is famous for giving lap dances to audience members at her concerts. Kayne does not make Nicki into a sex symbol, he merely plays on the reality that she has made for herself. I feel like it is wrong for Latoya to attack Kayne saying he is reinforcing white supremacy and sexism.
I'd have to disagree on the fact that Nicki's career is based off of sex. When she was an underground artist before signing to the "big" league like many her raps and image were that of reality. She spoke on her life the things she had to overcome and the struggles of trying to gain power and finding the right footing in society. It wasn't until she signed with Wayne that her imaged changed to provoking and promoting sex. That is the industry established by males that has created this image, everyone says sex sales which is why she has began to be portrayed as a sexual object. Even the rappers now a days only note on the ways in which they can exploit and use women to their advantage sexually.
DeleteI'd have to disagree. Her early mixtapes, such as "Playtime is Over", are riddled with sexually suggestive lyrics. Her track, that shares the name of the mixtape "Playtime is Over" has lyrics such as "All The Boys Want Nicki/All The Boys Want Mine/All The Boys Say They Love Me Yea They Love Me Long Time". She is flaunting her sexuality. On her second mixtape, titled "Sucka Free", the first track is called "Baddest Bitch". In the song the chorus is "Baddest, the baddest, my pussy's the fattest I'm bad" If that is not asking people to look at her like a sex symbol then I do not know what would.
DeleteIn my opinion Nicki Minaj would not have a career if it was not for her sexual feel. Her lyrics are far from average when it comes to the people she is sharing tracks with. You can only talk about how "bad" your "pussy" is before your songs get repetitive. The sex is what makes and continues to make Nicki's career.
@Grant--I think it's hard to avoid the reality that Minaj "owns" (as Peterson puts it) this piece. Even Ross, Jay-Z and West understand this (in the original leaked version, she was given top billing).
DeleteAs to the presence of racialized bodies, recall that Peterson is responding to the 2011 "leaked" version that hit the web before the official release. That version did *not* have the white woman smoking a cigarette, the zombies behind the windowed-doors were too shadowed to make out, and the body on the table was also too enshrouded to make out. Peterson's observations are relatively accurate as far as the version she saw goes--in fact, it's interesting that the changes to the formally released version made these changes (including adding a proviso at the beginning), perhaps thereby suggesting that West and Co. saw these issues as problematic and aimed to blunt their significance through these edits.
It's not enough to play "gotcha!". The opening scene raises serious questions about the play of gender and one can't avoid them by simply saying, "Peterson's wrong; there's a living white body." She may overstate the case, but she's not inventing the problematic from whole cloth.
At the beginning of the video the first thing I noticed were the white women hanging from chains surrounding Rick Ross. As the women hung lifeless it seemed as though they were portrayed as elegant still holding onto their sense of beauty. They even hung with their heels still on giving off a sense of poise. As I watched the video for the second time I began to notice the ways in which women were depicted throughout.
ReplyDeleteFrom this analysis I could see were Peterson was drawing her assumptions. However, I disagree with the fact that this video was created to uphold white supremacy as the main focus. I perceived this video as a way of Kanye and the other African-American artist proclaiming that they did not care about the racial restraints inflicted upon their heritage. This video displayed them embracing the idea of being called monsters, drawing on their differences from society. But it doesn't stop here...they show that the monsters they are allow them to hold control over society's views whether good or bad they are still in control. Questioning who really holds the power many seek for in life?
The feminism views being displayed are thought provoking. Like Peterson goes to analyze the scenes question the ways in which women are perceived by men, sexually objectified, inferior, and pretty much as assets to their empires. Nicki's role portrayed to me the progression of African-American women, evoking fear in role changes, and the resemblance to man. However, this progression doesn't go far because her body is still being objectified even by herself and her lyrics go to say that she is a monster like one of the guys but Kanye still holds a slight reign above her. This gave me the sense that women although searching for power still face the struggles of being seen as equal when up against man.
Peterson's argument holds wait in some aspects. Yet there are also some faults. There are whites, Asians, men, and African-Americans that are alive and being depicted as monsters throughout the scenes.
Nicely put. I think it's interesting to consider how the notion of female bodily beauty is retained even through death--is there something troubling about the fact that, even in death, women are still expected to remain sexually desirable?
DeleteI think that the question on whether white supremacy is upheld during this music video is a tough question because it depends on how you view it. I think that it can be represented as upholding the ideas of white supremacy because they were not viewed as monsters. Sure, they were dead but at least they weren’t the ones who tortured others and they were not the ones that were deemed as monsters. On the other hand I think that the roles of supremacy can be reversed, and that this music video can be showing black supremacy. Obviously, since most of the dead people in this music video are white females, they could not defend themselves against the monster, therefore looking inferior. I think that the line between which race is superior is blurry in this music video. I think that Latoya Peterson’s views in her article are somewhat altered to fit her claims. Sure, most of the people that are dead are white females, but there are also white monsters in the video as well. When Kanye is leaning against the cage, we see black hands along with white hands (actually we mainly see more white hands) caressing his body. We also see a group of female monsters behind a door at one point, and, again, this group contains both black and white female monsters. I think that by only looking at the dead, Peterson could provide better evidence to back up her claim.
ReplyDeleteI believe the white hands are demonstrating supremacy over the black male body because he cannot seem to run away from them. I also believe that the white hand turning off the light is symbolic of white supremacy because it is like they white people have power over the darker skin. The last hand finalizes the white supremacy. It also brings to question why the music video did not include black hands with the white ones.
DeleteI agree with your statement above and think that he is definitely downgrading white women but I also think that his overall message is not just about women. We also we African American males taking over white female corpse showing that the whole African American race is more superior to the white race.
ReplyDeleteI believe white supremacy is a dominate theme in the music video however, I believe the video is more focused on gender supremacy. The video does not include dead men hanging but only women. However, perhaps a dead man hanging would be to politically incorrect because of the reminder of lynching. White supremacy is shown through the depiction of black women as monsters. For example, the contortionist during the part with Nicki is black.Peterson also points out the beauty in the death of a white woman in contrast to the monstrous black women. She states that even dead, there is power in being white. Another example of this is how gentle Kayne is to the white women when he moves their dead bodies however, the black man was dragged on the floor. Therefore, the music video for monster by West does demonstrate a sense of white supremacy in society by stating that there is power in being a beautiful white woman.
ReplyDeleteI got the same feeling when watching the video. When the two dead females were lying in bed with Kayne, I didn't notice their skin color, my attention went straight to the fact that he was controlling them like puppets, and positioned them however he wanted them to be. Dead men hanging from the ceiling wouldn't have been as romanticized as thin skimpy dressed women hanging. Their appearance as dead bodies are more gentle than a large dead man hanging.
DeleteMy overall feeling towards the video was that Peterson was strongly exaggerating and molding the video into what she wanted us to see. I saw no MAJOR difference in the roles of black vs. white women in the video. The main feature rapper was Minaj, clearly a successful (although questionally talented) female black artist. She played a role as a reserved submissive and also the darkly dressed dominant. She played both roles being accused of being held only by whites or blacks. She plays almost a mediator to both roles. The fact that Peterson claims that black women were mainly alive and white women were the dead ones hanging from the ceiling were not as exaggerated as what she claims them to be.
ReplyDeleteThe music video "Monster" by Kayne West. It shows a lot behind it with all the dead white woman and it really reflects when you listen to the song multiple times. The main fact is seems he is trying to get across here is that the african race is more superior and has more power and it also discriminates woman because it seems to have them on the bottom of any type of race and sexist things. I mean agreeing with the person above me Nikki did play a huge role as she was both the african female and dressed like a white female as someone being accused of some sort of act and just the video really sets a different tone to it.
ReplyDeleteI like your point of view. Kanye is for sure sending out subliminal messages that could be looked over by someone who is not in turned with what Kanye is saying or even really his video is tying to portray to the world.
ReplyDeleteI believe that Kanye is “upholding the idea of white supremacy”. Over time whites have always had the upper hand, the leaders, and the ones who were in control over everything. I think that that Kanye made this video to say in a sneaky way to the whites that he has and had your women and blacks are monster and can have just as much control. Now lets take a 12-16 year old who is Kanye fans and anything that Kanye does is just the best, but besides that the kids may not see the subliminal message that Kanye is portraying with not only the video but also his lyrics. The kids would just see Kanye as being the best in the rap business.
ReplyDeleteI do not think that Kanye West is upholding the idea of white supremacy. After I watched the video, I will agree with most of the people here and say that there was some sexist and inappropriate lyrics and clips aimed towards females, but that is it. One of the big arguments I read and saw was the warning or the note at the beginning of the music video saying how not to view this video, and the fact that they did not have that warning on the "leaked" version. I am a musician and a lyricist. I have fulled notebook upon notebook with original songs and performed many times. the thing I dislike the most is when someone takes something away from my song that I was not trying to tell them. I am not saying that Kanye and I are on the same level of writing lyrics, nothing close to that. What I am saying is that being a musician I can understand why he put that at the beginning of his music video, because he did not want people to take away the wrong thing. I am not standing up for him nor am I arguing against him, I am just saying why the warning at the beginning of the video can not be used against him.
ReplyDeleteAh, but Danny, the reality of art is that, like children, once they are out in the world, they must stand for themselves. In many ways, artistic control assumes that there is no sub- or unconscious (even though that's often marked as the source well of artistic inspiration) since it assumes that you are in complete control of all you think, do, and feel. Contrastingly, I think you'd be hard pressed to argue, say, that Brad Paisley's song "Accidental Racist" isn't pretty racist (or racialist in any case) despite its *overt* desire not to be so. It's not always the artist's prerogative to tell audiences what their work means, and people aren't always the best interpreters of their own experience (or art).
DeleteI think that the main point made by the music video of “Monster” is not so much of white supremacy but rather the idea of gender supremacy. While watching the video it stands out that the only people who are dead are the women besides Nikki. I think that Kanye is emphasizing that men rule and always will. He believes that women are below men and that they are just objects. The theme of gender supremacy as Peterson stated is evident throughout as well also. All the women who are dead are white and Kanye is doing what he wants with them but positioning the two women on the bed how he wants them to be. In some ways the video has changed since Peterson wrote her article but I do believe that Kanye is upholding the ideals of white supremacy.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, Kanye West was just making music and probably not thinking too much into every single aspect of the video and how someone could interpret it. His focus was probably on providing entertainment that is new and unusual. However, I do think he was trying to send a message that white women are given more attention and viewed as pure or virginal, whereas black woman are more sexualized. I think Latoya Peterson could rephrase her thesis to "upholding the ideals of white female supremacy." For example, Kanye and Jay Z had power over the white females even though they themselves are black. Males, no matter what color, still have more power than females.
ReplyDelete