I used to be a lover of N.E.R.D. I purchased all of their albums on itunes (and the "Lapdance" remix album with "What's Wrong With Me" & "Locked Away")....until this one. This album wasn't more or less sexualized than the others, but I just SAW it this time around. There are numerous reasons why i didn't support them this year. I hope that this changes so I can support them. I refuse to support them until they make some serious changes to their current mold. It's so hard for women to find respect in the lyrics/artists of the music industry. I want them to succeed. I've grown up on their music since 1999. It's apart of ME! It disappoints me that this happened. Onto the reasons why I'm not supporting "Nothing"
- One being: This is my 1st year that I realized that I was a feminist. With this realization, comes responsibility...
- Two: I've been a reading machine! feminist literature, humanist literature, historical literature. ALL of it! Those of you who read, know what I'm taking about. Your attention shifts and you begin seeing an injustice in everything...Not because you're paranoid, because the world is corrupt.
- Three: I f*cking hate the way Pharrell talked to/about M.I.A... I'm slowly starting to look at him differently.I get massive "shepherd complex" vibes from him.
- Four: I actually HEARD myself singing "Perfect Defect"...and was ashamed.
"Oh you're so perfect, don't ignore me girl. Them other girl's just service, they do nothin' for me girl..."
- Five: I've been recently defending feminism. When you defend something that you love and is important to you, there is a sense of absolutism that comes with your stance. ALL OR NOTHING! I GO HARD...NO QUITTING OR AMBIGUITY!
Well, I see all of these people raving about this video/album and I'm seriously lost. Pharrell says this album is for women, but really, I need this album like I need a 3rd boob...and I'm a woman! There is no target group of women...just women. All of us are the same and all of us will respond to your stimuli, because we're mindless sheep...who need a shepherd(Pharrell). This leads me to why I HATE THE VIDEO!
The first scene is him in the shower and he's singing these creepy lyrics while soap is dripping off of him...ermmm no? They go as following:
"Just close your eyes let me hypnotize you
I can make your storm feel sky blue
Girl when you lost you know I’ll find you,
If I’m not beside you I’m behind you
Imagine you're on the beach in your lost,
You feel the breeze because you’re clothes off
Your inhibitions you got nothing to hide
Then we cut to the girls. Gorgeous, Modelesque, Blank, in a trance-like state due to Pharell's hypnosis. They stand outside the door of the bathroom, waiting for him to tell them what to do...very sheep-like.
The next scene encompases young girls writhing on the ground(in their underwear) as he occasionally manipulates their respiration with a simple hand motion.(Really Pharrell? You can control somatic functions with a simple wave of the palm?) They seem to be in ecstasy...but is this ecstasy or hypnosis? I guess it's Hypnosis...The song is called "HYPNOTIZE U"
And then help arrives don’t you wanna ride"
Then we cut to the girls. Gorgeous, Modelesque, Blank, in a trance-like state due to Pharell's hypnosis. They stand outside the door of the bathroom, waiting for him to tell them what to do...very sheep-like.
Then, Pharrell steps out of the bathroom-sans towell-and seduces the mindless girls.(I say "girls" because they are very young, they look about 18,19,20,21 to Pharrell's 37.) Then the creepy lyricism continues.
I’m behind you,
Just close your eyes let me hypnotize you
I can make your storm feel sky blue
Girl when you lost you know I’ll find you
If I’m not beside you I’m inside you
I’m your doctor, this is you therapy
Your money’s no good just take care of me
I found a issue, you my soldier type
But all that can change lets get loose tonight
Touch a girl, touch a girl, touch a girl (ahhh)
Touch a girl, touch a girl, touch a girl (ahhh)
Touch a girl, touch a girl, touch a girl (ahhh)
Touch a girl
"I'm inside you" REALLY? IS THIS SERIOUSLY HAPPENING? Not only is he offering a pseudo relief to her problems with his "therapy"(penis), but he's suggesting that her ability to "do" is worhtless and all he really wants is someone to take care of him...WHAT THE HELL? Well that's not it...there's more.
The next scene encompases young girls writhing on the ground(in their underwear) as he occasionally manipulates their respiration with a simple hand motion.(Really Pharrell? You can control somatic functions with a simple wave of the palm?) They seem to be in ecstasy...but is this ecstasy or hypnosis? I guess it's Hypnosis...The song is called "HYPNOTIZE U"
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Role model? As a woman, I'm not feeling this. |
The last part that is particularly slavish is the scene where they are on a jet and Pharrell prays before "take-off". As soon as he prays, the girls pray too! Freedom of religion!!!! NOPE!
Let's recap:
- Absence of free will
- Absence of somatic functions
- Absence of religious freedom
- Absence of clothing
I can't say that I'm SUPER SUPRISED. I'm probably more nauseous than suprised. Great to know that the man who produces the majority of the music on the radio objectifies women...I'm super psyched about the future of the music industry
Oh, here's the video
