Nothing gets a good Twitter beef going like annual award ceremonies and this year is no exception. The announcement of the nominees for the VMA music awards started a twitter shitstorm with Nicki Minaj's tweet:
If I was a different "kind" of artist, Anaconda would be nominated for best choreo and vid of the year as well. 





Exactly "what" kind of artist was she implying? Apparently a thin one. The line that calls out Taylor:
If your video celebrates women with very slim bodies, you will be nominated for vid of the year 

























Nicki claims that she wasn't targeting Taylor but I think it's pretty clear as Taylor is a. slim and b. a Video of the Year Nominee. Unless of course she was including Ed Sheeran's bride in Thinking Out Loud or Beyonce in 7/11. We all know that Beyonce has a curvy womanly body so I think she's out of that debate though the women in her video are not necessarily curvy but well, physically fit and amazing.
The merits of the Anaconda video that Nicki's placing her belief that she should be getting the nomi for best choreo and Video of the Year on:
Does anyone even watch Ellen anymore? (JK! Sorry Ellen! Many people watch and love you. I am just not a big daytime television viewer.) And yes the choreo was bangin but maybe some of the other videos just topped it. No that couldn't be.
U couldn't go on social media w/o seeing ppl doing the cover art, choreo, outfits for Halloween...an impact like that & no VOTY nomination?
Yes Nicki's video did have quite an impact on social media and Halloween but...
Technically, artistically, conceptually, Anaconda does not belong in the category of Video of the Year and 7/11 by Beyonce is a no for me too along with Uptown Funk, Thinking Out Loud by Ed Sheeran... snore. For me the top contenders are Kendrick Lamar's Alright, a stark, poignant portrayal of the social inequalities faced by black Americans, in particular with law enforcement and Taylor Swift's Bad Blood which happens to feature Kendrick Lamar. Kendrick's Alright is an epic video and there is just so much more substance to Taylor's Bad Blood video than the hott twerking bodies of Anaconda. Of course the VMAs Video of the Year is based upon fan participation and some would say a mysterious internal body of voters yet to materialize so at the end of the day what does my opinion matter anyway? And who is Nicki arguing with - the fans - because again these nominations are primarily fan based? What the fans want, the fans get.
Technically, artistically, conceptually, Anaconda does not belong in the category of Video of the Year and 7/11 by Beyonce is a no for me too along with Uptown Funk, Thinking Out Loud by Ed Sheeran... snore. For me the top contenders are Kendrick Lamar's Alright, a stark, poignant portrayal of the social inequalities faced by black Americans, in particular with law enforcement and Taylor Swift's Bad Blood which happens to feature Kendrick Lamar. Kendrick's Alright is an epic video and there is just so much more substance to Taylor's Bad Blood video than the hott twerking bodies of Anaconda. Of course the VMAs Video of the Year is based upon fan participation and some would say a mysterious internal body of voters yet to materialize so at the end of the day what does my opinion matter anyway? And who is Nicki arguing with - the fans - because again these nominations are primarily fan based? What the fans want, the fans get.
Suddenly Nicki's rant has brought out arguments of social inequality. Nickie fans raced to her defense, claiming that she is being shunned as she is trying to celebrate fuller-figured woman of color's bodies. Let's face it there have been many times in history when an awards organization has taken the politically safe way out and overlooked deserving black artists in key award categories or for consideration at all, and that is an argument worthy of diversion, but um, meow, Nicki, I hate to be the one to say it, because I'm sure I'll hear some backlash, but this isn't one an example of social inequality. I see nothing but love in my Facebook and Twitter feed for those body types but could it be, as far as Video of the Year awards go that Anaconda was simply just a flash in the pan? I love a lot of Nicki's material but Anaconda was not her best in my opinion. Am I jealous of Nicki's beauty and sexual prowess as I'm sure I'd stand accused if she were to even know who I am? No. I am a twerking beast on the dance floor. Just give me some room.
This Twitter beef being turned into a social commentary draws our attention away from the real social issues at hand. People's time would be better spent taking part in a peace rally, organizing a special interest lobby, or running for a spot on the town council if they want to throw in an argument for social inequality and hope for some real impact. For me Kendrick's Alright is the only video that warrants a social debate and Taylor and Kendrick coming together on Bad Blood could have done so much more to close the widening divide between whites and blacks in our current social environment than it did, but that's just me wishing to see some social responsibility from performing artists, something that Kendrick has clearly not shrunken away from at any point in his career.
Peace.
~Chill Ms. Jackson
This Twitter beef being turned into a social commentary draws our attention away from the real social issues at hand. People's time would be better spent taking part in a peace rally, organizing a special interest lobby, or running for a spot on the town council if they want to throw in an argument for social inequality and hope for some real impact. For me Kendrick's Alright is the only video that warrants a social debate and Taylor and Kendrick coming together on Bad Blood could have done so much more to close the widening divide between whites and blacks in our current social environment than it did, but that's just me wishing to see some social responsibility from performing artists, something that Kendrick has clearly not shrunken away from at any point in his career.
Peace.
~Chill Ms. Jackson
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