For those in the unknow,
Nicki Minaj is an up-and-coming rapper from Queens who seems to get hated on quite frequently. Now, anyone who knows anything about hip hop knows that rappers get hated on for a plethora of reasons, some of which are so major mere hatred escalates rapidly to beef, and in severe cases death. If this sounds something like the warning label on a highly suspect pharmaceutical product, it's because it is. Except in Minaj's case, the pill doesn't alleviate migraines, allergies, depression, or even e.d. No, her specific brand of Hateroids takes care of a fast-spreading disease commonly known as jealousy.
My friends, as the rap game has shown us, there are a variety of Hateroids products to choose from to help hip hop heads (and disgruntled regular people) vent their pent-up frustration on celebrity figures. For Kanye West, there's Big Head Hateroids. Jay-Z's foes have Hustler Hateroids. Nas haters indulge in both Intellectual Hateroids and Beat Selection Hateroids. Drake has Former Actor Hateroids. In Lil' Wayne's case, the drug of choice is, ironically, Addict Hateroids. By now you should get the memo. I bring up these case studies because generally, they're either the template for a re-used Hateroids tablet, or the existing Hateroids product has been applied to them.
With Nicki Minaj, however, Hateroids could not diagnose the exact type of hatred they needed to quell in their users based on any prior or current examples. Yes ladies and gentlemen, Jealousy Hateroids were invented for the sole purpose of hating on Nicki Minaj. You see, Nicki Minaj is hated on possibly more than any other emcee - man, woman or otherwise - on the planet. What makes her case so intriguing, however, is that she's hated on for virtually no outstanding behavioural patterns, but rather for merely being. She's hated on basically, because people just don't like her. And that mi amigos, classifies as jealousy.
First let's look at the "reasons" as to why she's hated on. People hate on Nicki for (1) using the Barbie moniker as a gimmick, (2) using derogatorily sexual slang in her lyrics, (3) demeaning women in general, and (4) being an overall bad influence on the children - all reasons that have either little or nothing to do with her rhyming ability. Now let me break this down.
(1) The Barbie Moniker
Contrary to popular belief, Minaj likening herself to the iconic doll does not represent a cheesy gimmick, nor is it demeaning to women. In fact it's a deep social commentary on the treatment of minorities as represented by popular culture. Studies have long shown that young black girls, even post-segregation, magnetized to white dolls over black ones. As for the Barbie brand itself, for years black dolls on the Barbie line have been relegated to 2nd class doll citizens. If the first black Barbie's name - "Colored Francie" wasn't enough, as late as 1997 Barbie unleashed the "
Oreo Fun Barbie", as if to say, even if you have a Barbie of your own, she's still one of us! Regardless of the unrealistically anorexic waistlines Barbie dolls encouraged young girls to aspire for, for minorities the burden of failing to live up to their toys' expectations must have been twice as hard. I don't know based on experience but you get what I'm saying!
Not to get off track, what Nicki Minaj is doing with this move is re-claiming Barbie for the racial minorities (which in itself is laughable because from all my trips to NY I can swear white people are the minority) who grew up on Barbie dolls. She's not an impediment to female strength, she's an inspiration! Moreover, by bucking the stereotype of the white Barbie, in layman's terms saying "fuck the system", she embodies what it truly means to be HIP HOP. But more on that later.
(2) Sexual Lyrics
*yawn* Lil' Kim *yawn*yawn* Foxy Brown *yawn*
(3) Demeaning Women
Ignoring everything I said debasing this point of view in argument (1), I simply don't understand how an up-and-coming female artist three mixtapes deep, in a genre severely lacking in female talent, compared toe-to-toe to her male competitors, and on a rising label run by one of the biggest artists in music could be anything but uplifting to women. Anything else I say would be wasting my finger energy, including this sentence.
(4) Not For The Children
Now this is where I REALLY call foul on Minaj haters. Let's do some simple math here. Nicki Minaj = Barbie. Barbie = a children's toy = for the children. Therefore, Nicki Minaj = For The Children! Taking it further... ODB said Wu Tang = for the children. Therefore, NICKI MINAJ IS THE REINCARNATION OF ODB!
Of course I'm being facetious, but it's not too left of the extreme some of her detractors' comments tend to be. On the real real, give her a listen before you make a decision... let the music make your mind up. And with that I give you her ill rendition of a classic.
PEACE
