Nicki Minaj released her music video “Stupid H**” a while back. The video is infamous with 42,323,524 views, yet also has 228, 707 likes and 494,458 dislikes.
But we noticed something very odd in the video beginning at 48 seconds. A Nicki Minaj Barbie doll flashes across the screen. But it’s not just any doll. The toy has enlarged buttocks. We couldn’t help, but liken this to Sarah Baartman, the so-called “Hottentot Venus.”
Sarah “Saartjie” Baartman, offensively known as “The Hottentot Venus” by European spectators, was a South Afrikan woman from the Khoi tribe. Baartman’s physical features, which included her large buttocks and elongated labia, were of high fascination to Europeans. She was persuaded to travel to Europe to become part of a “freak” show in 1810. She subsequently became an alcoholic and supported herself with prostitution. She died in 1815 of an undetermined inflammatory ailment. Her body parts were used for scientific research and were only just recently returned to her homeland.
Hype Williams directed the video. We are not sure whether this image was included to be a subliminal message. It is eerily similar to the image of Sarah Baartman.
With this image flashing in a video viewed by millions of people, it begs the question: Is Nicki Minaj a Modern Day Hotentot Venus?
Nicki Minaj may very well be today’s representation of the Hottentot Venus and jezebel. Her name “Minaj” speaks promiscuity and her lyrics are profane and nothing short of degrading.
She is even better known for her physical assets, which many claim to have been surgically enhanced. She is lighter toned. She refer to herself as Barbie, which is an artificially produced toy made to be played with and then “thrown out.”
There are definite issues with Nicki Minaj and how she was packaged to be sold to her audience. There is even greater concern to how she is treated in the media.
Early historical stereotypes have not been repressed, but rather continued. The “jezebel” refers to black women as being hypersexual and promiscuous with an unquenchable hunger for sex.
Do you think Nicki Minaj is being exploited in the media? Share your thoughts
