Alright guys, I have to play devil’s advocate here. What the hell is the difference between Raheem Devaughn’s video for “Single” versus Keri Hilson’s video for “The Way You Love Me”? Not a damn thing. Both singles are sexually driven with explicit videos. Both artists are talented songwriters who have written hit singles for other artists but have resorted to using sex to sell their own albums. So why are we giving Keri Hilson such a hard time as opposed to letting Raheem slide? There has not been nearly as much criticism towards Raheem as it was towards Keri when the video first “leaked”. Could it be because he is a male and we expect that type of behavior from a man? I tend to believe that there is a double standard at play. We all labeled Keri a “good girl” and we chastised her for being overtly sexual in her music, me included. While Raheem’s video has not gotten nearly as much controversy and it is even more sexual. I mean they are switching positions and he is performing oral sex on the chick. It doesn’t get much freakier than that during a 3 minute video.
The question we should all be asking is whether or not these double standards in entertainment should exist? Let’s go back to BET who refused to air Ciara’s video for “Ride” due to its sexual nature. Sure it was sexual but no more so sexual than all of the other titties and a** that you can find on BET during a sunny afternoon on the show 106th and Park with an audience filled with teenagers. In the same token, BET has no problem playing Trey Songz whose content usually is more sexual than not. In fact, that has been what has launched his career. I interviewed Trey Songz back when he was promoting the album Just Gotta Make It. The demand for him was not on and poppin the way it is now. He turned on the sex and got his mini R. Kelly on and suddenly he is a musical genius.
Doing Number Two In Front Of Your Boo: When Is The Right Time?
Men are allowed to explore their sexuality freely without judgment. This is not just in music but in life in general. Women, on the other hand are forbidden from crossing those same lines in society. If women dare cross those lines then we face a witch hunt. These rules are now even present in how we create music. If there are going to be rules in place then they need to apply to everyone who is playing the game. The rules of creating music should not change just because one person has a vagina and the other has a penis. Personally, I think they both played themselves by relying on sexuality to sell their music. Especially when they are both such talented song writers.
Admittedly, I did get on Keri Hilson for her sexual video but not because she was a woman. I was disappointed in her choice because it seemed to come from a desperate place. She is a Grammy award winning song writer and at the time I felt like she was selling her soul for some video rotation. I felt as though she had reached a new point of desperation for media attention. A direction she did not have to take. I feel the same way towards Raheem. He is a talented man and does not have to resort to making a mini porno to get our attention.
Should these double standards between men and women exist? I mean, the world is full of them but should they also exist in our music? Why is it that a guy is allowed to talk like a pervert in music and it is acceptable? In fact it is expected for a man to be sexual. But if a woman embraces her sexuality then she is a slore? As artists should both sexes be able to express themselves musically? Should there be a cap on how far one can go based on gender? Check out both videos and give me your honest opinion.
Picture: Singersroom
Wow. Im not gonna comment on homegirl cuz she apparently is lookin for some attention... There was ur 5 minutes of fame honey...
ANYWHOO girl both the videos are wack! I think Raheem took it a little far with diving headfirst cuz wow.. leave something to the imagination &Keri hilson's video had zero creativity to it! They both get two thumbs dwn!
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