With her new controversial video "Man Down," Rihanna defies stereotypes about rape victims.
by Mychal Denzel Smith | The Root.com
The music video for pop star Rihanna's latest single starts off with a literal bang. In "Man Down," a visibly distraught Rihanna is seen raising a small gun and killing a young man with a shot to the head in broad daylight on a crowded Jamaican street. We later learn that the young man had sexually assaulted her in an alley. It's the ultimate revenge story set to a reggae-tinged sound track -- and a far cry from anything else Rihanna has done in her short career.
I'm not typically a fan of Rihanna's music, but this particular piece and accompanying video have won me over. Her willingness to tackle a topic of gravity and importance, often absent from the pop-music landscape, without sensationalizing or making light of the emotional turmoil that accompanies sexual assault is commendable. But I'm on one side of what has become a very heated debate.
Read the Full Essay @ The Root.com
No comments:
Post a Comment