In the opening verse, she spits, “Never left but I’m back at it.” It’s not a threat but a reminder, a reaffirmation of her drive, ambition and relevance. Her public persona has been shaped by the importance of female self-empowerment, of claiming a narrative that has been very much angled as the steadfast survival of a lone wolf.
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As one of few female MCs, Minaj has been eager, even hungry, to prove her lyrical and creative authenticity.
#Nicki minaj ft beyonce feeling myself music video full#
The universal message of “Feeling Myself” is a softer version of Beyoncé’s “ Bow Down.” Minaj is in full command of her career, whether that be her financial prowess (“Got a black card that let Saks have it”), or her cultural relevance (“Bitches ain’t got punchlines or flow/I have both and an empire also”). A bounce house hovers in the background, the kind typically reserved for children’s birthday parties. In another shot, Minaj playfully throws French fries into Beyoncé’s open mouth. In another GIF-worthy scene, the two feed each other hamburgers in color-coordinated outfits, Minaj sporting a pristine-white fur coat. It was a total girlfriend vibe…It was really amazing to see two of the biggest female stars in the world acting in that way…Beyoncé is known for being a girl who sings and talks about supporting and it was really a true testament to that…It was like a documentary. Marni Senofonte, the stylist for the video, told Marie Claire, Yet the intentional placement of this shared moment suggests that the two women, commanding and powerful in their respective spheres of the music industry, are friends and at the very least, have mutual respect. It’s such a trivial moment, a nonessential piece of footage that most directors would cut. She offers some to Beyoncé, who stares at the candy as though it were a gallon of fresh water sitting unattended in the desert. Minaj is eating a piece of candy and Beyoncé asks, “Is that Bubblicious gum?” Minaj says that it’s not – she’s eating a Now & Later. In one shot, Beyoncé and Minaj share the familiar camaraderie of two innocent school girls, dropping their video personas. A rowdy, slinkier descendant of Janet Jackson’s “ Control” and glued together by the self-assurance sprouted in Minaj’s mixtapes, the song’s repeated hook makes it clear that both Minaj and Beyoncé’s self-importance isn’t anchored to the praises of men.
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Minaj raps, “National anthem hats off, then I curve that n*gga like a bad toss,” affirming the idea that her self-worth does not revolve around the approval of men. Men are an afterthought, akin to a flashy accessory. Although the video literally begins with a faceless cameraman addressing both women (and by obvious implication, their beauty), the crux of the video doesn’t rely on performing for the sake of attracting gawkers. The video, with its close-cut scenes of wolfing down hamburgers, twerking and primping by the (kiddie) pool, is meant to feel personal, as though the camera is only capturing unfiltered moments.Īlthough it may dip into the realm of Cool Girl elitism, the pairing of Minaj and Beyoncé invokes female autonomy and inherent authority without the pressure or consideration of the male gaze. As Beyoncé boasts in the first bridge, “I stopped the world/Male or female, it make no difference/I stop the world,” the combined powers of the two performers extend beyond the curve-hugging, Tumblr-chic outfits and shameless exhibition of the pleasures of self-love. Minaj and her guest vocalist, Beyoncé, exude the confidence of women who know they own the world. (You can watch the video below, but for a high-quality version, you need to be Tidal subscriber.)
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The much-anticipated video for Minaj’s “Feeling Myself,” the swaggering, take-no-prisoners bravado of a victory track from The Pinkprint, was supposed to be a Tidal exclusive, but that didn’t stop fans from uploading it to social media and video-sharing platforms. The song itself has already become an anthem of self-love, and the video takes that message even further through its depiction of the friendship of Minaj and Beyoncé. Much of the ensuing media attention has focused on “Anaconda” and its in-your-face bootyliciousness, but there’s also plenty to be said about the cultural significance of the “Feeling Myself” music video. Nicki Minaj took to Twitter after the snub, calling out the music industry for routinely ignoring the contributions of Black women to pop culture.
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As many of you may know by now, neither the “Feeling Myself” music video nor the unapologetic celebration of voluptuousity that was the “ Anaconda” music video were nominated for best video of the year at the MTV Video Music Awards.