MINDQILA

The Problem With… M.I.A.’s “Bad Girls” – DC9 At Night.

It’s a pain to tear up a South Asian artist like I did, but M.I.A. ‘s output has been disappointing in the last couple years.

M.I.A’s mix of ethnic culture and counterculture themes isn’t as novel as it was when I first heard “Sunshowers” in 2004. The fresh energy concealed her lack of talent back then, as it does with most young punk artists. However, that energy is gone and all she have left is cheap, empty gestures, like her middle finger stunt on the Super Bowl.

As I said in the article, she has a long row to Jai hoe.

In Defense Of… Nicki Minaj’s “Stupid Hoe” – Dallas Music – DC9 At Night

As the new year sees more music releases, I  finally got back on the saddle with a new “In Defense of” column this week. As I reviewed Nicki Minaj’s latest video and song, an idea came to mind. I thought to approach the song as an example of the technical and recreational electronic genre called breakcore.

Knifehandchop -”Tizzy Toxbown Riddim” from How I Left You (2004)

I think what drew me to “Stupid Hoe” was the mix of aggression, whimsy, inaccessibility and nonchalance that also drew me to breakcore. This leads me to approach the song as if it were a part of the genre.

Another possibility came to mind, “Stupid Hoe” might also represent a re-appropriation of aggression, music sampling and liveliness in hip-hop and dancehall that the breakcore scene appropriated throughout last decade.

The Problem With… Taylor Swift’s “Safe & Sound” feat. The Civil Wars - DC9 At Night.

This week, I reviewed Taylor Swift’s latest single  ”Safe and Sound” (feat. The Civil Wars), a song tied in to the upcoming movie The Hunger Games. I think that The Hunger Games is actually the American remake of Battle Royale  that American Japanophiles always gossiped about ever since The Ring.

I’m still wondering how Taylor Swift’s lyrics could settle down someone trying to go to sleep.