Yeah, this video is par for the course for pop. It's glossy; it's campy; it's vaguely offering social/artistic commentary; it's leaning into controversy as a signal booster. I say this not as a...
Yeah, this video is par for the course for pop. It's glossy; it's campy; it's vaguely offering social/artistic commentary; it's leaning into controversy as a signal booster. I say this not as a dig (I love pop), but more that it's simply a very specific product. I think as you get older the formula tends to get weaker, but pop is perpetually the domain of the young, for whom the formula definitely works.
Like you said, it's been going on for a long time. Christina was doing it, and before her it was Britney, and before her it was Madonna. I think what makes this a bit more noteworthy is that its rare that we get this sort of thing with a male pop artist. Indulgent and voyeuristic sexuality tends to be the domain of female pop artists, and the male artists who do engage with that tend to not have nearly the same level of reach.
I also think there's something to be said for the idea that the charges of "masterpiece" you're seeing are less any actual reflection of the work and more the intensification of the internet. "This is alright" doesn't have viral power, but "this is a masterpiece" or "this sticks it to those people we don't like" does.
It's not so much the indulgent and voyeuristic sexuality as much as the homo erotic focus I think is a more important factor here. Specially among the black community I would guess.
I think what makes this a bit more noteworthy is that its rare that we get this sort of thing with a male pop artist. Indulgent and voyeuristic sexuality tends to be the domain of female pop artists, and the male artists who do engage with that tend to not have nearly the same level of reach.
It's not so much the indulgent and voyeuristic sexuality as much as the homo erotic focus I think is a more important factor here. Specially among the black community I would guess.
I can see why the video is upsetting a particularly uptight segment of America. That's good, I guess, although it is a bit like shooting fish in a barrel. The video is sort of vaguely interesting...
I can see why the video is upsetting a particularly uptight segment of America. That's good, I guess, although it is a bit like shooting fish in a barrel. The video is sort of vaguely interesting if a little obviously set up to troll - but I wasn't expecting the track to be so... boring. It's not even "musically interesting but not to my taste" (for example, lots of Kanye's output), it just doesn't stand out in any way to me. I think calling it average is very generous. I didn't even make it to the end of the track before closing the tab, and it's only 3 minutes long!
I was positively surprised! The beat uses very nontraditional elements for (mainstream) hip-hop and I think the lyrics are fun. The video really caught my interest. Lil Nas X and Teezo Touchdown...
I was positively surprised! The beat uses very nontraditional elements for (mainstream) hip-hop and I think the lyrics are fun. The video really caught my interest.
Lil Nas X and Teezo Touchdown are carving a very interesting new space for themselves in mainstream music. I respect it immensely!
I love what this kid is doing. He is a social media savant and is making his haters look even worse.
Yeah, this video is par for the course for pop. It's glossy; it's campy; it's vaguely offering social/artistic commentary; it's leaning into controversy as a signal booster. I say this not as a dig (I love pop), but more that it's simply a very specific product. I think as you get older the formula tends to get weaker, but pop is perpetually the domain of the young, for whom the formula definitely works.
Like you said, it's been going on for a long time. Christina was doing it, and before her it was Britney, and before her it was Madonna. I think what makes this a bit more noteworthy is that its rare that we get this sort of thing with a male pop artist. Indulgent and voyeuristic sexuality tends to be the domain of female pop artists, and the male artists who do engage with that tend to not have nearly the same level of reach.
I also think there's something to be said for the idea that the charges of "masterpiece" you're seeing are less any actual reflection of the work and more the intensification of the internet. "This is alright" doesn't have viral power, but "this is a masterpiece" or "this sticks it to those people we don't like" does.
It's not so much the indulgent and voyeuristic sexuality as much as the homo erotic focus I think is a more important factor here. Specially among the black community I would guess.
I can see why the video is upsetting a particularly uptight segment of America. That's good, I guess, although it is a bit like shooting fish in a barrel. The video is sort of vaguely interesting if a little obviously set up to troll - but I wasn't expecting the track to be so... boring. It's not even "musically interesting but not to my taste" (for example, lots of Kanye's output), it just doesn't stand out in any way to me. I think calling it average is very generous. I didn't even make it to the end of the track before closing the tab, and it's only 3 minutes long!
I really like the song. It's not the best thing in the world but its nice. The cope/seethe it's causing is just the icing on the cake.
Wow, I’m not a huge pop fan but that video is spellbinding. Anyone know what the tree at 1:10 says? Looks like Greek.
Yeah, the boo-hooing by the right is really just icing. This song slaps!
I was positively surprised! The beat uses very nontraditional elements for (mainstream) hip-hop and I think the lyrics are fun. The video really caught my interest.
Lil Nas X and Teezo Touchdown are carving a very interesting new space for themselves in mainstream music. I respect it immensely!