Nicki Minaj is apologizing after her "Only" music video was criticized for containing Nazi imagery. In a few Tweets to fans, the rapper said she never meant for the video to be perceived in that way.
I didn't come up w/the concept, but I'm very sorry & take full responsibility if it has offended anyone. I'd never condone Nazism in my art.
- NICKI MINAJ (@NICKIMINAJ) November 11, 2014
Both the producer, & person in charge of over seeing the lyric video (one of my best friends & videographer: A. Loucas), happen to be Jewish
- NICKI MINAJ (@NICKIMINAJ) November 11, 2014
The artist who made the lyric video for "Only" was influenced by a cartoon on Cartoon Network called "Metalocalypse" & Sin City.
- NICKI MINAJ (@NICKIMINAJ) November 11, 2014
Following its debut Friday, the song, which features Chris Brown, Drake (who happens to be Jewish) and Lil' Wayne, made waves when fans and critics started making comments that elements of the video appeared to reference Nazism.
The animated video features Nicki as a dictator of sorts, ruling over a sea of soldiers. The design of the Young Money logo in the video was also compared to a swastika, among other things, according to USA Today.Aside from criticism from fans, the national director for the Anti-Defamation League, Abraham H. Foxman, also slammed "Only," saying, "Nicki Minaj's new video disturbingly evokes Third Reich propaganda and constitutes a new low for pop culture's exploitation of Nazi symbolism." He also called it "deeply disturbing and offensive," adding that it is "insensitive to Holocaust survivors and a trivialization of that era."
What do you think about the imagery in the video and Nicki's apology? Tell us in the comments!