Artist News

Nicki Minaj apologises over controversial Only video

By | Published on Wednesday 12 November 2014

Nicki Minaj

Nicki Minaj has said a big contrite ‘sorry’ to all those who might’ve taken against the animated lyric clip to her new track ‘Only’, which many have criticised for apparently featuring Nazi-like imagery. Namely, shots of marching troops, banners carrying a ‘YM’ motif (for Minaj’s label, Young Money), and of Minaj sitting on a throne, all shown in distinctive red, black and white colours. Hmmmm.

It’s imagery that, Nicki has since said, wasn’t intended to in any way mirror or glorify so-called Nazi iconography; and was instead inspired by American cartoon show ‘Metalocalypse’ (which looks like this) and also graphic novelist Frank Miller’s red, black and white ‘Sin City’ series. So, the sum of an unhappy coincidence and a series of rather naïve creative choices, made by her team – it’s vital to note – not Minaj herself. Hmm.

Speaking via Twitter yesterday both to cite the apparent origins of the clip’s aesthetic, and above all to apologise (and also a bit to establish that her part in making the clip was minimal), Minaj said: “I didn’t come up with the concept, but I’m very sorry and take full responsibility if it has offended anyone. I’d never condone Nazism in my art”.

She added that: “Both the producer, & person in charge of overseeing the lyric video (one of my best friends & videographer: A Loucas), happen to be Jewish”.

Now I can’t find a single trace of an ‘A Loucas’ anywhere online, which makes him literally not available for comment. Or it was a typo. Anyway, since the ‘Only’ video is still live, I guess your choices are either to watch it or not watch it, and/or share your opinion on it or don’t share, or just think it over, all whilst considering Minaj’s apology, and many wider historical, political and social points. And the fact that the track has Chris Brown on it.

I’ll just leave this here, then:



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