purplesweat said:

That's exactly what I mean by you being young. You think lowly of women who are housewives? Mothers? Homemakers? I have nothing but love for those women and many of them can tell you that the position of mother wields much more "power" than you think. She wasn't "lowering" herself and any halfway decent man would see a woman like that as hardworking. She was actually BRAGGING, not just on her body but her ability to keep her husband in check without even trying. I suppose you view being a "wife" as subordinate, too?
Like I said, you're young. You "new" chicks think "power" is competing with men but many are finding out that the shit's not all its cracked up to be. Lots of women have entered the business arena, made moves, gotten their money only to find out that they are lonely as hell and then they realize that all of the men they are attracted to are marrying women exactly the opposite of what they are. People are more about "self" nowadays than family and that mentality has destroyed the family structures in this country. Ashanti shows a happy home and women like you flip out. Why? Couples aren't supposed to be happy? The song isn't about a "women's movement". That was not the topic.

purplesweat said:

WRONG. She was boring in the beginning because she couldn't SING. She improved her SINGING as well as upgraded her image. She's a grown ass woman now and she has started acting like it. There is nothing more attractive to a man than a woman who is in control of her femininity.
Again, what you call regressing is what some people call "happiness".
She doesn't need to take her clothes off to be sexy. She's expressing that more these days than she used to. Sexy ain't about what you're wearing or not wearing. As I said, a woman in full control of her femininity is far sexier than you seem to understand. That's not saying an independent woman can't be sexy because they can and are but there is a difference between being an independent woman and a bitter bitch. Being "independent" isn't all its cracked up to be; for men or women. Community and family is greater than all of that.


Because she was highly OVERRATED and received much more credit than she deserved, she SHOULD try to live up to some of it. She is just now actually starting to sing (like on that new ballad). With all of that out of key b.s. she used to do live before, it was a disgrace to see the industry riding her like they did. She was "popular" and that was what fueled it.

BK..

Well written.

HatrinaHaterwitz said:

BlaqueKnight said:

uh, oh.

morningsong said:

Okay, I see why everyone is going nuts over this pic. But really, the head attached is STILL Nelly! He's really cut & I appreciate it, but I just cannot throb over Nelly, it's just wrong

CalhounSq said:

Thank you.



Is he still stuck on Band-Aid brand? Or is it stuck on him?

Ladies just love that roided up transformer look.

RipHer2Shreds said:

:snicker:

You had to go and ruin it.



maybe some duct tape over the mouth, will help.

RipHer2Shreds said:

See, this is the kinda shit I can't forget I don't care how long he works out, his ridiculous ass could NEVER get it. He just ain't right

BlaqueKnight said:[quote]purplesweat said:[quote]
WRONG. She was boring in the beginning because she couldn't SING. She improved her SINGING as well as upgraded her image. She's a grown ass woman now and she has started acting like it. There is nothing more attractive to a man than a woman who is in control of her femininity.
Again, what you call regressing is what some people call "happiness".
She doesn't need to take her clothes off to be sexy. She's expressing that more these days than she used to. Sexy ain't about what you're wearing or not wearing. As I said, a woman in full control of her femininity is far sexier than you seem to understand. That's not saying an independent woman can't be sexy because they can and are but there is a difference between being an independent woman and a bitter bitch. Being "independent" isn't all its cracked up to be; for men or women. Community and family is greater than all of that.

BK, I have every respect for you and I don't want to get into an argument, but to be honest, I think you are missing the point somewhat here. The objection to the video is not that she is taking care of her husband. That is the choice of many women, even today, and they have every right to make that choice. The objection to the video is that it harks back to a time (the 1950's) when women did not have that choice. To a time when women were not at all in control of their femininity, as you put it. When everything they did, from cradle to grave, right down to the clothes they wore, was dictated by their male counterparts. It wasn't a case of a woman willingly staying at home to raise the family while being supported by her man, it was simply that she had no other options. This time is not one most women would like to see return, which is why videos like this can easily raise a few bristles.

So yeah, with all due respect, I think you need to look at this from a few more angles than just the present day idea of an independent woman.

RipHer2Shreds said:

The grill and the band aid have been gone! Do at least try to keep up, people!
[Edited 8/4/08 15:30pm]

HatrinaHaterwitz said:

PERSON, did I not just ask if his stupid ass was still wearing the Band-Aid? I ain't got time to keep up with this nonsense.

Quote me where I said the roles she's trying to emulate are bad. Go on! Once again, my problem is with ASHANTI using these roles in a derogatory way. Basically she's associating these potentially admirable roles with...sex.



Right. Check some of the youtube comments. I don't see ANY "omg so hardworking!" type comments.



Fine, I don't believe I said I had a problem with the lyrics.



Go ahead and quote me again where I said any of those roles can't be empowering in some way.



Don't you think if my problem here was with men I'd be talking about....Nelly? Since, ya know, he's the guy in the situation/video. Unless you think Ashanti's a guy...



Ah yes, the classic sweeping generalisation based on things that have happened to you personally. This still doesn't mean I have to like Ashanti degrading herself or somehow turn it into "empowering" in some stupid way. It's MY opinion.



Fine, tell me what's "happy" about this :





It's interesting to note in this part of the video, she's showing that her "good good" is her breasts. Throughout the video, the captions and her actions show her "good good" is simply her body. That's ALL that's keeping him from cheating (she says something like "he keeps trying to play"). So, what's the lesson here - men only stay if you're hot. Oh, and shop in red latex outfits.





Of course there isn't. This ain't what Ashanti is promoting, though. She's promoting 50s style when they used to tell women to put makeup on before their husbands came home from work and to act "gay" around him so as to not distract him. What's wrong with embracing femininity of TODAY? Why go back to such a subservient time? It's wrong and I'm ALLOWED to disagree with it if I want to.



So why does she continue to? Ever since her 2nd album came out she's been nothing more than sexsexsex. Rain On Me was impressive both vocally and lyrically but hardly anyone knows that song, of course.



Or it could be up to me what I choose to see as "full control" and to me, it isn't this!



Well, it's funny you keep repeating this since Ashanti is alone for most of the video, teasing and seducing the camera. Her man appears for what, two seconds?
So much for apparently promoting family and togetherness or whatever the hell you think this videos trying to say.



Yes, well, welcome to pop. It's never exactly been about vocal talent in pop has it? I'd advise you to listen to Rain On Me for some great vocal work.
[Edited 8/4/08 21:13pm]

morningsong said:

im just saying, wheres the full frontal nude pics. Its a looong over due.

purplesweat said:

Hold Up, wait a minute! Mr. and Mrs. Cornell Haynes?????

horatio said:

You so naughty.

HatrinaHaterwitz said:

And since nobody posted a more recent picture to help remove that unnamed image from being seared into permanent memory. I'll provide my own...




Not the best shot but finding one without sunglasses is a feat too great to undertake at this moment, and the only one I found actually smiling, well, let's just say it explains the grill.

BlaqueKnight said:

I'm not saying that it is. All I'm saying is that, when you accuse women of incorrectly considering being a housewife a form of subjugation because they don't feel that this video is "empowering", you're not looking at the whole picture.

This is a genuine outtake from a 1950's Good Housekeeping manual intended for young girls. It pretty much exemplifies why women do not want the 1950's family style idealised:



I think interesting ones to note are:

"Let him talk first - remember, his topics of conversation are more important than yours."

"Don't ask him questions about his actions or question his judgement or integrity - remember, he is the master of the house, and as such will always exercise his will with fairness and truthfulness. You have no right to question him."

You see what I mean about this not exactly being a golden age for women, housewife or otherwise?

papaaisaway said:

Agreed...after all, a truely empowered woman does whatever the hell she wants to and doesn't care about trying to please any woman or man

A stripper can be just as good a role model as Janet Reno if she's happy, taking care of herself, and doing what she wants in life. After all, its not what you do, it's how you feel doing it

Annika said:

Hah, that's the exact thing I was talking about earlier! The nerve they had! I agree the ones you mentioned are the most "interesting" or "disappointing".

purplesweat said:

You seriously think that's "great vocal work"?
You don't gig the angle they took for the video. I get it. Cool. I'm not trying to change your mind on it. It doesn't matter to me one way or another. You wanted her do do something different than what she did. She didn't. That's how it goes sometimes.
I still say that the video has a positive tone overall. Not everybody is gonna like it. C'est la vie.
By the way, this ain't 1950 and there's PLENTY of neck rolling, get-yo-money-girl-you-don't-need-him videos out there. Its not like this one video is gonna make that much of a difference.
[Edited 8/4/08 23:29pm]

BlaqueKnight said:

Heh, whatever. You're still not getting my point, I never said I have a problem with men or animosity towards them.

I didn't WANT her to do anything, I'd like if women who call their music empowering actually followed through.

purplesweat said:

Maybe her definition of "empowering" differs from yours. That's what I was saying in the first place.
Since she has released two very different videos so far, perhaps she just hasn't gotten to displaying material that you deem to be "empowering" yet? That's also another possibility.
[Edited 8/5/08 0:45am]

BlaqueKnight said:

Sure. That's not at all what you said in the first place but I wish it was. Why does every member on here start sprouting off about youth, today and growing up instead of getting to the point like you just did, FINALLY.

I still also don't get why you have such a big issue with me disagreeing with you. Shit happens! It's a free world! I don't have to like what I see or agree with you!
[Edited 8/5/08 1:07am]

purplesweat said:

I meant every word I posted.
I don't have a big issue with you disagreeing with me.
Its not that serious BUT this is a discussion forum. I was simply...discussing.
When all is said and done, it is what it is like it or not. We're looking at the same video but we see different things. That's life.

BlaqueKnight said:

Clearly, you do. You don't go sprouting off about how wise and mature you are for no reason.



Uh, sure, just repeat what I said first why don't you?