Trinidad-born entertainer Nicki Minaj apologised for her latest controversial music video, Only, on her Twitter page yesterday. Minaj drew the ire of fans and music lovers for Nazi imagery contained in the animated lyric music video.
In her tweet, Minaj wrote: “The artist who made the video for Only was influenced by a cartoon on Cartoon Network called Metalocalypse and [the non-Cartoon Network-affiliated movie and graphic novel] Sin City.
“Both the producer and person in charge of overseeing the lyric video (one of my best friends and videographer: A Loucas) happen to be Jewish. 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.”
The video was directed by Jeffrey Osbourne. In the Only video, Minaj is seen leading an army of soldiers dressed in Nazi-inspired arm bands. Buildings are draped in swastika-style YM banners.
YM represents Young Money, Minaj’s record label.
Chris Brown, Lil Wayne and Drake are also featured on the song, which can also be described as explicit and derogatory to women.
Last week, Abraham Foxman, a Holocaust survivor and director of the Anti-Defamination League, referred to the music video as “a new low for pop culture’s exploitation of Nazi symbolism”.
Recently, 31-year-old Minaj received similar treatment when she released the video for her single, Anaconda, which featured shots of Minaj’s ample derriere in a G-string and a kitchen scene that involved rapper Drake, whipped cream and bananas.
Some viewers found the Anaconda video contained overtly-sexualised imagery.