IFWT_Nicki_Minaj_Only_Nazi_Director

Lyrically, Nicki Minaj’s “Only” single has been on tongues since it’s surprise release. Girl and guy have been tweeting and mimicking punch lines from Nicki, Wayne and Drake, however the lyric visual was released. Controversy stemmed from the visuals of Nazi armies and other “semitics” relating to early 40s event of the Holocaust.

Nicki has since apologized for any possible hurt feelings, but the video’s director, Jeff Osborne isn’t feeling so generous. “The reason I’m not apologizing is because neither I nor the video are anti-semitic. I can’t be sorry for something I’m being falsely accused of,” said Osborne. “The video represents Young Money as a generic totalitarian regime, which takes images and symbols from several countries and time periods, one of which is Nazism. As an artist I have two voids to fill. First, meeting the demands of the client and two, creatively applying my own voice where I can,” he adds.

Hit the jump for more of Osborne’s remarks.


JaaiR (JR)
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Osbourne adds…

I made this creative decision to show the juxtaposition of the most iconic form of totalitarianism and ways it still exists today, specifically in politics, the military-industrial complex, censorship, and intense monitoring and tracking of our citizens. It has nothing to do with glorifying Hitler or the Holocaust. People think it’s trivializing the Holocaust because the song talks about sex, but I have no control over the lyrical content. I had an opportunity and an outlet, which I knew would reach millions of people, and wanted to make a statement. The term New World Order isn’t just an edgy pop culture reference. It is very real and was a term used by president George H.W. Bush, ironically 10 years to the day before 9/11.

Check out Billboard for the director’s full statement.