ADS and Entertainment

Rotimi has a very interesting music video out. He released an animated music video of one of his original songs, “In my Bed”. He is an actor and a musician. Very talented, especially in his craft for being seen on the t.v set in many individuals living rooms. He played a leading role in “Power”- as Dre an American series, now not airing. However, many have not been familiar with his musical craft. He is a native of New Jersey and his nationality is, Nigerian- American. Yet, music is his first passion. Just similar to many artists who make it, he had no job, but had enough money to move out to Los Angeles, with a dream of stardom. He never gave up and moved in a way, which landed him two hit shows and working with jay-z and ludacris. I feel Rotimi has the best of both worlds when it comes to reaching audiences. I don’t see him slowing down anytime soon. Most men want to show what they can do and how good they are at doing what they can do. Rotimi, is making it work and showing his masculinity in both acting and in the music industry.

If I were to compare Katz writing and how he speaks of White masculinity, I would compare it to most men. When Katz speaks of masculinity, he mentions how most men, “real men”, are physically strong, aggressive and in control of their work. He also says, men will do alot to hold onto their masculine identity. Especially, in the working class world. Some men, advertising in a commodity- driven consumer culture (Katz, Jackson. pg 262). Rotimi, would be one man Katz would refer to as, “masculine identity validation”. Which is said to be a form of validation, by using their body as an instrument of dominance and control. Rotimi does not fall short in showing off his dominance , masculinity or control. He dances with his shirt off, shows his muscles and controls the stage with his voice and dance.

He knows what sells and what to sell to the audience. He shows muscle and sings to his female audience. Sometimes taking off all of his shirts to show his muscles. When it comes to the video on “codes of gender”, it speaks right into the way some men can show misogynistic traits and dominance. Rotimi’s music video, “meeting in my bed”, he sings about making sure he makes the lady happy, with his advances in pursuing her. In his animated version of his song he displays himself falling from the sky with his lady and they fall onto the bed. The sky is dark and lit with stars. In the end he even shows himself and the lady both as animated figures riding off on a horse. The women has an open top on, showing her bra and he has on all his clothing, and maneuvers, trigger fingers towards the camera or audience and ends the video with a wink. His music and ads display his and her body images. His music playing to the ears of both the women and men. It could also appear to the audience that Rotimi, is boasting about himself and how he would be able to pleasure the women.

Now in this video, there could be two other perceptions. One being that he is exploiting women and selling sex. Then on the other side, would be that he is having a good time with the ladies and pulling in the sex appeal and what you see is both genders, male and female displaying heterosexual relations.

When I look at the video of Rotimi, I can see it from the perspective of, “The codes of Gender”, men and women both displaying movement and body language to capture the audience. When looking at most music videos, both genders are usually showing off their physics and showing their strong appearances, giving much attention to what is being worn. Because, most times its little that meets the eye. In the video, Rotimi is displaying his role as a masculine, strong male. He is capturing the audience as well as the ladies in his video giving off that bad girl, hypersexual appeal. The ladies in th video, dancing around the man, as he touches her or sings his lyrics about what he could do to or with her. This is what Gillermo Rebollo, says is the contradiction to the artistic abilities some women may have and what some women choose to display (2012). Both men and women in the music industry knows what sells and what ways to capture the audience and just as Gillermo says, it can be seen as a contradiction but not many women are willing to be a “Queen Latifah”- . She used most of her words to capture her audience and it worked for her vs showing her body and allowing herself to be taken advantage of. In real life or in the music industry, not always will both show the “real person”. However, what is seen most what will bring in the money.

Rebollo-Gill, G and Moras A. (2012).Black Women and Black men in hip-hop music. Mysogyny, violence, and the negotiation of (white-owned) space. The journal of pop culture (45).1. John Wiley Sons.

Katz, Jackson (Pub). Advertising an the Construction of Violent White Masculinity.

Documentary- ” The codes of Gender”