By: Amanda Anderson-Niles
Robin Thicke might finally be getting the shine he so rightfully deserves with his hit single “Blurred Lines,” but that doesn’t mean the R&B singer isn’t catching some flak for its pretty sexy lyrics. In fact, some feminist groups are angry with the singer because they feel the song’s lyrics promote rape. It also didn’t help matters that the uncensored music video was so in your face and laced with loads of very blatant sexual references. The song might be a hit and Robin’s biggest one to date, but the chatter surrounding the lyrics is growing louder each day it moves up the charts. The Hollywood Reporter writes:
Blogger Lisa Huynh of Feminist in LA ranted in April, “Has anyone heard Robin Thicke’s new rape song? Basically, the majority of the song…has the R&B singer murmuring ‘I know you want it’ over and over into a girl’s ear. Call me a cynic, but that phrase does not exactly encompass the notion of consent in sexual activity.”
Critics, and offended listeners, have also pointed out his excessive NSFW use of near-naked models in the music video, released on YouTube in March, only to be banned from the site for obvious nudity. In the unrated version of the video, topless girls strut and dance around the three fully clothed performers — Thicke, producer Pharell, and rapper T.I. — as Thicke sings to them, “I know you want it.” The unrated Vevo video currently has less than 500,000 views, a far cry from the censored YouTube version, which has accumulated over 50 million views on Thicke’s channel and has received near universal fan acclaim.
We’ve posted the video below. Do you agree with the song’s critics? Is the song a little bit on the “rapey” side or are these feminists just reaching?
I wish these modern day feminists would just go away. They fight all the wrong battles. Just stupid.
Umm no. Feminism fail.
I think they are reaching I don’t get the vibe of rape at all people take ish so literal.
Huh? Oh please. I still can’t get over the unnecessary fuss they made over Beyonce’s concert outfit a week ago. I’m over these looney women.
Reaching! These young feminists are giving the whole movement a bad name!
I swear it’s like they go around looking for things to complain about. They need to get a life.
I hate feminists.
This is hilarious.
Its a corny video and song but that criticism is ridiculous.
This is so silly. They are reaching way too hard here.
When bloggers are starved for fame and attention, THIS happens!
No way No how not this Trio they are just having fun and I don’t think that anyone of these men would have done a music video or a song about RAPE!!!!!
its very “rapey” saying i know you want it implies that there is no consent actually given by the women.Moreover, the women in the video are just props for the men’s use, this is rape culture. Imagine a man listening to this video then seeing a “good girl” at a club but “knowing she wants it” even though she can’t say it…just like the song. Most rapes are not creepy men in alley ways, but men (initially kind strangers, boyfriends, friends, coworkers…) who have been trained by rape culture to think they don’t need to ask before penetration because they can just “tell” if a girl wants it.