Prince's New Video Sparks Racism Debate - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

vashti1999 · 10-15-2004, 01:46 PM

Prince's New Video Sparks Racism Debate

(AP, 10/15/2004 8:16 AM)

Prince is once again stirring up some controversy. The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer is generating debate with a new music video depicting an Arab-American teenage girl imagining herself as a suicide bomber.

The "Cinnamon Girl" video — created mostly in the Twin Cities and released to music television channels this week — has been criticized on Fox News and CNN.

"Prince intended for it to spark some dialogue," said the video's director, Phil Harder, of Minneapolis-based Harder-Fuller Films.

The clip features Keisha Castle-Hughes, 14, the Oscar-nominated actress from the movie "Whale Rider." She plays a schoolgirl who witnesses a terrorist attack and then experiences racism from classmates and others. The racism pushes her to dream about carrying a bomb into an airport.

"Cinnamon Girl of mixed heritage, never knew the meaning of color lines," Prince sings. "9/11 turned that all around, when she got accused of this crime."

Prince will not comment on the clip because he prefers that people make up their own mind, his publicist said.

Representatives for MTV, VH1 and BET channels said their programmers were aware of the clip's content. MTV plans to begin airing it next week on MTVU, its universities-only channel, to gauge the reaction of viewers. VH1 and BET are undecided.

Rana Abbas, deputy director of the Midwest chapter of the American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee in Dearborn, Mich., voiced her support after seeing the video Thursday.

"It was shocking, but in a good way," Abbas said. "Prince is the first major recording artist to address the prejudice and issues that (Arab-Americans) are facing after 9/11, and I think he has done it in a very powerful way."

The New York Post said it "might be the most tasteless video ever." Fox News commentator John Gibson suggested that Prince is "causing trouble," and CNN anchor Kyra Phillips said it is "shaking and rumbling the entertainment industry."

Rolling Stone magazine music editor Joe Levy said the video should be put in context, and the song says that Arab-Americans were victims of hate after Sept. 11, 2001.

Harder said the lyrics show Prince is "sincere in wanting to speak to the times." He also emphasized that the video "resolves itself peacefully."

Dean Winchester · 10-15-2004, 01:48 PM

is the Cinnamon Girl video available online anywhere? I love the song

vashti1999 · 10-15-2004, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by BuffySlayer79
is the Cinnamon Girl video available online anywhere? I love the song

Give me a sec and I'll find the link. I downloaded it around a month ago so I gotta see if that link still works. Just in terms of videos, visually it's one of the best Prince has done. I think the story in the video is sort of inconclusive, It shows the girl being harassed and then later the possible affects of the harassment. I don't think it shows any group in a necessarily positive or negative light. I'd say it's neutral. But aside from the controversy, it's a good looking video.

vashti1999 · 10-15-2004, 02:24 PM

They have the video on Launch.com. It's also available here on AOL. But this link is where I downloaded the video as a Quicktime .mov file. I was able to save it to my computer and watch anytime I want using the quicktime player. I'm not on my home computer at the moment so I can't check if that last link still works, but that's the one I would recommend to view the video.

vashti1999 · 10-29-2004, 12:27 AM

This video, among others will be added in medium rotation to MTV's playlist beginning next week.

Week of 11/01/04
SPANKING NEW ADDITIONS
1. John Mellencamp "Walk Tall"
2. Prince "Cinnamon Girl"
3. Sarah McLachlan "World On Fire"
4. Wyclef Jean "President"
5. U2 "Vertigo"
6. Destiny's Child "Lose My Breath"

AKA · 10-29-2004, 12:46 AM

Wow. I'm surprised to see the proper nouns "John Mellencamp" and "MTV" in the same post.

vashti1999 · 10-29-2004, 12:59 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by AKA
Wow. I'm surprised to see the proper nouns "John Mellencamp" and "MTV" in the same post.

Yeah, that's right. I got that from another forum, and someone else said it must be an 80's revival with Prince, Mellencamp and U2 getting airplay, with Duran Duran on VH1.

spunkygirl · 10-29-2004, 01:03 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by AKA
Wow. I'm surprised to see the proper nouns "John Mellencamp" and "MTV" in the same post.

That's the first time I've heard those together in a very very long time

Dean Winchester · 10-29-2004, 03:31 AM

it's been a long time since I heard the words "MTV" and "Music" in the same sentence, lol

crystals · 11-05-2004, 05:52 PM

I haven't seen the music video yet. I like the song "Cinnammon Girl", though.

10-15-2004, 01:46 PM	#1
vashti1999 NY METS - #1 Forum Fanatic Join Date: Oct 14, 2003 Location: The world's greatest city - New York City Posts: 11,404	Prince's New Video Sparks Racism Debate Prince's New Video Sparks Racism Debate (AP, 10/15/2004 8:16 AM) Prince is once again stirring up some controversy. The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer is generating debate with a new music video depicting an Arab-American teenage girl imagining herself as a suicide bomber. The "Cinnamon Girl" video — created mostly in the Twin Cities and released to music television channels this week — has been criticized on Fox News and CNN. "Prince intended for it to spark some dialogue," said the video's director, Phil Harder, of Minneapolis-based Harder-Fuller Films. The clip features Keisha Castle-Hughes, 14, the Oscar-nominated actress from the movie "Whale Rider." She plays a schoolgirl who witnesses a terrorist attack and then experiences racism from classmates and others. The racism pushes her to dream about carrying a bomb into an airport. "Cinnamon Girl of mixed heritage, never knew the meaning of color lines," Prince sings. "9/11 turned that all around, when she got accused of this crime." Prince will not comment on the clip because he prefers that people make up their own mind, his publicist said. Representatives for MTV, VH1 and BET channels said their programmers were aware of the clip's content. MTV plans to begin airing it next week on MTVU, its universities-only channel, to gauge the reaction of viewers. VH1 and BET are undecided. Rana Abbas, deputy director of the Midwest chapter of the American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee in Dearborn, Mich., voiced her support after seeing the video Thursday. "It was shocking, but in a good way," Abbas said. "Prince is the first major recording artist to address the prejudice and issues that (Arab-Americans) are facing after 9/11, and I think he has done it in a very powerful way." The New York Post said it "might be the most tasteless video ever." Fox News commentator John Gibson suggested that Prince is "causing trouble," and CNN anchor Kyra Phillips said it is "shaking and rumbling the entertainment industry." Rolling Stone magazine music editor Joe Levy said the video should be put in context, and the song says that Arab-Americans were victims of hate after Sept. 11, 2001. Harder said the lyrics show Prince is "sincere in wanting to speak to the times." He also emphasized that the video "resolves itself peacefully."
	__________________ .

11-05-2004, 05:52 PM	#10
crystals Member Senior Member Join Date: Feb 02, 2004 Location: Canada Posts: 1,829	I haven't seen the music video yet. I like the song "Cinnammon Girl", though.
	__________________ The man who lends a helping hand is the true hero.

10-15-2004, 01:48 PM	#2
Dean Winchester Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Sep 28, 2003 Location: Louisville KY Posts: 14,803	is the Cinnamon Girl video available online anywhere? I love the song

10-15-2004, 02:24 PM	#4
vashti1999 NY METS - #1 Forum Fanatic Join Date: Oct 14, 2003 Location: The world's greatest city - New York City Posts: 11,404	They have the video on Launch.com. It's also available here on AOL. But this link is where I downloaded the video as a Quicktime .mov file. I was able to save it to my computer and watch anytime I want using the quicktime player. I'm not on my home computer at the moment so I can't check if that last link still works, but that's the one I would recommend to view the video.

10-29-2004, 12:27 AM	#5
vashti1999 NY METS - #1 Forum Fanatic Join Date: Oct 14, 2003 Location: The world's greatest city - New York City Posts: 11,404	This video, among others will be added in medium rotation to MTV's playlist beginning next week. Week of 11/01/04 SPANKING NEW ADDITIONS 1. John Mellencamp "Walk Tall" 2. Prince "Cinnamon Girl" 3. Sarah McLachlan "World On Fire" 4. Wyclef Jean "President" 5. U2 "Vertigo" 6. Destiny's Child "Lose My Breath"

10-29-2004, 12:46 AM	#6
AKA Member Forum Star Join Date: Dec 17, 2001 Posts: 15,746	Wow. I'm surprised to see the proper nouns "John Mellencamp" and "MTV" in the same post.

10-29-2004, 03:31 AM	#9
Dean Winchester Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Sep 28, 2003 Location: Louisville KY Posts: 14,803	it's been a long time since I heard the words "MTV" and "Music" in the same sentence, lol