PLEASE UNDERSTAND!!!! I"M NOT CALLING D HOMOPHOBIC. <P>But you see, I just finished reading this article <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/library/style/weekend/020600dangelo-video.html" target="_blank">http://www.nytimes.com/library/style/weekend/020600dangelo-video.html<;/a> on the different reactions men and women seem to have in response to D's Untitled video. I know that the video was discussed in a post before, a post I really didn't read so forgive me if this is too repetitive.<P>But my question is what are bruhs really scared of from this video. I'm not here to argue whether or not it was a good video, but I just want to know why do so many men have a visceral reaction to the video. One of my boys had a real bullshit reaction to the video (homophobic) while another one of my friends simply said: "D'Ang can do shit like that and make it work!" <P>The first time I saw the video it caught me off guard for real. I just wasn't expecting it. I was ready for the typical wine, dinner, jewels, and song video shit. But then I watched it and I said to myself " Damn, he got that shit off!" I felt like damn the song is about some raw emotion so why not sing that joint butt nekkid. I though it was pretty damn clever and fuck it I'll say it, if Alanis Morrisette coud walk around nekkid and ride a bus, why couldn't D sing a song nekkid.<P>You see, bruhs are always treated to our fair share of T&A in music videos and thank God for it. Now it does denigrate women in many ways and helps to further objectify women and promote an image of beauty that is neither realistic or even particularly desirable. But I like my T&A in certain videos. If you gonna be on some gangsta, bitch this, bitch that, money this , money that you might as well round out your mysoginy with some butt nekkid women. But through it all, women put up with these videos (way more than they should in my opinion) and don't go crazy when these videos come on, but when Untitled comes on, some men have a real visceral, angry ass reaction.<P>What is it?<P>I know some use the excuse that he's dumbing down his art by trying to be a sex object. Sheeiitt, I knew a truck load of women that wanted to suck the man's toes since the first time they heard "Lady". Others wanna say that it was simply a marketing stunt to gee buzz on his album. It might very well have been. Fuck it, I think it was, but so what? Do marketing stunts ususally cause such reactions in men? We are all pretty used to marketing stunts so is that the problem? <P>I'll stop here, but why does a bare chested man cause such a reaction?<P><BR>Too often, we lose sight of life's simple pleasures. Remember, when someone annoys you it takes 42 muscles in your face to frown BUT, it only takes 4 muscles to extend your arm and bitch-slap the motherfucker upside the head...

>PLEASE UNDERSTAND!!!! I"M NOT CALLING D HOMOPHOBIC. <P>Understood!<P>>But my question is what are bruhs <BR>>really scared of from this video. <P>I know men who won't even stay in the room if it stays on. Like, what do they do when they visit art galleries with statues of naked Romans?<P>Kinda kidding on that, but I DO want to know the answer to your question.<P>I also want to know if men are feeling more pressure nowadays to have that perfect body. <P>I've noticed more men talking about working out and getting diesel lately. Would any men admit to being jealous of how D's body looked in that video?<P>angieee ('stress)<P>Buy my book. You got a year to save up for it. "The Broke Diaries": Spring 2001 Random House / Villard Press.<P>(Yeah, yeah...Random House, I ain't joking...I'm coming LARGE!, WHAT?!!)<P>Hey! Music and News are here: <a href="http://www.okayplayer.com/update.html" target="_blank">http://www.okayplayer.com/update.html<;/a><P>Looking for those posting guidelines? <BR><a href="http://www.okayplayer.com/guidelines.html" target="_blank">http://www.okayplayer.com/guidelines.html<;/a>

Future Filmmaker Over Here<P><BR>you know...i don't get it either. I'm a guy, and I don't see what all the fuss is. Seeing D's body doesn't make me feel as though i'm inadequate in any way, shape or form...he doesn't MAKE me want to go out and be cock diesel either.<P><BR>I think it depends on where bruthas are at when see the video. I know some who are REAL OFFENDED by the video, i know some who don't give a ish. So, who knows??<P>I personally don't have problems with the video. It was well made, given the sheer simplicity of it. <P>Angieee...i'll have to get back to you on that. you got me thinking now...<P>Ryan

Just kidding, but y'all that know me, know that I'm a skinny bruh. I can eat two full pizzas every night before I go to bed for two weeks straight and will gain three pounds if I'm lucky. I'm naturally skinny and I'm a lazy mofo to bot so my black ass will not be up in anyone's gym, trying to look like D, cause it ain't gonna happen.<P>Now, don't get me wrong I do my pushups and situps and I got the three pack (the six pack takes too much work, but the stomach is flat) and I'm healthy so I can't worry about it. <P>But it would interest me if men felt pressure because of D. Women go through this bulshit daily. They see these frail ass womn on TV and in mags and use taht as their model (conscioulsy or otherwise). It's been my experience that men don't really do that, but maybe that's not the case.<P>Example(this specific example didn't actually happen, but this is a composite of many similar experiences): I'm watching TV with some woman and Jennifer Lopez comes on lookin' good and the women women cal her names, say she starves herself and that she ain't really that cute, she barfs after every meal, bullshit like that.<P>Example: A bunch of bruhs are watching MTV Awards circa 1989 and LL is performing and takes off his shirt and flexes and the men in the room say: LL been working out, lifting foreign compacts!" adn that's about teh end of the comments regarding his body and none are negative besides "he probably has a big egghead and that's why he always where's those damn hats!"<P>I never thought men felt pressue that way. Don't get me wrong men care about their appearance and they want to be in shape and all but I never felt that media images affected them to the extent that would make them want to do crazy diets like women do. Perhaps I'm wrong. And let's not throw in those body bilding types who have to workout three times a day, they're another group all together.<P><BR>Too often, we lose sight of life's simple pleasures. Remember, when someone annoys you it takes 42 muscles in your face to frown BUT, it only takes 4 muscles to extend your arm and bitch-slap the motherfucker upside the head...

A question brought up in a psych class......Guys got bent outta shape behind it!<BR>It all comes down insecurity of self and sexuality.<BR>Guys don't be like ya my bwoy is a handsome dude for fear of sounded gay when in reality it is not.<BR>Ignorance! D is fine and is not cock diesle he is well toned.....and it is natural.<BR>I think the testosterone gene plays a part in this it is OK! to look at the video guys no one will test your manhood behind it!<P><P><P>Smutometrist Nebtastic<P>N.O.R.E<BR>(nebbie on the run eatin)<P>T.O.P.A Head of Security<P><BR>" E El Isum Shil El Eloh El Rahmun, Alazi Izu El Rahummul!"<BR> <BR>"Helimonsters/bandicoots/banshees at the club- BFNH(big fuckin hak!)<P>"in your over 21 id world,i'm 26 year old girl"-Nou<P><P><BR>

<BR>>It all comes down insecurity <BR>>of self and sexuality. Guys don't <BR>>be like ya my bwoy is <BR>>a handsome dude for fear of <BR>>sounded gay when in reality it <BR>>is not. Ignorance! <P>Nebbie, I think this comment gets close to the issue at hand. I think that it is precisely those men that get uncomfortable watching the video that are uncomfortable with their own sexuality, thgat is their own feelings about sexuality when they see the video. I personally think that we are ALL attracted to D in this Video and that those who shy away from it simply DON'T want to admit to their attraction. <P>Everyone's frontin like they're the perfect specimens of heterosexuality, when I thikn we all can be attracted to the opposite sex, not in the "damn, I can't wait to get in the sack with this cat" way but more on the level of physical and emotional attraction. Another thing that must be disturbing to many MANLY-MEN is that D isn't just nekkid, like he's gettin down with some other nekkid folks (although we've talked the possibility of the final moments to death), he's nekkid in a very vulnerable and open way. this kind of vulnerability scares even the best of us, and D just put it out there yeah I'm gonna just chill here and sing for y'all nekkid.<P>Sure its an eye-candy type situation, but it also reveals the committment that D has to being a vulnerable man, emotionally and physically. The liner notes by Saul Williams (with all of the pro-feminist rhetoric)confirm this sentiment.<P>I feel like I sound all over the place with this post, but I feel like it is both the fear of vulnerability in most men, coupled with our denial of our inherent bisexuality -- our natural ability to find both sexes beautiful and sexually/spiritually electrifying (all y'all reactionaries can jump on me now).<P>Aiiiiiight, let's have it. bring it on!<P><BR>love and respect,<BR>El Rey<P>"I prefer to speak of the impossible, because we already know too much about what is possible" Silvio Rodriguez<P>"If our profanity offends you, look around you and see how destructively society is profaning itself. It is the rape of the land, the pollution of the environment, the betrayal and suffering of the masses by corrupt government that is the real obscenity." - MOVE statement<P>FREE MUMIA!<BR>www.mumia.org<P>FREE THE MOVE 9!<P>FREE ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS!<P>FREE YOUR SELF!<BR>www.freeyourself.com<P>"Get free y'all, get free!" - Digable Planets<P>"Get Free" - The Artist<P>

Future Filmmaker Over Here<P><BR>DAMMIT, El-Rey! i was thinking aboutthat on my way back home today (from a jacked up interview..man, i hate shady interviewers).<P>But, you are right though....It really all boils down to where folk at and how they're dealing with their own masculinity/sexuality. <P>Folk don't really like to talk about all humans inherent bisexuality. ain't nothing wrong with it...I just think folk need to stop being prudish and talk about sex..especially Black folk. <P><BR>But, thanks for stealing my thoughts today! :) just playin....<P>Ryan

Whoa, glad to know there's someone else that had these thoughts out there. i tried to address this (unsuccessfully) in one of the many Common and homophobia posts, but noone seemed to be feelin it.<P>love and respect,<BR>El Rey<P>"I prefer to speak of the impossible, because we already know too much about what is possible" Silvio Rodriguez<P>"If our profanity offends you, look around you and see how destructively society is profaning itself. It is the rape of the land, the pollution of the environment, the betrayal and suffering of the masses by corrupt government that is the real obscenity." - MOVE statement<P>FREE MUMIA!<BR>www.mumia.org<P>FREE THE MOVE 9!<P>FREE ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS!<P>FREE YOUR SELF!<BR>www.freeyourself.com<P>"Get free y'all, get free!" - Digable Planets<P>"Get Free" - The Artist<P>

he <BR>>is well toned.....and it is natural. <P>alisha, he really is pretty deisel. either way, he's significantly more than just "well-toned." and if that were natural a HELL of a lot more guys would look like that. give the man some credit. it took some WORK to get a body like that. damn, a hell of a lot more work than my pudgy ass self is willing to do....<img src="http://www.okayplayer.com/dcforum/Images/wink.gif"><P><a href="http://www.thehungersite.com" target="_blank">http://www.thehungersite.com<;/a><P>"I ain't no goddamn son of a bitch--you'd better think about it, baby!"<BR> --Glenn Danzig (Misfits)<P>"Where the F*CK is my purse icon??????"

I know kats who are deisel but, D's shit is not too deisel meaning it looks more natural!<BR>Deisel to me is like benchin 400! I got bwoys who are way too big Deisel is to me Jean Claude or Swarzeneger(sp?) Hulk Hogan shit!!<BR>D is not big like them his body has more natural look underdig?<P><P><BR>Smutometrist Nebtastic<P>N.O.R.E<BR>(nebbie on the run eatin)<P>T.O.P.A Head of Security<P><BR>" E El Isum Shil El Eloh El Rahmun, Alazi Izu El Rahummul!"<BR> <BR>"Helimonsters/bandicoots/banshees at the club- BFNH(big fuckin hak!)<P>"in your over 21 id world,i'm 26 year old girl"-Nou<P><P><BR>

<P>>I know men who won't even stay <BR>>in the room if it stays <BR>>on. Like, what do they do <BR>>when they visit art galleries with <BR>>statues of naked Romans? <BR>>Kinda kidding on that, but I DO <BR>>want to know the answer to <BR>>your question. <BR>><BR>Statues are dead. they represent a life and time that none of us aspire to. they do not speak, and they are regarded out of proportion with reality. D'Angelo is quite alive and is saying things that many of us men are afraid to. and worse than that, our women are feeling him. and worse than that, he's got natural talent that we haven't got. and worse than that, he's challenged himself to grow and become better. and worse than that, he is open in his love of his family. and worse than that, he's got support from a good crew, especially a big ass bear lookin' drummer who could probably kick somebody's ass. and worse than that he's deisle. and worse than that, he's got the confidence to show that shit to the world.<P>there's nothing like someone else's confidence to bring out your masked insecurities. D'angelo brings them all to the forefront. <P>>I also want to know if men <BR>>are feeling more pressure nowadays to <BR>>have that perfect body. <BR>><BR>yup, look at the things guys are doing now. i even almost decided to stop being cock-weasel and go for the bigger look. instead, i re-read a book. we must all fatten up our muscles, i decided to get my biggest one more cut by doing more reps.<P>>I've noticed more men talking about working <BR>>out and getting diesel lately. Would <BR>>any men admit to being jealous <BR>>of how D's body looked in <BR>>that video? <BR>><BR>jealous at the reaction. like, hak ain't John-Blazin' & shit. the issue is alot of us like dude, and i don't mean *like em* like em, but it's unnerving to think that dude looks good, and we like em. so muhfuckas who are insecure will proport (sp?) their insecurities under the guise of h8.<P><BR>_______________________________________<BR>"all things considered, i'd rather be me..." - the big guy<BR>

Nahmean? Nah D has a great body (I'm in Big Gay Al mode right now), I mean if you work...nahmean? you'll get it too. Cats get mad when their ladies watch the video over and over (I want to watch the game b@#th!!) cause it's an insecurity thing sometimes with us. My girl loves D, but I don't turn the channel or some weak shit when the video comes on. Women needed a video like that for a while, we always get the guy tailored videos with all the titties and ass shaking, you got to let the ladies use their imagination once in a while. Shit it's 2000 man. <P>OkayPlayer Conversation......<BR>(This is just a portion)<P>abena1999: sarcasm get's you no panties skip<BR>SkipGotSkills: I don't need panties, especially shitty ones.<BR>SkipGotSkills: My man wants to meet you<BR>abena1999: who's that?<BR>SkipGotSkills: I showed him the pictures, and he was on your jawn.<BR>SkipGotSkills: my man Poncho.<BR>abena1999: his name is poncho?<BR>abena1999: as in that thing you sling over yourself in mexico?<BR>SkipGotSkills: He thinks your cute, that's what we call him<BR>abena1999: oh okay, well thank you poncho<BR>SkipGotSkills: He can't speak no english though<BR>abena1999: ROFL<BR>abena1999: eff you skip<BR>SkipGotSkills: we send him to the store for phillies and shit, but he's mad cool<BR>SkipGotSkills: lol<BR>abena1999: you're an asshole<BR>SkipGotSkills: Dumb ass!!!!!!!!!!!!<BR>SkipGotSkills: I love you Sis, you are my favorite Canadian friend..<BR>SkipGotSkills: And the only<BR>abena1999: I'm you're only canadian friend<BR>abena1999: so fuck off<BR>SkipGotSkills: You took the words right out of my mouth..<BR>SkipGotSkills: I tried, I hope I don't get sued now. All I got is $3.00 dollars<BR>abena1999: eat me biatch<BR>SkipGotSkills: what's your blackplanet name you whore?<BR>abena1999: mikaela_h<BR>abena1999: you manwhore<BR>SkipGotSkills: that's good now visit my page<BR>SkipGotSkills: Just mess with it, my user name is skipgotskills. <BR>abena1999: I know<BR>abena1999: I rated it clown<BR>SkipGotSkills: Oh, you don't count. You're an ass on legs.<BR>abena1999: ROFL<BR>abena1999: shit, I woke up my brother you asshole<BR>SkipGotSkills: I didn't know you had a brother<BR>abena1999: yeah, I have 4<BR>abena1999: and a sister<BR>SkipGotSkills: Damn, y'all don't have TV's in Canada?<BR>abena1999: yes we do<BR>abena1999: ROFL<BR>SkipGotSkills: LOL<BR>abena1999: i just caught that joke you bastard<BR>SkipGotSkills: LOL<P><P><BR>

Ay, man, my skinny ass needs to be in a gym anyway. Thanks, D. <img src="http://www.okayplayer.com/dcforum/Images/wink.gif"><P>Seriously though, I thought the idea of having main man stripped down really emphasized the vulnerability he wanted to get across in the song. I like women, so I wasn't threatened by it or nothing, I just thought "Damn, I need to do some sit-ups". Ha! Now I know how the ladies feel when they watch the model types in the bikinis in videos all day...<P>Peace,<P>Spirit<BR><a href="http://amphibians.iuma.com" target="_blank">http://amphibians.iuma.com<;/a><BR><a href="http://infiniteloop.iuma.com" target="_blank">http://infiniteloop.iuma.com<;/a><BR>DC hip-hop is on the rise...<P>"High grade when I create beats/if I don't get signed/I'ma be the most dope bum that ever walked the streets" - <BR>Aychell (HL, of Khemystery)<P>"If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, and looks like a duck, it's probably a tool of the conspiracy" - unknown

well, since i am positive he is supposed to be getting brain in the video, i kind of toss all the "vulnerablity" stuff out the window. in my opinion, anyone who denies that d is feigning getting neck is lying or blind. as for me, i find the video insanely boring. the song is cool though.<P><BR>"if you breathe the same air that i do, you know that you could go for months or even years without hearing the blessed sounds of a kick-snare or looped ayers xylophone and still have hiphop circulating relentlessly within you. it's almost intrinsic by now..."<P>

>well, since i am positive he is <BR>>supposed to be getting brain in <BR>>the video, <P>No big deal, but how does one know..maybe he is..i sure as hell don't know, but I'm curious.<P><BR>i kind of toss <BR>>all the "vulnerablity" stuff out the <BR>>window. in my opinion, anyone who <BR>>denies that d is feigning getting <BR>>neck is lying or blind. <P>I guess I'm one of the two.<P><BR>Too often, we lose sight of life's simple pleasures. Remember, when someone annoys you it takes 42 muscles in your face to frown BUT, it only takes 4 muscles to extend your arm and bitch-slap the motherfucker upside the head...

fronting like you're not familiar with the facial expressions that arise from a nice skull polishing...you've outdone yourself again, you big ol' pimp!<P>just position yourself by a mirror next time you received a little dome action and presto -- you'll be watching "untitled", right down to the crescendo of "emotion" that d shows as he splashes off at the end of the video (arms raised and everything). shit, even quest mentioned "fellatio" when referencing the video...<P><BR>"if you breathe the same air that i do, you know that you could go for months or even years without hearing the blessed sounds of a kick-snare or looped ayers xylophone and still have hiphop circulating relentlessly within you. it's almost intrinsic by now..."<P>

I understand that "expression" let's say. <img src="http://www.okayplayer.com/dcforum/Images/happy.gif"><P>SO if you're getting head there's no vulnerability...i guess i can live with that.<P>But u still didn't speak on the issue about why some men have such a visceral reaction to the video. You said you find it boring cool, but that's a lot different from "Turn that shit off!" or "I refuse to watch that shit!"<P>You see me?<P><BR>Too often, we lose sight of life's simple pleasures. Remember, when someone annoys you it takes 42 muscles in your face to frown BUT, it only takes 4 muscles to extend your arm and bitch-slap the motherfucker upside the head...

<P>>SO if you're getting head there's no <BR>>vulnerability...i guess i can live with <BR>>that. <BR> <BR>I honestly can't think of a more vulnerable situation to be in.<P><BR>love and respect,<BR>El Rey<P>"I prefer to speak of the impossible, because we already know too much about what is possible" Silvio Rodriguez<P>"If our profanity offends you, look around you and see how destructively society is profaning itself. It is the rape of the land, the pollution of the environment, the betrayal and suffering of the masses by corrupt government that is the real obscenity." - MOVE statement<P>FREE MUMIA!<BR>www.mumia.org<P>FREE THE MOVE 9!<P>FREE ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS!<P>FREE YOUR SELF!<BR>www.freeyourself.com<P>"Get free y'all, get free!" - Digable Planets<P>"Get Free" - The Artist<P>

><BR>>>SO if you're getting head there's no <BR>>>vulnerability...i guess i can live with <BR>>>that. <BR>> <BR>>I honestly can't think of a more vulnerable situation to be in.<P>EXACTLY. VUL-NER-ABLE<P><P><BR>Too often, we lose sight of life's simple pleasures. Remember, when someone annoys you it takes 42 muscles in your face to frown BUT, it only takes 4 muscles to extend your arm and bitch-slap the motherfucker upside the head...

i just think his nakedness is not as spiritual as people would have you believe. i think it's just some shit to get 1)controversy, and 2)females excited. i think the whole idea that his nakedness is some sort of "soul-baring" is kind of contrived.<P>my opinion on the video? it's dull. and i think he kind of played himself by basically biting maxwell's similar video. d'angelo was always cool to me because he appealed to women, but seemed like he was a regular fella at the same time. this video is on some ol' superstar sex symbol stuff. i think he was trying to snatch up some of usher and backstreet's teeny-bopper hoes... <P>a lot of cats probably are vehement about changing the channel because they figure that watching a naked guy makes them (in the words of nore) "straight 'mo like that maxwell video".<P><BR>guinness's song of the week: "hey" -- by MF Doom

>i just think his nakedness is not <BR>>as spiritual as people would have <BR>>you believe. i think it's just <BR>>some shit to get 1)controversy, and <BR>>2)females excited. i think the whole <BR>>idea that his nakedness is some <BR>>sort of "soul-baring" is kind of <BR>>contrived. <P>I can't dispute your opion of the video. But I ask: Men have never felt a video was contrived before to (1) get controversey or (2) get MEN excited? Hell yeah it was contrived to a degree. D admitted it was his manager's idea. But if men got pissed off and flew off the handle every time we saw a contrived video (i.e. every damn Hype Williams video) that was designed to either be controversial or get us excited, we wouldn't have time for much else<P><BR>>my opinion on the video? it's dull. <BR>>and i think he kind of <BR>>played himself by basically biting maxwell's <BR>>similar video. <P>I don;t it was similar to Max's at all.<P>d'angelo was always cool <BR>>to me because he appealed to <BR>>women, but seemed like he was <BR>>a regular fella at the same <BR>>time. <BR>this video is on some <BR>>ol' superstar sex symbol stuff. i <BR>>think he was trying to snatch <BR>>up some of usher and backstreet's <BR>>teeny-bopper hoes... <P>This kills me..the left and right video has strippers and shit in it (I thought it was pretty wack because I COULDN'T SEE THE STRIPPERS) and this one video now means he's trying to be a sex symbol...and stealing Backstreet Boys fans...Come <BR>on now? Have you seen those Backstreet videos?<P>As far the sex symbol thing, he's been that for awhile, like i said before i've known plenty of women that wanted to suck his toes well before the Untitled video, now they'll suck his toes and well.....Did this help him sell more albums HELL YEAH!!!!!!! I can see that someone thinks it's dull..I can see that!!!!!<P><BR>>a lot of cats probably are vehement <BR>>about changing the channel because they <BR>>figure that watching a naked guy <BR>>makes them (in the words of <BR>>nore) "straight 'mo like that maxwell <BR>>video". <P>Now that's the crux of the matter right there my friend. If you simply think it's contrived or dull, you'll choose to do as I assume you do and change the channel or say "Man that shit is wack!" But you won't cover your eyes like Medussa's trying to ice grill you. That's my only point. You don't have to think that the video is some modern masterpiece or some rah rah shit like that, but you must admit that if this video gets you all extar heated and upset it has to be a little more than you're upset that D has reverted to typical marketing techniques with his videos<P><P>Too often, we lose sight of life's simple pleasures. Remember, when someone annoys you it takes 42 muscles in your face to frown BUT, it only takes 4 muscles to extend your arm and bitch-slap the motherfucker upside the head...

> Hell yeah it was contrived <BR>>to a degree. D admitted <BR>>it was his manager's idea. <BR>>But if men got pissed off <BR>>and flew off the handle every <BR>>time we saw a contrived video <BR>>(i.e. every damn Hype Williams video) <BR>>that was designed to either be <BR>>controversial or get us excited, we <BR>>wouldn't have time for much else <P>i agree. most videos are contrived in order to present a certain image. i just don't feel this video is some deep metaphysical visual depiction of "stripped-down soul" like some people have suggested. i think "untitled" is just some shit to get the ladies hot. i wouldn't claim that the "vibrant" girls were illustrating q-tip's "almost stripped-down hiphop" either. <P>>I don't was similar to Max's <BR>>at all. <P>well, they are both one setting videos of an naked heart-throb r&b dude. and we all know that maxwell and d'angelo are often placed in the same sort-of-organic musical category. furthermore, both videos were the first single off of both artist's sophomore efforts. in all honestly, i think that d'angelo's people wanted to one-up maxwell with "untitled". <P>>As far the sex symbol thing, he's <BR>>been that for awhile, like <BR>>i said before i've known plenty <BR>>of women that wanted to suck <BR>>his toes well before the Untitled... <P>that was my point. <P>>Did this help him sell <BR>>more albums HELL YEAH!!!!!!! <P>that was my point too.<P><BR>>if you simply think it's contrived or <BR>>dull, you'll choose to do as <BR>>I assume you do and change <BR>>the channel or say "Man that <BR>>shit is wack!" But you <BR>>won't cover your eyes like Medussa's <BR>>trying to ice grill you. <BR>>That's my only point. <P>i definitely agree with you on that right there. i'd rather watch a bunch of dull "vibrants" than "untitled", but i'm not flipping the fuck out on some j edgar hoover/roy cohn shit when d's naked-ass grins out of mtv jams.<P><BR>guinness's song of the week: "hey" -- by MF Doom

regarding:<P>>i think the whole <BR>>idea that his nakedness is some <BR>>sort of "soul-baring" is kind of <BR>>contrived. <P>and<P>>this video is on some <BR>>ol' superstar sex symbol stuff. i <BR>>think he was trying to snatch <BR>>up some of usher and backstreet's <BR>>teeny-bopper hoes... <P>I actually like RamXL's idea (below) that the video was a representation of the musical project altogether -- stripped down. If you look at his music as raw unadulterated soul, then his video representation is "here I am, raw and unadulterated; the naked truth.<P>love and respect,<BR>El Rey<P>"I prefer to speak of the impossible, because we already know too much about what is possible" Silvio Rodriguez<P>"If our profanity offends you, look around you and see how destructively society is profaning itself. It is the rape of the land, the pollution of the environment, the betrayal and suffering of the masses by corrupt government that is the real obscenity." - MOVE statement<P>FREE MUMIA!<BR>www.mumia.org<P>FREE THE MOVE 9!<P>FREE ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS!<P>FREE YOUR SELF!<BR>www.freeyourself.com<P>"Get free y'all, get free!" - Digable Planets<P>"Get Free" - The Artist<P>

Is it me or are D's teeth CAPPED!<P>Except for those fangs in the front, his shits is PERFECT.<P><P>-<BR>'Don't worry 'bout what the fuck I be doin'- Smokey

Sorry if that sounds harsh, but I'm back on my there-are-to-many-people-with-pricks-masquerading-as-men soap box.<P>For eons women had been subjected to the objectification of our bodies and individual body parts to the point that we rarely even notice it nowadays and nothing is ever done. Porn is the biggest industry in this effing country after all. And what is porn if not objectification of the body?<P>Now D'Angelo has a video in which he is half naked and men are recurling back from their TV's and crying, "Oh no! Mine doesn't look like that!!! AAAAAHHHHHHHHH! I am no longer a man."<P>Get over it boys, it happened to us and so it shall happen to you. Comparisons are a bitch aren't they gentlemen..?<P>Peace,<P>Tank<P>"The revolution has tit's!" Nou-Ra<P>"Tank, please don't set fire to my room, I'm only now just becoming a homemaker. Look I even have flowers in my kitchen..." Nou-Ra, The supposed Rocker.<P>"As do many strong people, she found herself a victim of the tyranny of the weak." Tom Robbins, Even Cowgirls Get The Blues.

I think it's a combo of factors that have some men all squeamish.<P>Is it about....<P> Homophobia? No doubt, cause the culture of heterosexuality is so strong (and ignant) in our society that insecure men think - Man, if i look at a nekkid man i might "turn" gay.<P> Double-standard? Yup, cause you KNOW we've been seeing nekkid women in videos and movies for years, and now that the ladies get some voyeuristic pleasure men folks cry foul.<P> Stoicism? Well, lemme venture the opinion that it's D getting emotionally naked that makes it uncomfortable for some to watch - bruh seems to be in soul-searing pain in that video.<BR> <BR> Narcicism? The only twinge of discomfort i felt when i was watching 'untitled' was: damn, D must have spent YEARS in the gym to get that toned! ** why would you need or want to spend so much time "perfecting" your own body? if it's just cause you want to look good, that's ......okay, i guess. If you do it to sell albums (which the video certainly appears to be doing), well.....i'm not sure how i feel about it - mixed feelings at best. but since i love the album and more people will enjoy it now....i grudingly have to admit the ends justify the means. Did I just say that?<BR> <BR>** D sez in the NY Times article: "No," he said, in answer to an obvious question, "that's just my natural build. Right before the video I did, like, one little session in the gym."<BR> <BR>Yeah right!<P>We have come in the tradition of burning bushes, burning ghettos, burning spliffs, and the ever-burning candles of our bedrooms and silent chambers. We have come bearing instruments and our voices: falsetto and baritone, percussion and horns. We have come adorned in the apparel of the annointed: leather and feathers, jeans and t-shirts, linen and cashmere, and even polyester. We have come to seduce and serenade the night and the powers of darkness. We speak of darkness, not as ignorance, but as the unknown and the mysteries of the unseen." -- Saul Williams, the "Voodoo" Manifesto

i was flippin around on the tv and my brother was in the room. then this video came on and jokingly im like hey look its a naked guy. my brother totallly turned the other way and would not look. he kept tellin me to shut it off and shit. im a man and i have no problem with it. im cmfortable with myself. i know i like women. i didnt feel turned on or anythng. but i couldnt understand what the hell his problem was.

if you're comfortable in your sexuality, how can you understand what your boy was talkin about, yo? ya'll still gotta lot to learn about us gay folks. cause you looked at a video with a naked guy in it, your friend turned away in disgust. was that for his own benfit or yours? i think he did it to assure you of his masculinity, so as not to even let the thought that he may have enjoyed looking at a naked guy enter your mind.too much testosterone is never a good thing yo. i 'aint mad at ya......

man d repped like a mofo in that video........son had me hittin the weights as soon as i saw the video..........although, i still think the video is a man and his music.........like the song and album, its D and his music, stripped naked..........no fronts, most of the album sounds like it was recorded in one shot.......its raw, and naked, like D in the video........but son could put a shirt on?! (HAHAH)<P>naw but i do think guys are turned off, cause they know ak is lookin like diesel johnny or sumfin, and they aint.........hey i cant lie, i been hittin the weights too...lol..............<P><BR>One Love<BR>RamXL<BR>(b-boy advocate)<P>"Each soul is potentially divine, the goal is to manifest this divinity within by controlling nature: external and internal. Do this either by work, or worship, or psychic control, or philosophy -- by one, or more, or all these -- and be free." Swami Vivekanada<P><BR>"studies show that when a given norm is changed, in the face of the unchanging, the remaining contradictions will parallel the truth" Saul Williams<P><P><P><P>

Stripped down soul is exactly correct. <P>The first time I saw the video I was impressed with the simplicity. It was well lit and the slow and steady movement of the camera was quite appealing. It struck me as something that should be paid attention rather than the over-the-top slap the viewer in the face and drag folks to the screen approach that is all too common in videos. <P>Honestly, it didn't occur to me that he was nude because his eyes and stomach muscles so plainly expressed the effort D put into the song and by extention, the act of loving the woman who is subject of the song.<P><BR>Free Jolly Jenkins!!!---Huey Freeman<BR>

up close, the camera roams in a slow, on-the-prowl-like fashion up and down his bare chest, focusing on his nipples, that too-sexy and kissable area between his belly button and...<P>what the hell was my point?<P>oh, yeah...<P>the way the video was shot was in a stark, sensual manner. add to that d's raw emotion (which i feel may cause more of a problem from the chauvinists) and scorching delivery of a beautiful song. i mean, after all, video cameras are only supposed to roam over and focus on the rear-ends of women (right Hype?). the chauvinistic and insecure ego-bloated types can't handle it.<P>and guess what? TOO DAMN BAD!!!:)<P>deejaydub

and people responded! but the video is at least different to the regular BS in r&b/hip hop videos. and it's tasteful. and women are having wet ones everywhere. So more albums will be sold. or at least more requests on the Box.

I'm a man, and I love D'Angelo's video. Not because he's naked but because of what it represents. In an era of flashy videos with scantily clad booty dancers he had nerve to just show himself with a black background. He's baring his SOUL not just his muscles! <BR>Right on to true artistry,<BR>Cameron Clark

i've been listening to hip hop since i was about 7 years old.i remember breakin' on the streets of Detroit and listening to boombox.these were the somewhat carefree days of hip-hop. now im 23 yrs old and an out gay black male. why'd i bring this up? cause im tired of hear all the negative bullshit in hip-hop about "homo's" and "faggots". having survived a horrible adolescence ,hip-hop gave me a vitality. but as of late ive been seein to many niggas talkin shit bout us "fags". let me articulate it for you...... we don't interfere in your lives, give us that same right! isn't it funny that the first nigga talkin about "sin" is the first nigga in line in hell? lets ditch the conception that homosexuals don't exist in hip-hop.i did..........

and this coulda been its own thread, dunn. this issue really needs that type of attention and exposure.<P><a href="http://www.thehungersite.com" target="_blank">http://www.thehungersite.com<;/a><P>"I ain't no goddamn son of a bitch--you'd better think about it, baby!"<BR> --Glenn Danzig (Misfits)<P>"Where the F*CK is my purse icon??????"

Nesta put into words what every women is saying, "What is the big deal?" For the last 5 years they have had near naked chicks in their videos and that's o.k. it's whatever sells right? Get over it. Someone even said D is messing up their play. How is that possible? you run in totally different circles. Let's be realistic. Give him his credit he did his thing. Stop hating! if anything after the chick sees the video or listens to track 11 and you just happen to be around you should be one lucky guy. But to really ruin it for you all D was on WBLs a couple of weeks ago and he said he was actually thinkin' about the "Holy Ghost". That was hard for me to swallow.<P>T-mone

Ain't nothing wrong with D's video. Stress ain't lying, though, after I saw the video Big Perm hit the gym the next day to break down some of the Big Gut (just playing, the Perm doesn't roll with the jelly...but I sure as hell ain't ripped like that yet!) <P>Is it jealousy? Nope. You see ish like that and it's like, damn, you too can look this good. <P>Eff the homophobic thing. No matter what music station you're watching, before and after Untitled there's always about ten or eleven bootyshake videos for the fellas. <P>But here's what I'm saying: Why don't female artists ever do videos like Untitled? A brotha's getting tired with the same old thang. <P>One Love,<BR>Perm Dogg

All the ladies, or should I say most ladies love the video.. I've seen enough T & As to last a lifetime, D's video was hella refreshing. I hope other artist follow his lead and get buck naked as well?? Tyrese??? you watching??? <img src="http://www.okayplayer.com/dcforum/Images/happy.gif">