Are nude videos doing just fine?

The ending quotes in Erykah Badu’s controversial video goes, ‘… they play it safe; are quick to assassinate what they don’t understand, they move in packs and are most comfortable in groups. This is who we have become…’

The steamy video saw her charged with disorderly conduct after stripping naked on the street, covered in what appeared to be blood. I watched and read comments on social media in skepticism, as Sauti Sol’s latest Video Nishike had tongues wagging on social media with a section of Kenyan media banning it. They claimed ‘it’s too suggestive’.

I looked at the trending video, my first sentiments were, award-winning hit!

Recently, boy band P Unit, and Collo collaborated in an award winning jam, You Guy (That Dendai) despite protracted complaints from all quarters.

Social media bashed them, as some media houses banned the video. The result, the video scooped two Channel O music awards. The headlines quickly turned to, ‘P Unit does East Africa proud’. Did I mention that the same video also gave birth to Vera Sidika’s other side, the ‘backside’.

While others view them as erotic, I choose to view them as a break from the norm, and an attempt to meet majorities out there. The Nishike video, which has had numerous requests from the ladies, features topless Sauti Sol members with skimpily dressed mamas.

Nishike might arguably be the most viewed YouTube video locally, having reached the 250,000 hits mark barely a week after its release. Many argue it’s unsuitable for younger audience.

But surely, don’t we have urban stations playing lewd and risqué foreign music videos?

We have to create a line between who we bash for nudity based on the creativity, relevance and professionalism aspects.

A few socialites have fed our eyes with nude pictures just to have their claim to fame. Our uproar on social media did little than elevate their social intent.

It’s time we realise most social media users are social climbers desperate for fame. That is why we have become a society of cyber bullies. Cyber bullies are probably individuals whose dream careers never took off, hence taking up the role of wannabe reporters, medics, and security analysts.

Other artistes like Colonel Mustapha didn’t really make an impact with their provocative ideas on social media that were not song related.

It’s time we analysed the international market and send our outright ambassadors to represent us on equal standards. What would people say if Avril featured in Miley Cyrus’ Wrecking Ball video where she swings naked on a wrecking ball? I bet KOT would have her deported.

That video has over half a billion views on YouTube. Since numbers don’t lie, is it that we secretly enjoy watching such videos behind closed doors, then head to social media breathing fire?