Why Nicki Minaj's Twitter Exchange with Taylor Swift is Important

Nicki Minaj has always been outspoken, and that's what makes her so great. Besides having the talent (both as a writer and as a rapper) to back up her success, she has never shied away from speaking her mind on issues she feels that are important. Most notably at last year's BET Awards when she flawlessly shut down her critics accusing her of having a ghostwriter (and threw a little shade at Iggy Azalea in the process)

Such has been the case for as long as Minaj has been in the game. Her verse in Kanye West's "Monster" is legendary, and came at the perfect moment when she was still in the process of releasing her debut album. Since then, Minaj has released two more albums (including her best, last year's "The Pink Print"), a dozen hit singles and many more memorable features; She has a knack for stealing the spotlight, elevating her status as the guest, to the main attraction.

Last year, Minaj experienced a career high that propelled her back into "Monster" territory; the release of "Anaconda". The single's cover art launched a thousand parodies and staged Halloween costumes, which would have been enough to establish it as iconic, but with the release of the music video, Minaj broke records. Specifically the Vevo record for most views in 24 hours (previously held by Miley Cyrus' "Wrecking Ball") with 19.6 million views.

So it's strange that when MTV announced their nominations for the upcoming VMA awards, that "Anaconda" was left out of the Video of the Year category. Cyrus' video (which was not even close to being as good in terms of quality) and record breaking not only got her nominated, but she actually won. So why was Minaj excluded?

Taylor Swift's overhyped and overrated "Bad Blood" music video made the cut, despite making much less of a cultural impact and featuring 1,001 more bells and whistles. Also making the cut was Beyoncé's completely funny and adorable "7/11" music video, while Ed Sheeran ("Thinking Out Loud"), Kendrick Lamar ("Alright"), and Mark Ronson & Bruno Mars ("Uptown Funk!") also found themselves nominated. You could make a strong case for each of those videos, but to be honest, none of them had the impact that "Anaconda" had, not even close.

Minaj took to Twitter yesterday in the wake of her snub, and while starting off thankful for being recognized, evolved her stream of consciousness to a critique of the obviously very biased system that is the awards process.

(NOTE: these are just 3 tweets in a series posted by Minaj, for the rest see her Twitter account)

Aside from being a viral sensation, "Anaconda" also was a very body positive music video, featuring women whose bodies are not traditionally celebrated in pop culture. It also featured strong imagery of female empowerment, something that has always been a staple in Minaj's music. Point blank, it was clear that this was a snub, and while many lambasted Minaj for being angry over a VMA, she has a point.

So fast forward to an hour or two later, when Taylor Swift got ahold of Minaj's Twitter stream. In typical Swift fashion, she decided to make it all about her.

Swift's response was incredibly problematic (but we'll get to that in a second), which warranted a response from Minaj.

To which Swift (embarrassingly) responded with..

.. yeah, yikes doesn't do that justice.

As many of you may have noticed, during the promotion for her latest record, Swift has become an outspoken "feminist" personality. A lot of her interviews have circulated around the criticism that all of Swift's songs are about her relationships and that she's a man-hungry crazy girl, something she expertly critiqued in her hit single "Blank Space". However, that just about does it for Taylor Swift: The Feminist. The problem with Swift's version of feminism is that it's exclusive; never once has Swift addressed women of color, or even the plight of Trans women. Not to say that Swift should masquerade as a Feminist authority, but if she was half of the Feminist she and the media have labeled her as being, she would have at least displayed some sort of knowledge about these issues, or just been able to pick up what Minaj was throwing down.

So when she replied to Minaj's tweets about being excluded, she said a lot more than what I think she meant to say. And her insistence of Minaj joining her onstage is so damn cringe-worthy; So Minaj now needs Swift to make it up on stage? And let's be real here, we know Swift would do that only for the opportunity to pat herself on the back for giving Minaj 'her moment'.

Cue the inescapable media coverage that unsurprisingly labeled Minaj as the 'attacker' (despite never once mentioning or even alluding to Swift) and Swift 'the victim' in the same fashion as Azealia Banks and Iggy Azalea. The most memorable headline comes from a now deleted tweet from Ryan Seacrest, reading:

"@TaylorSwift13 blasts @NickiMinaj for #VMAs jab: 'I've done nothing but love & support you'"

However, Seacrest wasn't the only one. Entertainment Weekly tweeted a very skewed tweet as well (now deleted):

To which Janet Mock flawlessly critiqued:

Now again, I would like to point out that if Swift was a true feminist, she would have gone out of her way (much like Mock and many others on Twitter did) to defend Minaj. It would have been so refreshing to see Swift tweet something that combated the media making this into a "spat" or "one pop star blasting another". Because despite Swift predictably making this all about her, Minaj was having a very thought provoking dialogue. Swift as the major Feminist she allegedly is, should have put a stop to allowing the media to paint Nicki as "the angry black woman" or even just trying to make this out to be a petty catfight clickbait that so many made it. Instead, however, Swift recoiled into her bubble of privilege, because after all, why would she critique the very system she stands to benefit from?

Swift's ascension has been so mind-blowing, that even as a die hard fan of her work, I'm baffled as to how she's reached such a staggering high in her career five albums in. She's worked hard no doubt, but to look away from the fact that she enjoys a level of privilege that Minaj does not would be just flat out ignorant. Not to mention, many labeled Minaj as "petty" for being angry over her snub, and for joining the TIDAL streaming service that sought to expand the royalties artists got per stream. Swift, on the other hand, was labeled as a hero for taking her catalog off of Spotify, and for demanding Apple pay artists during the three month free trial.

So why is Minaj wrong for wanting accolades for her work, when Swift has been no less more hungry for praise? And need I mention those cringe-worthy stories of Swift suing her former guitar teacher for merely advertising that he taught her to play at one point? Or suing fans for making fan memorabilia on Etsy? Where were the dozens of articles criticizing her for being greedy that Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Madonna, Rihanna and Minaj endured for launching TIDAL? Where were the think-pieces about the TIDAL gang standing up for the artist that Swift enjoyed when she wrote her open-letter to Apple (which, need I mention has been speculated to be a PR stunt between Apple and Swift).

This exchange is important because not only does it reveal the biases in the entertainment industry, but it reveals the popular misconceptions about Feminism. Swift's version of Feminism (recoiling and saying "We shouldn't pit women against each other", only discussing it when she stands to gain something etc) is not the feminism we should be practicing. Rather, Minaj letting Taylor know that as a self-proclaimed feminist, she should be vocal about issues concerning not just white women, but women of all kinds, is the Feminism we should be practicing. And trying to make it about "being up on-stage", aka Taylor's way of reminding Nicki that yes "Bad Blood" is probably going to win, is also completely missing the point she was making.

I'd also like to point out that Swift's comment that Minaj was "pitting women against each other" (rather than critiquing the industry as a whole) is flawed, because not only is "Bad Blood" a diss track to singer Katy Perry, but the video literally women fighting each other. It fails to make any sort of larger statement about women joining forces and positively influencing one another, all celebrity cameos and female empowerment allusions aside. It's a cute homage to "Toxic" and "The Fifth Element", but it's not the Feminist manifesto Swift and her camp would like you to believe.

So while the media, and lots of others, are painting this as a petty catfight, don't let the bigger takeaways escape you. And if you can't do that, at least do the right thing and vote for literally any other nominee but the "Bad Blood" music video

Pixar's "The Good Dinosaur"

"Inside Out" is still making gains at the box office (currently sitting at $490 million world wide) and is already the frontrunner for the Best Animated Feature award at next year's Oscars, but that hasn't stopped Pixar from moving forward with their next project.

"The Good Dinosaur", originally slated for release sometime last year, will be heading to theaters just in time for Thanksgiving. Featuring the voices of Academy Award winners Frances McDormand, Anna Paquin, and child actor Raymond Ochoa (from "American Family") the project was completely re-tooled after it was pulled from last year's schedule. Bob Peterson ("Up") was replaced as the director by a Pixar employee Peter Sohn, according to Entertainment Weekly.

It looks like half of a survival story, and the other half being a odd friendship story; the animation looks very cartoonish in a way many Pixar films haven't before. To be honest, it looks downright adorable.

Though the odd production troubles have raised a few eyebrows, I'm definitely intrigued. The first trailer is does a better job at showing than it does telling, which is fine for now. I'm sure more of the voice actors and more of the plot will be revealed at a later date, but there are hints that the extinction of the dinosaurs will be a plot point, or at least addressed in some way. In any event, after the crazy high "Inside Out" left me on, I'm confident that Pixar can still make magic.

Watch the trailer below.

New Music Alert: "Run Away With Me", Carly Rae Jepson

We haven't heard much from Carly Rae Jepson since "Call Me Maybe". The song spent nine consecutive weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, and sold 15 million copies, the most ever by a female artist in the digital era. The song earned Jepson two Grammy nominations (Song of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance). However, the album that followed (entitled "Kiss") underperformed, as did the singles that followed "Call Me Maybe".

Jepson is clearly a talented pop artist; "Kiss" had some good material, but as an album, it didn't live up to the promise set by its lead single. In the years since, she's been working on her follow up, entitled "Emotion" (stylized as "E•MO•TION") which seems to deliver the goods.

Lead single "I Really Like You" follows a similar formula to "Call Me Maybe", but proves to be just as infectious, and the Dev Hynes "All That" pushes Jepson forward in the same way "Everything Is Embarrassing" pushed Sky Ferreira forward.

The newest offering from the project, which will be released worldwide on August 21, is Jepson's best song yet. "Run Away With Me" is "Teenage Dream" 2.0; better and catchier. It's clear that with this album, Jepson was heavily influenced by pop music of the 80's, to great success. Taylor Swift's "1989", though a highly listenable and accomplished record, resembles the 80's much less after one listen of "Run Away With Me". The song is a euphoric, sugar rush of dance-pop. One listen is absolutely impossible, this is a song that demands 3 or 5 more listens right after you're finished with the first. Not to mention, it's relatable; Jepson is great at making you nostalgic for the days of middle school crushes.

Don't believe me? See for yourself, the music video is equally as great.

Watch Leonardo DiCaprio in the first trailer for "The Revenant"

Hot off of his triple win for Best Director, Best Original Screenplay and Best Picture (as a producer) for last year's "Birdman", director Alejandro González Iñárritu is back in the race again, but this time for a Western-thriller starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hardy.

Not much is known about the film, except that DiCaprio plays a fur trapper named Hugh Glass in the 19th century, out for revenge after his companions rob him and leave him for dead following a deadly accident.

The film's budget, $60 million, is much higher than "Birdman" (only made for about $18 million); it'll be interesting to see what Iñárritu is able to pull off with the added flair. Rumor has it the film is being shot using only natural light; Emmanuel Lubezki is handling the cinematography once again, and based on the trailer alone, he may be adding a third consecutive trophy to the ones he won for "Gravity" and "Birdman".

Watch the intense trailer below. "The Revenant" is set for release on December 25th.

Jennifer Lawrence Trades the Bow & Arrow for a Shotgun in "Joy" Trailer

Love them or hate them, Jennifer Lawrence and David O.Russell are back for their third collaboration. After the success of "Silver Linings Playbook" (which won Lawrence the Oscar for Best Actress) and "American Hustle" (which almost won Lawrence the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress), it would only make sense the two would pair up again. This time, O.Russell has cast Lawrence as Joy Mangano (otherwise known as the inventor of the Miracle Mop) and cast her alongside past co-stars Bradley Cooper and Robert De Niro.

Based on her success with not only the Academy, but box office wise, it would be foolish to bet against Lawrence's Oscar chances. Though the trailer is light on dialogue, it would seem there's a lot for the actress to sink her teeth into. I'm sure Lawrence will also find a way to put her signature quirky spin on the character as she's done with past O.Russell creations.

While I think Best Actress is too crowded this year for the usual favorite to sneak in, the fact she has one more "Hunger Games" film being released a month before this film may pole vault her into the awards race. It's still too early to tell, but you can make your mind up about the film's teaser, which you can watch below.

"Joy" will be released in theaters everywhere Christmas Day.

Magic Mike is Pure, Carnal Enjoyment

As I sat down in my seat last night waiting for my showing of "Magic Mike XXL" to start, I looked around me to see who else was occupying the theater. Unsurprisingly, every person in attendance (besides myself and my best friend Corey) was either an older, or middle aged woman. Not that this bothered me, but clearly Warner Bros. had nailed it's target audience with the marketing: gay men and women of all ages.

What ensued was perhaps the most fun I have ever had sitting in a movie theater. Laughter, gasps, and the occasional "YAAASSS!" filled the theater for the film's two hour running time. Though far from a necessary installment, "Magic Mike XXL" proves that sequels don't always have to be the joyless, sigh-inducing affairs they've become in the modern marketplace. On the contrary, Channing Tatum and his band of shirtless "male entertainers" glide successfully on their raw charisma and make a film that by all accounts shouldn't work, glisten brighter than their sweaty, beautiful half naked bodies.

Saorsie Ronan Stuns in the Gorgeous, Affecting First Trailer for "Brooklyn"

I have to admit, as intrigued as Saorsie Ronan's involvement in director John Crowley's film "Brooklyn" made me, I wasn't that excited about the film to put it on my must see list. Ronan, Oscar-nominated for her understated work in 2007's "Atonement", hasn't really had a great film since "Hanna", but as an actress, she's a knockout. Even in mixed bags like "The Lovely Bones" she finds ways to elevate dull material with her expressive eyes.

However, watching the first trailer, the ecstatic reaction the film received after its bow at Sundance makes me need to see the film. This might be the gold Ronan needed to ascend to true leading lady status, and an Oscar doesn't seem too far out of her reach.

Based on the novel by Colom Tóbín, Ronan plays Ellis, a young woman who immigrates from Ireland to New York City during the 1950s in search of work, and a better life. After finding a job and a home (run by a strict landlady, played by Julie Walters, she meets Tony, a young Italian plumber. The two are instantly smitten, but when her sister passes away, she's called back to Ireland to help her family. Her past life disrupts the beautiful dream she's made for herself in America, and suddenly, Ellis is torn between her love in America, and her love back home.

Ronan, being front and center, spells good things for the film's awards chances. It seems like a very naturalistic, yet complex, role, and after last season being so male-dominated, it's refreshing to see a woman's story at the front of the awards contenders, and handled with such sensitivity.

Distributed by Fox Searchlight, the film will be released on November 6, aka, the perfect time for Oscar contenders.

Watch the trailer below.

Taylor Swift's "1989" is the Fastest Selling Album Since Usher's "Confessions"

It's hard to imagine the music industry before Taylor Swift. Ever since she burst onto the scene with the record breaking "Our Song", Swift has slowly but surely climbed up the ladder of leading female pop stars, breaking record after record after record. Who knew the young girl Kanye West interrupted back at the VMA's in 2009 would be a pop music titan.

It's even harder to measure up Swift's latest album "1989" to that of her debut, or even Album of the Year winner "Fearless". Not just because "1989" sees Swift finally admitting she's a pop star (something she had hinted at with releases like 'Love Story' and 'You Belong With Me' before moving on to 'We Are Never Getting Back Together'), but because Swift has truly grown as a lyricist and as an artist.

'Shake It Off' and 'Blank Space' (the two first outings from the record) have been huge successes, and even 'Style' and 'Bad Blood' have followed in their footsteps. But the album's commercial performance has exceeded all expectations. Though Swift has always been a trustworthy artist when it comes to record sales (her debut scanned 5x platinum in the US alone), no one expected "1989" to perform as well as it has.

True, it was predicted to break the record for highest first week sales of all time for a female artist (a feat established by Britney Spears' "Oops!... I Did It Again"), and while it just missed that number, it became Swift's highest first week sales (at 1.287 million copies sold). Since then, "1989" has not left the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 200, and has hit #1 on iTunes multiple times since being released last year. As of yesterday, the album has become the fastest selling record to reach 5 million copies sold in the US since Usher released "Confessions" about a decade ago.

Michael Fassbender, Kate Winslet & Seth Rogan Aim for Oscar in "Jobs" Trailer

It's almost strange to see Michael Fassbender take such a conventional biopic choice given his very eclectic early role choices ("Shame", "Fish Tank" and "12 Years A Slave"). But here's to hoping his performance as Apple creator Steve Jobs is filled with the same fire and energy he's brought to his previous performances.

He's already won raves for his work in "Macbeth", so I think having this role to measure against that one is a good way to lead him into the Oscar race for something, whichever role appeals more to voters (which I feel will be this one).

Other than an almost unrecognizable Kate Winslet (could this bring her back into Oscar's warm graces since her win in 2008 for "The Reader"?), Seth Rogan seems to be making a play for a Jonah Hill Best Supporting Actor play of sorts; voters love it when comedians take on serious roles with some humor still lingering.

The screenplay by Aaron Sorkin is reminiscent of "The Social Network"; almost at a lightning quick pace. How do actors manage to spout off that much in almost seconds?

Time will tell if this is better than the ill-fated "Jobs" starring Ashton Kutcher, or if it's a critical success much like "The Social Network". Take a look at the trailer below.