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Analysis of Rihanna's Man Down

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| Analysis of Rihanna’s Man Down | Dr. Brown: RTF 331-01 | | Terry Bright, Angelica Grant, Ginae Eddins, Marcus Miller | 5/3/2012 |

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In the black community rape is not an issue that is address publicly. “What goes on in my house stays in my house” is how most black families deal with most of their issues. This issue is not only protected in black household but globally rape is not a subject that people address right away. Sexual abuse or rape is usually pushed under the rug, due to the negative connotation stereotype associated with being victimized, because of the controlling images such as the jezebel modernly known as “hoochie.” The jezebel is stemming image associated with the loose women stereotype. Referencing to the notion that if your dressed sleazy i.e. thong showing, booty shorts that she wants attention. This image makes it easy to camouflage the sexual assault to justify how it could be rape if this is what she wants. Any good piece of art has a history or background in which case may translate to the public as controversy. Music is a form of therapy for most to cope with their problems, and music video provides a visual aid for wide-ranging audiences’ and to give a visual message. Rihanna fifth studio album is entitle “Loud” she wanted to address some issue and make them loud and clear. Rihanna released her fifth single from the album entitled Man Down, lyrically this song is a modern version of I Shot the Sheriff by Bob Marley. In the music video Rihanna is used as controlling image to address sexual assault and its victims. Rihanna has dealt with domestic violence issues in her past, which gained the support of most feminist groups; she uses her videos as a platform to work out her own personal issues with abuse. Recently Rihanna has been listed in Times Magazine April 2012 issue for being one of the most influential females in the

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