Rihanna video too graphic? PTC outraged- RiRi sounds off!!

As soon as I saw the visual for Rihanna's latest single 'Man Down', I knew there was going to be a media outcry.  In the video, Rihanna is depicted as 'gunning down' and past lover in a busy train station.  We learn later that the 'victim' was a past lover who had 'abused' the starlet.  Really strong message, indeed, in light of Rihanna's past domestic issues.  Well the PTC (Parent Television Council) is outraged at such a depiction in a music video.  According to TMZ:

"The council is outraged that Rihanna would suggest that gunning down a rapist in a crowded train station is a proper form of justice. “If Chris Brown shot a woman in his new video and BET premiered it, the world would stop. Rihanna should not get a pass …”

Personally I think it is a poignant video with a deep message that needs to expressed.  But I do think there were better ways that this could've been done.  Being a director myself, I think there could have been a more subtle depiction of the abuser getting his 'just desserts' in the end.  It's all about how you tell a story.  It could have been shot in a way as to' imply'  that the abuser gets murdered or 'taken care of'.  I light of these violent times we live in, there could have been a better way to portray this that was not so obvious or blatant.  It all deals what it is implied.  Let the viewer assume what was portrayed here in such a literal sense.
With BET's history of banning videos they deem too risque or too violent, I am almost surprised that they were they ones to debut the visual.  I remember Rihanna's 'Russian Roulette' video where it is implied that she commits suicide in the end.  We don't see it on screen, but we hear the gunshot and infer that she took her own life.  In that instance, the viewer drew their own conclusion.  With that visual, later airings of it ran without the gunshot sound effect at the end.  So again, I am surprised that this visual was so literal.  In case you missed the video here it goes:

Man Down"




Well with all the criticsim and the backlash surrounding the video.  Rihanna called in to BET's '106 & Park', to speak on it.  Here is what she had to say!

“I didn’t go into it to make a controversial video. I wanted to make a mini-movie, something raw and artistic. If I can be a voice for so many that aren’t heard, then I win twice. Look at how it’s effecting people. Girls are empowered by this. It’s easy to turn it to something negative but I’m just really impressed that my fans ‘get it.’ That was really important to me.”

SEE WHAT ELSE SHE HAD TO SAY:





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