There is a music video, Mr Endowed Remix with D’Banj ft. Snoop Dogg, making the rounds on Facebook at the moment which I find very interesting because of the international collaboration between D’banj, a Nigerian artist and Snoop Dogg. Snoop Dogg is not one of my favourite artists. I have a passionate dislike for some of his lyrics and music videos but you do have to admit that he has been successful at what he does. Being that I have heard it too many times, it would be silly to ignore the fact that this is a good step on the career ladder for D’Banj, so let’s give honour to the young man for his achievements. I am sure some of us have seen the same video and feel proud that D’Banj is Nigerian. That’s all well and good and well done to him but I have to be honest, I was not impressed with the half naked women in the same video while the men were all dressed up and looking sharp! I won’t get into that subject again for it was the focus of a previous blog – The Commodification of The Female Bootie
The title of the song is equally as interesting. Now, whatever they are getting endowed with and about…good on them, let them go right ahead but this is where I am heading…the title made me think about a news story on television earlier this evening and currently making the rounds on the web.
While watching the news bulletin, there was a segment where the presenter and a news commentator do a review of tomorrow’s newspaper stories. One in particular caught my attention, the story of Claudia Seye Aderotimi, 20, who had died in the US, as a result of complications after being given a silicone injection. These are supposed to be buttock injections to help enhance and give the woman a rounded shape.
Bottom augmentation as they are medically known have become a popular trend in recent times. Now, I have no idea why anyone would want to inflict such pain on themselves just for the sake of looking shapely. Please, don’t misunderstand me. I think it is important to take good care of yourself and appearance, and by all means, always look on point! However, at what cost? Personally, I’m inclined to argue that for anyone to take such drastic measures to improve their appearance could well mean they are not on point internally.
Ms Aderotimi travelled all the way from London to the US, where she had the procedure done. It is not clear if this was the main reason she went to the US, but it is sad that her life has been cut short in this manner and her family left in pain? Her death raises a lot of questions…how can any right thinking person in this day and age, trust a stranger you met on the WWW Milkyway to give you an injection or perform any form of surgical procedure on you, when you know full well that there are lots of jacked up people on the internet.
This reminds me of the documentary which prompted me to write the blog about hip hop videos. A young lady by the name of China Black wanted to have surgery on her backside to help make them more shapely, so she could get ahead in the music video industry. I have no idea why Ms Aderotimi wanted to have this buttock enhancing injection but I hope more young ladies learn and never let this happen again, causing their parents unthinkable pain in their absence. It is not worth it. Why get endowed in all the wrong places and end up dead in the process? Of what benefit is the endowment to you if you are not alive to show show it off? There is nothing wrong with looking good and fly but we must set our own beauty standards for ourselves not the one music videos or films set for us. You have to define what makes you beautiful and believe you are more than good enough.
I am not one for cosmetic surgery if it is not medically needed to keep me alive. But I also know it is not my place to preach at others or tell anyone how to live their life. However, I really believe we must look inward and ask ourselves about the kind of ‘craziness’ we have bought into which is costing our babies their self worth and value and and their lives? This is not beauty. It is the death of all things natural. Embrace and take steps to enhance yourself in ways that add to you but before you do so, count the cost to yourself and those around you.
