In a move sure to endear them to high schoolers everywhere, the Israeli town of Nahariya has banned Nicki Minaj’s “Anaconda,” and thirteen other objectionable tracks, from being performed at any of the teen-focused concerts, dances, and sports events taking place over this summer as part of the city’s “Nahariya Village” series.
Explains Israeli daily Ha’aretz:
According to the municipality, the blacklist is a response to the songs’ “violations of women’s dignity,” encouragement of “a culture of rape, humiliation of women,” and lyrics “full of racist words, insults, sexism and homophobia.”
A document listing fourteen songs, as well their reasons for being banned, has been released (link in Hebrew, behind paywall) by municipal authorities. Aside from Nicki’s ode to her stupendous butt (specifically banned, per-Ha’aretz, because it “objectifies the buttocks of women and girls”) the list includes Jason Derulo’s “Wiggle,” Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines,” Fifth Harmony’s “Worth It” (which, as it happens, was recorded by Israeli producer/musician Ori Kaplan), plus ten other tracks from local Israeli artists.
In a statement to Ha’aretz the city makes clear that, in regards to the Nahariya Village series specifically, their ban is absolute. However it is “not a statement from the municipality to the music world. Of course [Nahariya] will not boycott anyone, neither artists nor singers. However, [Nahariya] want to be responsible for the content featured in an educational setting, as we feel responsibility for what happens there.”
So have fun, teens of Nahariya! Sounds like you’re in for a really exciting summer full of not-hit music and not-fun dancing!
The rest of you, on the other hand, can enjoy Nicki’s “Anaconda,” below:
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