My Views on the 'Hold Me Back' Video (Nigerian Version) by Rick Ross

     We would be taking a break from viewing the winning entries in the just concluded writing competition 'Tha Watcha's Pen Principal' to muse on this blog post written by a dear friend on his blog 'www.tosinadeda.wordpress.com (Under his kind permission, of course). Feel free to drop comments below, and continue to watch out for the entries that came 2nd and 1st which would be posted as the days go by. Ciao!


My Views on the 'Hold Me Back' Video (Nigerian Version) by Rick Ross
It's no more news that Rick Ross was in Nigeria few weeks ago for a show,
and after the show he decided to shoot a video for his "Hold Me Back" track
off his "God Forgives I Don't" album.

Oh that video dropped yesterday, and Nigerians have aired their views via
different social media platforms. Some absolutely love the video, while
others see it as a slap on the face of Nigerians for being portrayed in
such light to the rest of the world.

For those who feel the song has no message, i will take time out to type
the lyrics of the of the song.

*[Intro]
I see how these niggas playin’
But I could adapt
These niggas won’t hold me back [x8]
These hoes won’t hold me back
These hoes won’t hold me back
These niggas won’t hold me back
These niggas won’t hold me back*

*[Verse 1]*
*I look in my fridge, my sh*t lookin’ scarce*
*I got a few kids, we need some sh*t on the shelf*
*I get a knock at the door, they say my rent overdue*
*And while my niggas sell drugs and don’t know what else to do*
*The only thing on my mind, I’m tryin’ to keep on the lights*
*I call up my slime, I need a kilo tonight*
*Everything whipped well, I’m eatin’ steak, no more soup*
*Then I parked the Capri, I went and bought me a Coupe*
*Everything takes time, but this sh*t came fast*
*Niggas standin’ in line, they wanna hold me back*
*I multiplied my hustle, stimulated my mind*
*Motivated my niggas and we’ll never divide, no*

*[Hook]*
*These niggas won’t hold me back [x4]*
*These hoes won’t hold me back*
*These hoes wanna hold me back [x3]*
*Noooo*

*[Verse 2]*
*First I got me a Taurus, then I copped me a Lexus*
*I took over Florida, my connect out of Texas*
*Then I start sippin’ purple, got my sh*t screwed*
*When you feedin’ your circle, watch your shipments improve*
*Fabricate ’bout your fortune, all my fabric’s imported*
*Fornicate in my fortress, 40k still my mortgage*
*24k my toilet, all my taxes reported*
*All my exes deported, shout-out Texas, New Orleans*
*All these niggas influenced by a hustler’s endurance*
*I just me the purest, but I need some insurance*
*Niggas watch who you f*ckin’ just to hate on your b*tches*
*Niggas breakin’ the rules, niggas facin’ suspicion*

*[Hook]*

*[Verse 3]*
*Momma workin’ three jobs ’til I told her to quit*
*How we rose from the sewer, funny now I’m the sh*t*
*Niggas ain’t gettin’ money, but they got an opinion*
*Had this tech makin’ racket, serve you like you were tennis*
*Killers ride for that paycheck, AK okay, check*
*B*tch nigga let’s play chess, yo b*tch next, no latex*
*These niggas won’t hold me back, told the feds they sold me set*
*Whip ‘em right and then come right back*
*Whip-whip-whip ‘em right and then come right back*

*[Hook x2]*

*[Verse 4]*
*P*ssy Bottom niggas, p*ssy Bottom niggas*
*They all p*ssy Bottom niggas, p*ssy Bottom niggas*
*Lookin’ down on these niggas, p*ssy Bottom niggas*
*Pushin’ my new Ferrari on these p*ssy Bottom niggas*
*P*ssy hoe, p*ssy hoe*
*She a p*ssy hoe until she give me p*ssy hoe*
*P*ssy hoe, p*ssy hoe*
*P*ssy hoe, she a p*ssy hoe*

The song is just about the rise from nothing to something, the rise from
struggling to flossing, how he was broke and stuff and hustled his way to
the top, how people who didn't do nothing for him when he was broke now
feel they can hold him back, how he's determined to achieve more even with
the hate etc.

For those who feel the Nigerian version of the video is just a way to
ridicule them, take time out to watch the Original version of the video and
then also the Nigerian version again. Watch both videos below

Hold Me back (Yankee Version)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVO5WhIm4uI

Hold Me Back (Naija Version)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9Xcs-78Xpo

Now that you are done watching both, i am sure we can all agree that both
videos have similarities (Both were shot in the slums). Why did he shoot in
the slums? that i don't know, but i av my own opinion on why he did shoot
the videos in the slum, and it goes thus: for a song that portrays
struggle, hustle, poverty and how hard work can take anybody out of it, the
best place for someone like Rick Ross to shoot the video is the slums. he
was once like the people in the slums, he remembers the struggle, he
remembers the hustle, and he remembers the people who he was once like.

The song is a Ghetto song, it's a song about the streets, it's about the
common man, it's only logical to shoot such a video in the ghetto, on the
streets. I salute the director of the videos also, there is a difference
between making a Slum Scene and actually using a real slum, and in this
case a real slum was used, which i think it's something that Nigerian video
directors need to learn, that's what originality and creativity is about.

For those who have a problem with the quality of the video, i challenge
them to show me a better Nigerian ghetto video (Directed by a Nigerian)
that's as original, precise, straight to the point as the "Hold Me Back"
Nigeria video. To think that the video was short within a short time and
came out good is a plus.

How many of our own Nigerians artistes have done songs/video to show the
plight of Nigerians who live in poverty? majority of them portray Nigeria
in their videos like all is fine and we all live the good life. Some don't
even shoot their videos in Nigeria, they go to other African countries to
shoot videos, is that what you like? people who don't believe in a country
that made them rich and famous. Some make it worse by using White models in
their videos, the height of inferiority complex. Its a shame that anybody
will feel offended by a foreigner who came over to Nigeria to shoot a video
in the slums that we Nigerians have forgotten about.

By the way did y'all see the tribute to Rashidi Yekini? I
loved that, R.I.P to the Legend of Nigerian Football.

Now finally to those who just don't like the video because they feel it
portrays Nigeria in bad way to the outside world, first of all let me make
a point clear to you all, The average, shallow minded, myopic,
stupid and dumb non - Nigerians (especially the whites) see Nigeria and
Africa as a whole as a jungle of black monkeys who hang on trees and stuff,
and there is Nothing anybody can do to change it, because majority will die
in their ignorance.

That aside, i have some questions for those who feel insulted by the video
being shot in the slums. Are the visuals of the video that of Nigeria or
not? Is Nigeria a developed country? What does the average Nigerian worth?
How much does the average Nigerian spend in a day? Is Nigeria a paradise
for majority of Nigerians? Those people in the slums, are they lesser
Nigerians than you are? Are you really offended because u feel bad for them
or because of your own ego? Do you care about those particular set of
people? Why do you have a problem with the whole world seeing how majority
of Nigerians live? . . �Answer those questions in your minds, they are
rhetorical.

A country blessed with so much natural resources, and yet so much poverty
and suffering by the majority of it's people, a country that cannot boast
of steady power supply, good health care, good roads, good water supply,
good education and several other basic infrastructure that every Nigerian
deserves, why will you as a Nigerian want to help the looting and corrupt
leaders of Nigeria hide the fact that majority of we Nigerians live in
abject poverty and penury in the midst of plenty?

And it's funny and ridiculous that you think you can hide the fact that
majority of Nigerians live in poverty because of corrupt leaders, i mean
these leaders steal public funds and store in the hands of these same
people we are trying to hide from. The world is not blind, they can see,
they know how we live in, they know that majority live in poverty, you
can't hide that fact.

The fact that you are privileged and have access to more money and luxury
does not change the fact that majority of Nigerians are poor and live below
a dollar everyday. I find it very inhuman to feel offended that Nigerians
like you and i are in a video, but because they live in the slums, you are
bothered about how the outside world will feel about us in general. The
outside world will only talk, they don't care about you and i, they won't
solve our problems, it is You and I that will solve our own problems and
get ourselves out of the abject poverty that we have been subjected to as
Nigerians by our thieving and corrupt politicians.

Do you know the joy and happiness those people in the slums felt? Do you
know what is means to be rejected by the govt of your own country, and left
to live in permanent misery and poverty? Only to be remembered by a
foreigner, who went ahead to shoot a video so that the we all can see their
plight. Y'all should be ashamed of yourselves, for feeling offended over
the joy of Nigerians who got remembered for once in a very long while.

The Govt have forgotten these people, left to die in the slums, now you are
also going to betray and deny them, because you have more money? Shame on
YOU!!!

What have you done to help out? have you touched the lives of Nigerians who
live in poverty? what have you contributed? Nothing, absolutely Nothing!

Nigeria go better . . .

@Tosinadeda

2012