S. Samuel
Grammy-winning rapper Lil Wayne is catching heat over his new "My Homies Still" music video drawing strong comparisons to last week's Dark Knight Rises Colorado massacre.
Reports specifically point out the music video’s usage of skeletons in a movie theater scene.
At around the 3:35 mark in the video, Lil Wayne and his gang are transported to a movie theater where they dance, sing and throw popcorn at the screen. In what is surely a case of horrible timing, the theater is occupied by a number of skeletons. Those following the shooting at one Colorado screening of the Batman film noted that, in the main setup for this scene, there are 12 skeletons visible. The exact number of people who lost their lives in the Dark Knight tragedy. Later in the video, the camera pulls back to reveal many more skeletons (upwards of twenty, by our count), but it still seems to be an eerie coincidence. (E! Online)
There is also speculation of a Batman symbol presence toward the video’s outro.
Once that connection was made, others were quick to point out other similarities between the music video and reports of the crime scene: For one, smoke bombs set off in the suburban streets (where Lil Wayne also skateboards past a pair of skeletons). And, at 3:28, a mirrored reflection in the window nearly takes on the shape of a bat. (E! Online)
Today, “My Homies Still” music video director Parris has addressed fans’ concerns.
“@LatinLegend Someone seemed to put more thought into the imagery than I did.,” he tweeted July 23rd.
“@RaineMiro not at all. It’s just sad that people try an associate a tragedy to a music video that was created by having fun nothing more.”
“@DJayDee5 I’m not that deep or sick to put cryptic messages in my videos purely art and entertainment.” (Parris’ Twitter)
Coincidentally, the suspect behind last Friday’s massacre, James Eagan Holmes, is reportedly not a Lil Wayne fan.
Near the scene, another neighbor, Rachel Reed, 25, recalled seeing Holmes a number of times on the stoop, with his backpack. A couple of months ago she ran into him at the Zephyr, where she had put a Lil Wayne rap song on the jukebox. Holmes disapproved, she said, preferring rock ‘n’ roll music. He came over and “made some racially charged comments about rap,” she said. “He seemed like he was a normal dude,” she said. “He was a little buzzed.” (Reuters)
Check out the “My Homies Still” music video below:
