evilentity

I've said this before about trying to categorize Lana's discography by different eras based on her different names or spellings of her names, and I think it's still pretty true: But here's what we can say about the material you mentioned. The presumed source of Sirens said it came to him labeled May Jailer, which used to be her MySpace account, and was recorded in 2005 or 2006. Assuming QN and FTE are the recordings on file with the copyright office as YLM/RMS and FTE, they date to 2005. It would still be an assumption, but given the date, overlap, and similar sound of the recordings, it would not be unreasonable to label them all May Jailer. However, it should be noted that there is currently no evidence she ever billed herself as May Jailer for any performances. The Disco sessions supposedly came from a member of Lizzy Grant and the Phenomena who had probably been edged out of the band by July 2007. Again, although the most polished version of "Disco" was posted on the Lizzy Grant and the Phenomena Reverbnation account, there is no evidence she ever billed herself as Lizzy Grant and the Phenomena aside from perhaps one show. So make of that what you will.

Except it's not.

[source] [source]

Yeah, phonetically I definitely hear something like "meta-gene" as well. But I'm not yet convinced it's Medellín. People on genius.com are saying it's pronounced "med-a-zsheen" or "med-a-jean", or at least that that's the way most English speakers pronounce it. But so far I'm not seeing that that's the case. It seems like people pronounce it more like "med-a-yeen". See this Narcos trailer at about 1:00, for example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7elNhHwgBU Or this video: I mean, the Medellín cartel certainly makes sense as something she'd reference (her @@drugmoney and @columbiancartel Twitter accounts say hi) so maybe she's just majorly mispronouncing it. But it's also worth noting there are no other explicit drug references in the song (or "Backfire", the other song that mentions "Salvatore"). I think we should consider other possibilities. Here's one fitting with the Italian theme. Any chance she's saying "de Medici", and slightly mispronouncing the last syllable more like "zhee" than "chee"?

I agree that as a black person Obama has some license to say it even in a non-referential context. But I'm not sure that's relevant in this case. Obama's not any black person, he's the president. Given that there is some dispute even within the black community whether it is even acceptable for black people to say it, using it in a non-referential context would have been seen by many, across racial lines, as not presidential. Consequently, his usage was primarily defended on the grounds that it was OK because it was referential, making a point about the usage of the word, not because he was black and therefore allowed to say it. See, this is an example of the good kind of political correctness getting twisted into the bad kind. The dictum that black people are (arguably) allowed to say it, and other people aren't is a fine one, but was never originally intended to be literal and absolute. It was just a less formal way of saying black people may be permitted to employ it, but other people can not employ it. Over time people have started taking it literally, that it can never ever be uttered by a non-black person, even in reference to the use of the word, like it was Voldemort or some shit. A lot of people just avoid or advocate avoiding using it in all cases for simplicity's sake, so they don't have to think about whether it's referential or not, but not because there's really a good reason to prohibit referential usage. It would be sort of like punishing a parent for saying swear words in the course of teaching their children what words are swear words. I mean, where does it end? Can lexicographers, etymologists studying the history and usage of the word not use it referentially? Only if they're black? Are we going to censor the Wikipedia page on the word? Are we going to censor books depicting racist white characters that say it? Etc. etc. You get the point. There's also an irony (and perhaps hypocrisy) here in your referential usage of the word "faggot" unedited in the same post. There needn't be an equivalency to see that any supposed "rule" absolutely prohibiting all usage of one while permitting the referential usage of the other is completely arbitrary. "Faggot" is sufficiently offensive that any of the same arguments for circumscribing usage should apply to it as well. Also, you quoted my uses and didn't censor them. Why is one referential usage OK and not the other? Let's not forget that this whole argument started from comments where I referenced the word in the context of denouncing its employment in the strongest possible terms: advocating the principle that there is no excuse for employing it, or any other racist or homophobic slur, against anyone no matter the provocation. Like, seriously?

Because it was in the context of a discussion about how the most taboo slur words are used. I wasn't employing it against anybody or saying it just to say it. There's nothing wrong with that. Let me slightly re-word what you just said: "Evil literally said the word ':)', uncensored, and nobody said shit." There would be nothing wrong if you (or anybody else) had said it that way instead. You're referring to how someone used the word. This is as silly as the faux-controversy over Obama saying it on the WTF podcast. Again, in the context of a discussion about the use of the word.

I try to be precise with my language in the extremely misplaced hope that it will avoid misunderstanding. Dude, I've written like that since I was several years younger than you are now. Ha. You think you make me feel uncomfortable? No. What makes me feel uncomfortable are thoughtful, substantive comments from POC that actually make me think, examine my white privilege, and perhaps reconsider something I've said, done, or thought. And I'm grateful for that discomfort. But no, you've never been the source of anything remotely resembling that. In fact, there's nothing that makes a white person more comfortable than a racist (ok, fine, racially prejudiced if you insist on euphemism) POC that can be so easily dismissed as a bigoted asshole before ever making them have to examine their white privilege. But you know what does make me feel uncomfortable? A particular way in which I confess I have been racist toward you. I have held you to a different standard than others, partly because of my proximity to some of the disputes your comments have arisen from, but largely because you are a POC and I am white. If anyone else said the same kind of shit you repeatedly say about white people about any other group I'd have banned them a long time ago. Out of an overabundance of caution, to counterbalance any unintentional racial bias on my part or personal bias stemming from my proximity to some of these disputes, I've given you a pass. But you've been warned and yet you keep doing it and I just can't justify the double standard anymore. This is your last warning from me. One more prejudiced comment or use of discriminatory slurs and you're done here.

Racism can be much subtler than that. I think you're reaching so much you're gonna dislocate your arm. See @@longtimeman, I told you I was gonna have to steal that line. #PostAppropriation I agreed 100% with everything you said up until this point in your post, and I agree that discussions like this tend to turn ugly, but I have to disagree with this "don't quote me" business. It comes off like you feel entitled to have the final word. It's a discussion forum. People are entitled to respond if they wish.

@@PinkVelvet I'm guessing @@dsvelca mostly intended their comment in the sense that they felt Azealia would be better off if someone helped her keep from sticking her foot in her mouth. @@dsvelca I'm guessing @@PinkVelvet is reacting they way they are because "muzzling" is pretty offensive way of expressing that. As @@PinkVelvet pointed out, it implicitly compares her to a dog. Also, a word suggestive of shackling and silencing a black woman... probably not a wise metaphor to use.

Read what I just wrote. I just said they're not the same, but similar in certain respects. Do you actually disagree that they're similar in the very specific, qualified way I said they were? Also, it's besides the point. I just said the argument against the provocation justification still works even if you imagine a different racial slur being used. Being provoked doesn't justify using a slur. This sort of notion is stupid. Everyone is entitled to have an opinion and express it. Of course, everyone's opinion has to be evaluated in light of both the content and the context (which includes who expresses it), but good ideas and bad ideas can come from anywhere. But the tactic is just a naked attempt to delegitimize opinions you disagree with and an excuse to not engage them on the substance.

I hope you're trolling.

I'm not trying to say the words are exactly equivalent, but rather to make a point about the logic of the justification. That said, I think both words are similar insofar as they exist on the same plane as two of the most verboten words in the English language and as each is the most taboo slur against the respective marginalized group it refers to. Even so, if you were to imagine a white celebrity using a milder racial slur I think the hypothetical still works.

Hypothetically, would I ever be justified in calling a flight attendant a "fucking :)", even if they were hanging on to my shit and inappropriately detaining me? It would be OK if I was provoked? I don't think so.

http://www.tmz.com/2015/09/22/azealia-banks-flight-homophobic-slur-delta-video/

Sorry, but I distinctly hear the 'h' in "hello" every time.

Mess at how both "sides" are finding an excuse to argue and putting words in each other's mouths over something we have zero evidence what the context is about. Watch this end up being one of the tracks that she just ad-libbed over Nowels' chords and it's not actually about anything.

Ummm.... There's a way to smack down problematic comments without escalating things. These were not it. Watch the name-calling and keep it civil or I'm gonna start giving warning points like a child molester hands out candy. Honestly, I think burqa bans are extremely illiberal and an unacceptable violation of freedom of expression, not to mention discriminatory. Hell, if I lived in France I'd wear a burqa just to make a point, and I'm an agnostic cisgender hetero white guy. Reminds me of this at 1:07: Yes, but also start trying to put yourself in the shoes of others and try to understand why they might see something as racist.

Gorbachev to the Nuclear Arms Races True Love on the Supply Side Trickle Down Old & Senile SAG Girl Summertime Sandinistas Put Me in a B Movie Contras of the Counter-Revolution Grenada (Black Hawk Helicopter Hell)

Lana's not Italian. Again, I think you're probably giving her too much credit. Not sure it would be any less of a non sequitur if it was calciatore, but Lana's lyrics are full of non sequiturs.

All our beds are made

Ha, this is a great line. Gonna have to steal it. Is the "you're so ghetto" line problematic? I think it's really hard to say without knowing who it's about. But I think the evidence that it's about Azealia Banks is really thin so far.

Please post it. We should have all interviews she does for the sake of completeness if nothing else.

"Bob" is obviously Bob Leone. "Lorraine" is almost certainly Lorraine Ferro, who worked with Bob for the Songwriter's Hall of Fame (SHOF) at that time. It's true Bob was divorced five times and "surrounded himself with girl singer-songwriters" (usually much younger) both personally and professionally. Lizzy and Brea played at the same SHOF Showcase in 2006. Here is a photo from that event. They are at opposite ends of the front row: In the "Info and Links" section of the thread for that show you can see more information detailing Lizzy, Brea, and Bob's relationships to each other. Some of the links no longer work, but there are still screenshots of everything listed there in the Imgur album for that show.