"Put molly all in her champagne, 

she ain't even know it,

 I took her home and enjoyed that,

 she ain't even know it"

I know, you've just gone back to read it and now you're thinking "did he really say that? Could it be a metaphor for something else? Surely he didn't mean it literally... It's all banter isn't it?" No, it isn't. It cannot be interpreted as anything else but what it is because he has just outlined quite specifically the characteristics of date rape. 

Lolia Etomi, a young Nigerian student of Theology at Cambridge heard the song and created a petition which you should see and sign by clicking on the link below:

http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/rick-ross-publicly-apologize-for-glorifying-drugging-raping-a-woman 

Her petition has garnered over a thousand signatures so far, and is gaining so much traction that Rick Ross sort of apologized for it. 

He said at a recent radio interview, "It was misunderstanding with a lyric, a misinterpretation where the term 'rape' wasn't used. And I would never use the term 'rape' in my records."

He went on to say, "reach out to all the queens that's on my timeline, all the sexy ladies, the beautiful ladies that had been reaching out to me with the misunderstanding, we don't condone raping – I'm not with that."

I caught up with Lolia to see what she thought about his rather appalling apology.

"I like the fact that it's become a big enough deal that it's become a big enough deal that he'd been prompted to reply and that he's so strongly denounced rape, but his reply was not the reply that we asked for. It insulted our intelligence by saying it was all a "misunderstanding" because he did not "actually say rape". That's simply not good enough. But three other people started petitions like mine and change.org has agreed to combine them all so we'll have over 3000 signatures and put even more pressure on him and his label and as more radio stations are banning the song, maybe he'll feel the need to release a better statement than that soon."

I agree with her because according to Rick Ross' logic I could say,

"Well she wasn't exactly willing, in fact she wasn't willing at all. She said no several times but anyone who knows anything about anything knows that no really means yes so I gave her a good spanking and had my way with her."

I didn't use the term "rape" there did I?

We need to obtain a more reasonable explanation from the man. Lend your support to the cause by adding your signature to the petition here: http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/rick-ross-publicly-apologize-for-glorifying-drugging-raping-a-woman

Happy Days,

Afam

"Does it make you angry? Does it rile you to see your country portrayed as poor and suffering and full of struggle?

It burns you, does it not? To have some foreigner- who knows nothing of your history and pain, of the stories that flow within your blood- to have this foreigner come in and tell your story?

Is it not the height of disrespect and insensitivity? Does it not chafe against the thick skin you have grown to cover your other wounds?

Does it not make you angry?

We should wax sanctimonious about national pride being slighted.

We should vent our displeasure online.

We should occupy something.

Because God forbid the truth ever be told about what things really are.

God forbid a stranger remind us about those things we choose to ignore everyday.

God forbid we ever face the truth about ourselves.

God forbid we do not go on the internet and rail about how our country is being cast in bad light. God forbid we do not talk about how there is a small minority which lives better than portrayed. God forbid we do not ignore truth one more time.

God forbid we don’t."

@miabaga_dotcom

I'll answer him directly, no it does not make me angry. Why should it? No it does not rile me to see my country portrayed as poor and suffering and full of struggle. It doesn't, because that's how my country really is. No it doesn't burn me that some foreigner with questionable taste came in to tell my story because you'll find that foreigners tell the best stories. To see anything clearly you have to stand on the outside and look in. No it is not the height of disrespect and insensitivity, it could have been so much worse. I think he even cast us in a positive light.

I'm not quite sure what is meant by,

"We should wax sanctimonious about national pride being slighted"

I find it shocking that with all my literary prowess I have been defeated by such a sentence. Is it not magnificent? I must be at fault for not understanding it. Oh what did you say? I shouldn't be so hard on myself because you have no idea what it means either? Good man!!

Please don't go on the internet and rail about it, you'll come across as whiny. You must not forget that there are issues far more pressing than your thoughts on Rick Ross' video. For instance, do you know that Beyonce may be pregnant again? No I'm not making it up, I read it here. 

I think he showed us as we are, poor and happy. He showed the struggle, and there's nothing wrong with that. Everyone has some struggle or the other. Of course some struggles are more comfortable than others but to us they assume a position of monumental importance. For instance, there's this girl I like but I can't seem to form any sentences when I'm around her. This trivial matter is more important to me than global warming. Is it not sad? Are my priorities not warped? 

The good man even showed the wealthy. He showed the people at his concert.  I know that there was certainly a 1 million Naira table at the concert (£4000). It is also necessary to mention that the concert was held at the Eko Hotel, one of the most prestigious hotels in the country.

I'll convert it for you. N5,000 = £20. N10,000 =£40. N25,000 = £100. N500,000 = £2,000. N1,000,000 = £4,000. It's obvious that the people that attended are not paupers. The man that spends N5,000 naira on a concert is not worried about the source of his next meal. That is all.

Happy Days,

Afam