I know there’s already been quite a bit of commentary on Keri Hilson’s new “The Way You Love Me” video, and I decided that before I looked at what other people thought of the clip, I’d watch it for myself so as to not be influenced by the opinions of the general public. After watching the video, I have several thoughts.

1) I wrote a piece a couple months back talking about the oversexualization of females in pop culture. This video serves as a classic Exhibit A. Maybe I have a different perspective on this because I’m a gay dude, but I don’t find it very titillating or arousing when a chick is basically throwing the pussy in your face. After watching this, there’s basically nothing left to the imagination. It’s worth mentioning that the hyper-sexual imagery has yet to really work for any female artist. People turned on Madonna after Erotica. People definitely tired of Janet since she started sticking her titties out at every available opportunity. Anyone taken a look at sales for Christina Aguilera’s Bionic lately? Nicki Minaj is wise to have already started backing away from the overt sexuality, although regrettably, she still has to carry the stage name “Minaj”.

This video is at best strip club material and at worst porno. And the vague female empowerment message (because the women are “bad bitches” who brandish weapons and stand up to the men in the video) is offset by the fact that the video was probably conceptualized, produced and directed by a guy. Or a group of guys.

2) Keri needs to step her record-making game up. In a Perfect World was average, at best. She’s a talented songwriter, but she hasn’t yet proven that she can make good records on her own. The fact that this song is absolute trash probably makes the trashiness of the video stick out more. If the video was attached to a halfway decent song, I’d probably only be mildly irritated as opposed to completely grossed out.

3) This clip reeks of desperation. With two singles already having stalled on the charts, it’s obvious that Keri and/or her management and/or her label are trying to drum up publicity for her new album (which comes out next week or the week after-I don’t know and I really don’t care). Doesn’t matter. Record’s probably gonna flop anyway.

Call me puritanical (believe me, I’m not). Call me sexist (I don’t think I’m that, either). Say that I’m missing the bigger picture (but make sure you explain to me exactly what the big picture is). I just have no idea how making a video like this is going to convince anyone to buy Keri Hilson’s album or go see her in concert. Actually, I can’t see how this video is going to do anything at all other than create some bullshit conversation about females “owning their sexuality” and maybe give a few people of both sexes some masturbation material.