Anaconda is a song by America recording artist Nicki Minaj from her upcoming third studio album, the Pink print. Production for the track was handled by Polow Da Don and Da Internz.  Anaconda peaked at N.2 on the Us Billboard Hot 100 becoming Nicki highest charting single in the United States to date.  A music video for the track was shot in Los Angeles, California by Colin Tilley and was released on August 19, 2014. The video features a cameo appearance by fellow rapper and label mate Drake. The video broke the 24 hour streaming record on VEVO by accumulating 19.6 million views in its first day of release, beating the 19.3 million 24 hour record previously held by Miley Cyrus for the music video of her song,  Wrecking Ball in 2013. 11 days after the release of the music video Anaconda was Vevo certified for receiving over 100 million views?  

The mise en scene follows the conventions of rap music with female dancers in very little clothing doing very sexual dance moves. The video is set in a tropical rainforest where Nicki is with her heard or followers which are her dancers. There is soft high key lightening which makes the setting look even more glamorous than it already is. There are constant costume changes as the video progresses. The shots being used in the video are Medium shots, Close of Nicki Minaj rapping, longshots to show the costumes they are wearing, High angels to show off the choreography, Nicki Minaj is always in the center of the frame as she is the main focus of the video.  The editing is mostly cutting from scenes to scene. There is use of slow motion when Minaj is twerking. A series of photo montages of fruit throughout the video. 

Media Effects

The copycat theory a way that younger generation would be influenced from idols on tv.  Girls would idolise her as she presents herself as the ‘Female Boss’ who is able to do many things that include dancing. The way she talks and dances and has dominance over people has gotten a lot of girls to be influenced by her and start listening to her music.

Moral panic

There is some sort of moral panic that has was raised from Nicki Minaj's videos. This is because she is changing many young girls by showing them her lifestyle. She tries to justify sex and not 'love em or cuff em.' This refers to not have any emotional attachment after engaging sexual. This causes young girls to be justified and to think that engaging with sexual intercourse without 'love em or cuff em.' Many parents have raised awareness. There was also an article on the guardian about how she is teaching young girls an alternative lifestyle.

Gender and ethnicity

This is a very hard genre that recognises females. This genre is usually for male rappers but Nicki Minaj was able to show an alternative to this by being one of the most successful female rappers. She is able to rap as well show some sense of dominance in her videos which make her have more power over the men in her videos. She does show some sort of gender possession in her videos as she shows that she is dominant over the males in the videos such as 'super bass' where she pulls one the performers ties in a manner that shows dominance and power over him in her music video.

Audience Theories

The users and gratification includes an audience that seeks entertainment and escapism; this is because they want to be amused and watch something interesting as well as watch something that includes things or a lifestyle they desire. Many people wish to be rich and recognised like Nicki Minaj is.  It is everyone’s wish to be in fancy cars, to have men running after them and to be making big sums of money. Not many people are in a position in which they could live the fancy lifestyle so the audience are most likely to feel some sense of escapism from reality by watching her videos. Also, in today's society not many females are seen as dominant over males like she is in her music videos. This could reassure her audience as she shows an alternative lifestyle in her music videos.

Marxist and Hegemony

One could argue that in her music videos, Nicki Minaj presents an alternative lifestyle and by ding this she changes the cultural norms. After doing some research on different cultures, I found out that there is no culture that accepts Nicki Minaj lifestyle. Religions, in the other hand, don't accept this. Nicki Minaj was able to introduce different norms for young girls as she is seen as role model from young girls. Nicki Minaj does challenge religion, cultures and popular norms by offering an alternative lifestyle. In most cultures, women shouldn't be too outgoing and in most cultures women do not posses the dominance over males. By showing dominance over males and by showing confidence in showing her body she challenges most of religions and cultures and causes moral panic.