Peter Jackson and Patrick Christopher Sing ‘Indian Girl’

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Warning: Video = NSFW unless your boss is the kind of person who is okay with explicit lyrics…

Ennis tipped me off to ‘Indian Girl,’ a song by 24-year old Canadian rapper Peter Jackson (no, not the LOTR guy) featuring Patrick Christopher. From what I recall of my childhood trips to Canada, desis had all but taken over certain parts of the communities I visited. When we strolled down the streets of Toronto, I felt like I was more in Pakistan than Canada. So it’s hardly a surprise that a song like this would emerge from Canada. It’s safe to say that I really, really dislike this song. Words like “fetishism” and “objectification” came to mind as soon as I saw it. The chorus, “Girl do that Indian dance/Dance for me now/Dance for me now” is nauseating enough, but “Ma got hair like Pocahotantas/Hands on the ass of an Indian goddess” induce further vomiting. As does ” shake, wiggle it , slither like a snake, mama.” In short this video reinforces every stereotype already out there about South Asian women. Servile? Check. Exotic? Check. Kama-Sutra-fantasy? Check. And yes, I know it’s not very different from any other misogynistic hip-hop song out there, but really? Really? And ode to brown fever?

Over on his site, Bobby Friction writes “I just wish I was a singer, so I could write ‘English Girl’ and make a video that consisted of me gettin my grind on (from behind) with a fit young blonde ting!” Perhaps, Bobby. But then there should be another one about yellow guys who like blacks girls or blue girls who like pink men or fuschia men who like green men. I’m all about people dating the rainbow, but somehow I don’t think this video contributed much to a thoughtful interracial dating dialogue, eh?

99 thoughts on “Peter Jackson and Patrick Christopher Sing ‘Indian Girl’”

  1. LOL…I agree with everything you said. I remember seeing another rap video that came out about Indian girls – I forgot who the song was by…but I remember a snake and girl dressed up in a sari type outfit…anyone know that video? Same exotic fetish as this video.

  2. Wow, that song is awful, in so many ways that you pointed out. However, Asian girls are fetishised in pretty similar ways in Asian media, ranging from films, to music videos, to print media. I mean, you only have to take one look at Indian magazines that actresses vie for exposure in to see the what they have to conform to in order get the print space. It’s as if the exotic, submissive Asian woman that is eager to be dominated (read: fulfilled) by the white man, who appears as a staple of Orientalist writings, has been internalised by the Asian man, and now the only avenue left for satisfying the Asian woman is mimicry of the qualities of the ‘civilising imperialist’ that he believes the Asian woman to be predisposed towards.

    That isn’t to say of course, that this sort of rubbish is excusable, but I think it certainly plays a big part in normalising it in both the minds of Asians and other groups.

  3. (no, not the LOTR guy)

    I had such high hopes after reading the headline. Then I saw that and the whole thing suddenly became way less awesome.

    Of course, rap lyrics objectifying women are kind of a dog bites man story and desis are the new “in” minority (even though Details magazine suggests we live in the era of the Jewess), so I’m actually a little surprised something like this hasn’t dropped sooner. I’ll be even less surprised when I see all the little ladies shaking their tail-feathers to it, further proving that you can say anything and get away with it as long as you have a funky beat.

    I do wonder what a Peter Jackson (the LotR one) Indian themed rap would sound like, though I can’t imagine it would ever surpass Leonard Nimoy’s Ballad of Bilbo Baggins. Great song? Or greatest song?

  4. GAWD, nothing pisses me off more than when a rapper thinks he’s being witty by mixing metaphors. “Hair like Pochahantas?” It’s not THAT kind of Indian! Timberland did this too in that MIA song where he sings about the teepee. She’s not even Indian, she’s Sri Lankan. DUMB.

  5. I’ll be even less surprised when I see all the little ladies shaking their tail-feathers to it, further proving that you can say anything and get away with it as long as you have a funky beat.

    If Soulja Boy can get away with it, anyone can.

  7. Timberland did this too in that MIA song

    Timberland was the guy with the other video fetishizing Indian women…I can’t understand the words of the song, just see indian women, snakes, flutes, and swami looking men playing the flute…I guess most rap videos exoticize any type of women

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YyUxdg0mm-E

  9. I have never heard anything suck harder.

    “Figure 8’s got me stiff in my pants”

    Are we sure Maya Angelu didnt write this song?

    There are 2 levels of bad; one is when a song is just bad enough that you never will listen to it again and the 2nd kind is a song being so bad that you have to listen to it again because you need to sit there are let it sink in. This song is the latter.

  11. clearly this knave is ignorant…so the question is, are we all gonna just “ooh” and barf over this or are we going to flood this asshole’s emailbox and tell him what a sexist orientalist shithead he is?

    i know what I’m doing.

  13. They left out the part where we sexily throw curry powder in your eyes to blind you, then wrap our exotic locks around your throat and choke you.

    Wait, that might just be me.

  16. Curry powder?

    Woman, get thee some red chili powder! Curry powder would be wholly inadequate.

    Of course, you’ll have to be careful if you wear contacts. Oh Lord will you have to be careful.

  18. They left out the part where we sexily throw curry powder in your eyes to blind you, then wrap our exotic locks around your throat and choke you.

    Noelle, I like the way you think.

  19. Timberland was the guy with the other video fetishizing Indian women…

    it’s TIMBALAND people. get with the program!

    timberland is a brand of shoes.

  20. all crap…by the way has anyone being watching the Indian Winter programmes on the Uk Channel 4

  22. Call me crazy but it’s kind of catchy. And I don’t even like most r&b except for gnarls barkley and the occasional catchy usher song… never listen to the radio. Yes, the pocohontas bit is dumb, but he clearly appreciates, fetish or not. Can you blame him?

  23. Not going to watch from work, but maybe one of you can tell me if it’s better/worse than this?

    of course, it’s worse. it’s only racist if non indians do it! didnt you get the memo?

    but man, when did vallavan get so abaswaram??? their first song was so much better.

  25. He compares himself to Eminem on his site…I’m still in shock from the ridiculousness of that video. It wasn’t even cleverly stupid.

  26. It’s as if the exotic, submissive Asian woman that is eager to be dominated (read: fulfilled) by the white man, who appears as a staple of Orientalist writings, has been internalised by the Asian man, and now the only avenue left for satisfying the Asian woman is mimicry of the qualities of the ‘civilising imperialist’ that he believes the Asian woman to be predisposed towards.

    Isnt it time south asians get their own stereotypes instead of trying to be honk-kong copies of east/south east asian ones? I mean, what affects this blind perspective? Is Apu really so much like Bruce Lee? Especially when in the US (where this mostly comes from) where south asians are certainly not classified socially (except maybe by starbucksintellectuals) with East/Southeast asians. Just a thought? Maybe stick to terrorism and snake charming… oh and also some actual insight? If anything id argue that south asians that claim to be victimized in this way must internally need to feel lesser than “the white man”- for whatever reason.

  28. The only thing that would justify that video would be a title shot at the beginning identifying it as an “SNL Digital Short”.

  29. I agree AK, this stupid in every regard. There is only certain art that is just clearly pure in this world, that doesn’t offend any race, sex, creed or religion. I was lucky enough to find it, and now I will share it with you http://www.vimeo.com/8628554

    I find that that video mocks those among us incapable of climbing stairs or too lazy to do so.

  30. Umm who said this shit’s hip-hop. Just because a record label signs & promotes some wanna-be(s) doesn’t make it legit. Hip-hop has it’s own issues & these clowns are not part of it-says me. deposit rejected..

  31. I could go on and on about this for hours but this is basically a clear example of ignorance. Speaking of interracial dating, you made me think of this clip from a show called Desi States of America that showcases what it’s like to date the rainbow! It’s pretty interesting to see how alike we all really are.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqaDifVmeSc

  32. this kills me, first off this kid is from CANADA where they have native indians as well which would explain the pocahontis comment, and a few of the others, they also have alot of west indian and east indian women in canada, in this video u can plainly see that some of the women are west indian and the other east or native, so i think you are taking it out of context lol its good music, its bringing attention to something, get over it

  33. this kid is from CANADA where they have native indians as well which would explain the pocahontis comment,

    Yes, I’m sure the First Nations folks is what was running through his mind.

  34. actully it was what he was thinking i herd him in a interview , so all this race talk is stupid as hell its about all girls and he is showing respect to all of them get over it, its a hot fucking song

  35. SINCE WHEN THE HELL DID INDIAN GIRLS BECOME A FANTASY ?!?!!?!??!!?!??!?!?!

    THIS GUY SHOULD SPEND A HOUR OR TWO WITH MY JANAANI

    EXOTIC? YEAH NOTHING IS MORE EXOTIC THAN WHEN MY GIRLFRIEND YELLS AT ME WITH HER ATTA ON HER HANDS , TELL ME, HOW MANY MEN IN INDIA WANTED TO MARRY HER.

    DONT GET ME WRONG, I LOVE MY DESI GIRLS…. BUT A KAMA SUTRA FANTASY? I DONT REMEMBER READING ABOUT DEAD FISH IN THE KAMA SUTRA… MAYBE I GOT THE WRONG VERSION THOUGH…

  36. RBtor, he is talking about Desi girls who were born and raised in the West, and more likely West Indian (Carribbean) Desi girls who have since long been mixed with Africans and Afro-Carribbean culture, not your average Bheinji or BTM Bheinji Turned Modern FOB from India.

  37. re: Guyana’s pride post

    I think ABD’s or non-fobs in general are kidding themselves if they think that there haven’t been significant changes in metropolitan indian morays. a fair number of FOBS of both genders who have come to states or who remain in india have lengthy conquest lists that span the globe or the socioeconomic spectrum for that matter. i don’t think we should necessarily be stereotyping in this regard either.

  38. The metros in India are few and far between. India lives in her villages and small towns. Even the metropolitan Indian girls are not that fly.

  39. About a third of the country lives in urban india–not a small proportion. Also, there are plenty of sophisticated, university educated Indian women back in the homeland. As evidenced by the efforts of the Consortium of Pubgoing Loose and Forward Women, we don’t need to discuss how cosmopolitan and even progressive urban indian culture has become in many cases. It’s bad enough that there is drivel like this featured video to deal with. There’s no reason for another round of fob v. abd to play out here as well.

    In any event, I think we all can agree that this video and the like can be universally condemned as lame and tone deaf hackery…let’s move on

  40. “I find that that video mocks those among us incapable of climbing stairs or too lazy to do so.”

    I whole heartedly disagree. I think the art even lends itself to those who fit those descriptions. It just seems that inclusive of an art. They love those who cannot perform as well as they can. That is just my opinion, I hope you give it another chance.

  42. “BUT A KAMA SUTRA FANTASY? I DONT REMEMBER READING ABOUT DEAD FISH IN THE KAMA SUTRA… “

    come on now, generic derogatory comments like this are unnecessary and destructive to the community

    and can we please use our indoor voices…?

  43. Weak. Drew Down is entirely correct- this is NOT hiphop.
    As for odes to desi females, I must stand by the sappy but infections “Desi Girl”. She’ll rock your world! lol

  44. What about this does not make this hip hop? Let’s look at one definition:

    “defined by key stylistic elements such as rapping, DJing, sampling, scratching and beatboxing.” There’s a beat. And there’s a rapper. Drudown, you can’t just excoriate something just because you don’t like it from a genre. A bad painter is still a painter. You didn’t get invited to the “this is what hip hop is/this is why I’m hot” meeting in 1979 so just chill until another episode of sa re ga ma. This song is just a song written by silly party animals who happen to be white. How many desi women have stood up for black spanish being exoticized in songs, by the way? Mami? Huh? Or Chinese folks? Ever hear the term “chinky eyed broads”? White people do it on the daily.

    Blah.

  45. The irony here is that in Indian films, the song/dance sequence always have NON-Indians in it. The Indian fetish/fantasy is that white girls are crazy for Indian men.

    At least this guy is featuring Indian women in a confidence-inspiring way.

  46. BM (hah!) – have you actually LOOKED at the white girls in filmi numbers? They never cast pretty ones! OK, Kylie (barf) got that wacktrack with Akki; but the actual dancers are serious munters. Most guys I know usually point that out and laugh at how it makes the female leads look like perfect goddesses.

    And as for this song, I maintain it is NOT hiphop, but RnB: Rap n Bullsh!t.

  48. Indians are off the chart shameless, with how they feature white people in their movies. There could be a scene where India and Pakistan are at war and for some reason they will have eastern european women in swimsuits walking around the battlefield, checking out all the “hot” Indian dudes in uniform.

  49. I feel more confident already

    Hi phillygirl, i know what would really make you confident, but I already think you know what I am going to say.

  50. BM (hah!) – have you actually LOOKED at the white girls in filmi numbers? They never cast pretty ones! OK, Kylie (barf) got that wacktrack with Akki; but the actual dancers are serious munters. Most guys I know usually point that out and laugh at how it makes the female leads look like perfect goddesses.

    true. they just replaced the comparatively unattractive desi girl background dancers with comparatively unattractive white girls. either way, the point is to not show up the female lead.