Redfoo Defends ‘Literally I Can’t’ From Sexist Claims, Says It’s ‘Satire’
Redfoo has denied his new song “Literally I Can’t” is sexist. “The X Factor Australia” judge defended the new track from critics, saying the song is a “satire.”
In the new Play-N-Skillz video, which features Redfoo, Lil Jon and Enertia McFly, a group of uppity sorority girls who go to a fraternity party refuse anything that is offered to them, including vodka, tequila, dancing and “girl-on-girl” action. When they keep refusing, the boys pressure them into accepting, telling them to “shut the f--- up.”
Some of the lines in the song are also deemed offensive to women, such as: “While I’m at my motherf------ table and I’m trying to dance, don’t f------ talk to me” and “You got a big o’l butt, I can tell from the way you’re walking, but you annoy me because you’re talking.”
With lyrics as such, it’s no wonder the media is calling it the “most sexist song” of the year. It apparently even makes Robin Thicke’s controversial “Blurred Lines” look tamer and less misogynistic than “Literally I Can’t.” Several publications have noted that the new song perpetuates or even encourages the date-rape cases that recently hit the news. Both the song and the crimes have the same premise: Unwilling girls are coerced into drinking alcohol and loosening up, and if they don’t, they are ridiculed or harassed.
The outrage came from worldwide, but Australians also take a special offence to the song because Redfoo is a beloved judge at the country’s “X Factor.” An online petition has been lodged on Change.org, asking Channel 7 not to hire Redfoo anymore.
The petition also mentions the former LMFAO singer’s track “New Thang,” in which he appears to objectify women for his own pleasure.
“You literally can’t rehire Redfoo,” the letter reads. “How can the National Plan of Action to address violence against women succeed if we allow celebrities like Red Foo to be employe din positions of power?” [sic]
But Redfoo thinks the real victim here is him. The “party rocker” claims that the critics purposely misinterpreted the meaning of the show to support their agenda.
Another example of critics victimizing an artist by purposely misinterpreting his/her work to support a pre-existing agenda. #LiterallyICant
— Redfoo (@RedFoo) November 11, 2014
He then itemised the critics’ objections in his song, rounding up his defence to “three facts.”
Fact #1: The word "slut" never appears in the lyrics of #LiterallyICant. @amynelmes @TheFIXninemsn #GetYourFactsStraight #NoGreyArea — Redfoo (@RedFoo) November 11, 2014
Fact #2: I love & respect women and feel they are the most powerful people on this planet! #LiterallyICant
— Redfoo (@RedFoo) November 11, 2014
Fact #3: @PlaynSkillz @LilJon @EnertiaMcFly & I made a comical party song to satirize the cliche #LiterallyICant. Some get it, some don’t. — Redfoo (@RedFoo) November 11, 2014
Watch the music video of “Literally I Can’t” on YouTube.
