Controversial Music Video - Rihanna - S&M

Rihanna's music video is highly controversial and has been banned from many countries, due to it's "steamy" content. The video starts with Rihanna being moved and dragged into place by other men, and she has no way of getting out. You see her kicking her legs, but she is placed up against a way. This can be seen as somewhat vulnerable as others can see her and she has no way of getting down. However, at this point, she is wearing quite a long, non-revelling dress, she is wrapped up in clear latex. 

The scene is somewhat a "press conference" where Rihanna is supposedly speaking to the press. You then see the press strapped to a chair with things across their mouth. The audience see's one person in the press write down on some paper "SLUT", which again add's to it's controversy. The scene soon changes and you see Rihanna "in control" which could also suggest things to the audience. She has now taken over and has got hold of the press and 'tied' them up. Rhianna is now wearing bondage gear and now more relieving than ever. The whips can be seen as hugely controversial as this will be causing pain to others. However, it goes will with the song S&M and see dresses up appropriately to fit the narrative and lyrics of the song. You then cross over to Rihanna tied up, showing that she is not in control anymore and she may be the subject of whips etc.

The audience then see's Rihanna eating and peeling a banana which is representative something suggestive. Along with the images and actions on the screen, the lyrics are just as controversial. She sings "Sex in the air, I don't care, I love the smell of it". Also, "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but chains and whips excite me". As well as the actual music video, the lyrics add to the reason why the music video is so controversial. I feel this music video is definitely controversial, and their are a number of suggestive actions that Rihanna is interpreting. This may be the reason why it has been banned in a number of countries. However, this has raised a number of opinions which have made this video so controversial and well known for such particular reason.
Take a look for yourself..

M.I.A - Born Free

Controversial Music Video
There are many things featured in this video to class it as controversial.
Many people have heard of the saying 'gingers have no soul' but this is just pushing it.

First of all the lyrics don't seem to link into the narrative at all.  Following a team of American SWAT officers 'hearding' up all the redheads they could find and then brutally murdering them in a desserted wasteland. All this is is a 9 minute video about one form of genocide.

The narrrative at some points over powers the music and the attention as drawn towards the story and the horrific scenes of tourcher and masacre. 6minutes50seconds - Take this as an example, a gun is held up to a CHILDS head and he is shot through the temple...it is not implied it is visible to the camera. Any shocking events involving children are always emotive and is a good way to evoke emotion however the killing of an innocent child is wrong on all levels. In the narrative this forces the other 'gingers' to do as they are told because they are horrified and scared. 

In my opinion it is a clever devise to promote the artist 'M.I.A'. Anything controversial will lure an audience in to see why it has been branded as 'controversial' or in some cases 'banned'. The more interest the more chance the public will engage with the music/artist. In this instance the music isn't really a big part in the video it is more a soundtrack to a bad tasted storyline.